04 Feb 2012, Posted by admin in EAT + DRINK, 0 Comments

The American Whiskey Renaissance

Whiskey fan? No matter. An article in this month’s Wine Spectator, “American Spirit: The Whiskey Renaissance Continues in Bourbon and Beyond,” is speckled with enough American history and sippable lore to capture your late night attention. As author Lew Bryson explains, “It’s a rags-to-riches and all-the-way-around-again story.”

Somewhat like cocktail hour, you might say. Only here, Happy Hour begins as a backyard brew before becoming the patriotic American tipple in the 1770s.

There’s plenty of scandal (The Whiskey Ring during Grant’s era), several decades of has-been celebrity status thanks to that hot new young thing called Prohibition (Canadian whisky and Scotch were reportedly easier smuggling targets), and of course, as in every happy Hollywood ending, a high-dollar bottle revival.

Well, Bryson can tell you all about that story. Consider yourself forewarned, this is a pricey read, as a Wine Spectator membership is required to view the article. All the more reason to skip the online antics, pony up for the print version and pull out a glass of Pappy.