Native to Kentucky, but legally distilled anywhere in America, bourbon is a straight whiskey made from at least 51% corn grain mash. By law, bourbon must be distilled at less than 160 proof, made without additives, and aged in new, charred white oak barrels. A minimum of two years’ aging is required to call the liquor “straight bourbon.”

While bourbon may be made anywhere in the United States, it is strongly associated with the American South in general, Kentucky in particular.

In 1964, the U.S. Congress declared bourbon a "distinctive product of the United States," cementing its status as a national symbol.

National Bourbon Day in the USA is observed on June 14 because it is believed by some to mark the anniversary of the first time bourbon was distilled in the late 1700s. This would be a good day to sample the variety of available bourbons at local bars and restaurants, and to participate in bourbon tastings, tours, or events where available.