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A Spontaneous Libation for your Consideration

From the Knowledge Vault

Who Makes My Bourbon?

This is the fifth in a series on Bourbon by Zach Pearson. Read them all: Bourbon, Bourbon After the Act, Bourbon: What it is ... and isn't, Making Bourbon, Who Makes My Bourbon, Producer Capsules., Finding the Good Stuff, Tasting the Good Stuff, Neat, Mashbills, Geeky Information and Resources.

About a year ago, GQ exerpted this great picture from David Haskell's The Kings County Distiller Guide to Urban Moonshining. Click the image on the left to see the detail. It’s pretty easy to see from this that there are really only thirteen major Bourbon producers in the United States. These 13 distilleries are owned by only nine companies.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. You can’t walk into a liquor store and not see an entire 50 foot shelf of Bourbons with names you’ve never heard of. Some of them are even local. All of them have great stories on the back about how this particular Bourbon was the favorite of Ulysses S. Grant or Al Capone or was made by some hill-William from a secret family recipe only recently rediscovered inside a hollow log in Possum Lick, Kentucky. Like the Templeton Rye label to the left. Click it to expand and read it.

Recent Additions

  • Terminus — Islands Scotch, Amaro, Herbal liqueur, Orange bitters, Chocolate bitters
  • This is Not Berlin — Reposado Tequila, Mezcal, Cynar, Grapefruit bitters, Crème de Pamplemousse, Cinnamon syrup, Grapefruit peel
  • Pick Six #1 — Rye, Mezcal, Campari, Averna, Sweet vermouth, Amontillado Sherry
  • Base Camp — Bourbon, Islay Scotch, Dark Crème de Cacao, Allspice Dram, Orange bitters, Lemon peel
  • Louisiane and Maine — Rye, Sweet vermouth, Cherry Liqueur, Bénédictine, Bitters, Peychaud's Bitters, Absinthe, Brandied cherry

Recent Discussion

  • Re Street Corn Cocktail, 8 hours ago endless_optimism commented:

    Best Nixta cocktail I've had so far, even though I subbed Mezcal for Raicilla and had to leave out the cilantro because I didn't have any. Looking forward to trying it again when I get some!

  • Re Hunting Rifle, 21 hours ago Shawn C commented:

    Solid 4+. BroVo Amaro #14 is a good sipper on its own, but I find it somewhat challenging to employ effectively in cocktails. In this drink the BroVo is center stage, but with a well-composed supporting cast. The drier hogo of the El Dorado 3 yr I used blended well with Jameson and the woody/nutty oloroso sherry; forming a chorus with the chocolate herbal of the amaro, linked by the subtle Banane du Bresil I chose. The chocolate bitters provide just the right amount of boost to BroVo's inherent chocolate vibe.

  • Re Black Sails in the Sunset, 2 days ago noirbot commented:

    Didn't have Coconut Rum, so blended Clement Mahina Coco liquor 50/50 with an aged rum, turned out quite nice. It's a good blend of sweet and bitter, and always novel to have a nearly black cocktail as a look.

  • Re Division Bell, 2 days ago Biff Malibu commented:

    Hovers right on the edge of too much astringency.

  • Re Painkiller, 3 days ago Pimp Daddy commented:

    Pusser's version: 4 oz pineapple juice, 2 oz Pusser’s rum, 1 oz orange juice, 1 oz cream of coconut