Bourbon is an American whiskey, and its history is not well documented. It is unlikely there was a single "inventor" of bourbon, but this whiskey category appears to have evolved in the late 19th century. Baptist Minister Elijah Craig is often credited as the first distiller to put whiskey in a charred barrel, which gives bourbon its distinct flavor profile and color.
Throughout the late 1800s, it was uncommon for people to have access to distilleries used to create bourbon. So, they began to color and bottle whiskey and included ingredients like tobacco, iodine, or other substances to make counterfeit bourbon. As a result, the United States government initiated the 1897 regulatory Bottled-in-Bond Act. This law ensured you were getting a quality product.
In 1919, the 18th amendment was ratified, kicking off the period of Prohibition, during which the government banned the sale, production, and distribution of alcohol until 1933. Many bourbon distilleries had to close their doors. However, some remained in business by obtaining a license that permitted them to sell bourbon as medicine to pharmacies, dentists, and doctors. During Prohibition, Walgreens grew from 20 stores to almost 400 by selling "Whiskey Medicine."
After Prohibition was abolished in 1933, distilleries began to reemerge, and bourbon sales began to soar. In 1964 United States Congress recognized bourbon as a "distinctive product of the United States." The Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits (27 CFR 5) state that bourbon must meet these requirements:
• Must be made in the United States
• The mash must contain at least 51% corn
• Cannot be distilled at higher than 160 proof
• Must go in the barrel at no more than 125 proof
• Must be aged in newly charred white oak barrels
• Must be bottled at no less than 80 proof
• Nothing can be added except water
Today, bourbon is one of the most widely exported American spirits and has found its popularity in the form of small-batch and single-barrel top-tier bourbons.