Third president inspired this spirit
Thomas Jefferson was a man of many accomplishments: a signatory of the Declaration of Independence, a forward-thinking farmer, our nation’s third president.
But in no small part Jefferson helped create America’s only native spirit: Kentucky bourbon. While governor of Virginia, Jefferson offered pioneers 60 acres of Kentucky land if they established permanent homes and planted 60 acres of “native corn.”
The catch: No pioneer family could eat 60 acres of corn. Luckily, many of those settlers were Scotch-Irish and had a tradition of distilling spirits from grain. Thus, Kentucky bourbon was born. A true bourbon whiskey must be made from at least 51 percent corn and aged in new, charred American oak.
In honor of Jefferson and Presidents Day, McLain & Kyne Distillery in Bardstown, Ky., has released Jefferson’s Reserve, a small-batch bourbon.
It has a nose of toasted marshmallows, raisins, dates and sweet, caramel flavors with a bit of orange peel. Savor the long, supple finish by sipping Jefferson’s Reserve neat or with a splash of water.
Suggested retail price: $50
|Lauren Chapin, lchapin@kcstar.com