Nope - it’s a popular misconception. Bourbon can be made anywhere in the US. It’s just that around 95% of it is made in Kentucky, so people think that it all has to be made there. Kentucky bourbon has a distinct taste mostly due to the water, which is often sourced from limestone-rich areas, so is quite alkaline.
Wait, 95%? I thought the requirement was to be made in Kentucky, so wouldn’t that be 100%? Or are there weird carveouts in Tennessee or something? 🤔
Nope - it’s a popular misconception. Bourbon can be made anywhere in the US. It’s just that around 95% of it is made in Kentucky, so people think that it all has to be made there. Kentucky bourbon has a distinct taste mostly due to the water, which is often sourced from limestone-rich areas, so is quite alkaline.