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StateWays n www.stateways.com n September/October 2015 34 BOURBON foundation of the global cocktail resurgence. There is a growing appreciation among consumers and bartenders for craftsmanship, heritage and authentic flavors." Art and Craftsmanship For whatever the reason, whiskey enthusiasts from around the globe are beating a path to our shores. Surely one of the new whiskeys high on their list is Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Released in June, the Bourbon was specially crafted to honor the U.S. Bottled in Bond Act of 1897. According to the Act, to be labeled a Bottled in Bond, a whiskey must be the product of one distillation season, one distiller and one distillery. Likewise, the whiskey must have been aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least 4 years and bottled at 100 proof. Old Forester is uniquely qualified to make this tribute. The brand is America's first bottled Bourbon and the longest continuously-produced Bourbon in the country. To create the initial release of the series, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch, 90 proof, Master Distiller Chris Mor- ris blended together select barrels from three different warehouses, each distilled on a different day, aged for dif- ferent lengths and at different entry proof. Among the creative standouts in the industry, Woodford Reserve has launched its Distillery Series, the first issue being Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked. The Bourbon is the result of finishing Woodford Reserve Dou- ble Oaked for an additional year in a second, heavily toasted, lightly charred, new oak barrel. The extra year in wood cre- ates a whiskey that is distinctly spicier than its original coun- T he chant "Buy American" can now be heard in bars and cocktail lounges around the globe. According to the Beverage Information Group, Bourbon is one of the bankable beverage trends in the U.S. Sales of the leading brands were up a whopping 6.4% in 2014. After decades of living in the shadow of imported whis- keys, global sales of our indigenous spirit now easily sur- passes those of Scotch and Canadian Whisky. In response, distillers from Kentucky to New York to Seattle are releasing the epitome of their crafts. They've cracked open hand-selected barrels and bottled their best. As it turns out, their best is world-class. American whiskeys possess vivacious personalities that are universally appealing; yet by nature, Bourbons are under- stated, preferring rather to saunter through life without pre- tense or conceit. They are loaded with big complex flavors and have about the most captivating aroma of any whiskey. Even as they ascend toward stardom, our whiskeys remain accessible to all palates and priced for all budgets. "Over the past five years, the Bourbon industry has grown 35%, and according to DISCUS, the whiskey gen- erated $2.45 billion in sales in 2014," says Andrew Floor, vice-president of dark spirits for Campari America. "That growth was driven by high-end premium and super-pre- mium brands—the categories saw 31-percent and 104-per- cent growth, respectively, over the past five years." One explanation for Bourbon's surging sales is the rebirth of the cocktail. "Bourbon continues to grow in popularity around the world, in part, because of its versatility," observes Master Distiller Chris Morris, maker of Old Forester and Woodford Reserve. "It is so mixable and is historically the A Global Phenomenon BOURBON CONTINUES TO BOOM BY ROBERT PLOTKIN