Bourbon Empire summary

Many popular stories about bourbon whiskey are of families following noble, centuries-old distilling traditions, unconcerned with modern technology. But the reality of the whiskey business tells quite a different story.

The truth is that small, family-run whiskey stills were getting squeezed out of business as far back as the eighteenth century.

Captain George Thorpe was America’s first whiskey distiller. Some 400 years ago in a Virginia swamp, he became one of the first thirsty men to distill corn mash into alcohol.

This early whiskey came out tasting more like paint thinner than the bourbon we know today. It’s no wonder that this tipple faced tough competition from the far more palatable Caribbean rum.

You might think, after independence, it would be smooth sailing for whiskey producers and drinkers. But the whiskey industry was about to enter a troubling period in its history.

By 1875, newspapers were filled with stories of scandal, corruption, bribery and tax evasion going on in the whiskey industry.

Prohibition’s dry spell ended in 1933, and afterward many Americans celebrated with a glass of whiskey. But they didn’t realize that the world of whiskey had been forever changed.

Before Prohibition, both large and small distilleries operated across the United States. Over half of these distilleries were forced to close after 13 long years of being unable to sell alcohol legally. Even companies that did try to restart their businesses after repeal struggled and often failed.

Bourbon in America traditionally was a drink for blue-collar workers. While rich people might enjoy bourbon on occasion, the spirit was primarily seen as the preference of soldiers and hard-working men. But all this started to change when vodka arrived on the market.

Vodka was first imported to the United States in 1946. Early on, the spirit was mostly popular in neighborhoods and cities with large Eastern European populations. But soon cocktail culture began to grow, with one drink emerging as a popular favorite: the Moscow Mule, a mix of vodka, lime and ginger ale.