Bourbon Ice Cube Tray

Bourbon is a type of American whisky, made primarily from corn and aged in the barrel. It has a sweeter flavor than other styles of whiskey, with notes of vanilla, oak and caramel. It’s smooth and easy to drink. 

95 per cent of the world’s bourbon comes from Kentucky, but bourbon can be produced anywhere in America. However, it is a distinctive product of the United State, and cannot be made anywhere else in the world.

All bourbon is whisky, but not all whisky is bourbon. For a whisky to call itself bourbon, its mash (the mixture of grains from which the product is distilled) must contain at least 51 per cent corn and no additives. It must be stored in charred new oak barrels, which give bourbon its colour and distinctive taste.

The history of Bourbon
The origin of bourbon as a distinct form of whisky is not well documented and there are many conflicting legends and claims. 

It’s most likely there was no single inventor of bourbon. The practice of making whisky and charring the barrels for better flavour had been known in Europe for centuries. 

The name bourbon name is most likely derived from the French Bourbon dynasty, although the precise inspiration is also uncertain; contenders include Bourbon County in Kentucky and Bourbon Street in New Orleans, a major port where shipments of Kentucky whiskey sold well as a cheaper alternative to French cognac. 

How is bourbon served?
You can enjoy bourbon in a number of ways including neat, diluted with water, over ice [on the rocks], or with cola. It is also an excellent base for classic cocktails like an Old Fashioned, Manhattan and whisky sour. 

How to make an Old Fashioned
This cocktail was first made 200 years ago. Why mess with a classic?

Ingredients

• 1 tsp sugar
• 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
• Splash of water
• 60ml bourbon
• Orange peel to garnish

Put the sugar, bitters and water in a whisky or old fashioned glass. Mix until the sugar dissolves. Add a B for bourbon ice cube and pour in the bourbon. Garnish with orange peel.

Enjoy.