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American whiskey is experiencing an impressive resurgence, but the road to the current bourbon boom hasn’t always been smooth.
Grandpa’s Drink
In the 1960s, white spirits such as vodka were experiencing a big boost in sales. Inspired by James Bond, younger consumers were imbibing martinis and mixed drinks like highballs and Bloody Marys. As a result, American whiskey brands were beginning to see their market shares erode.
In an effort to reinvigorate sales, distillers shifted down-market to create lighter, cheaper whiskeys that were designed for cocktail mixing. Bourbon’s image – and bottom line – took a huge hit as young consumers saw the spirit as “grandpa’s drink”.
Back from the dead
There were a few factors that brought bourbon back into the mainstream.
First, the spirit got a big boost from Japanese companies. Both Kirin and Suntory are heavily invested in bourbon production, and their wide reach helped spark global demand, particularly in Australia and New Zealand:
American Whiskey has also received a boost from hipster culture and the popularity of shows such as Mad Men and House of Cards, where heavyweight characters are fans of the spirit. Ultra-premium and craft batches are generating a lot of excitement, and there is still plenty of room for the category to continue growing.
In short, bourbon is having a moment.
Kentucky is winning big
Thanks to surging demand for American whiskey domestically and abroad, Kentucky’s economy is also profiting from the bourbon boom. The distilling industry now has an annual economic impact of $8.5 billion. As well, the industry is in the midst of a $1.2 billion construction boom as distillers reinvest capital into expansion projects (fueled by recent tax cuts).
The bourbon boom is benefiting employees as well. Average salaries in the industry have nearly doubled since 2001:
The Future
With brisk demand and expanding production, the bourbon boom is showing no signs of slowing down. For investors looking to capitalize on the trend, there’s even a whiskey-oriented ETF: WSKY.
Vodka is going to be bummed.
Not a chance!
I meant our friend Vodka, Jacko.
Never cared for the stuff myself even when I was into serious drinking. My grandfather started me out on beer when I was two and it’s beer I always return to.
That’s just great.With all the other problems facing the country we’re becoming a nation of drunks.
Don’t you have some whiskey to deliver?
Teetotaler.
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[/img]
Amy Semple Mcphereson.
Bitch, busybody, destroyer of private property, corrupter of politicians, and Grandmother of the war on drugs.
Another worthless piece of human debris who knew what was best for everyone else.
“Christian, n.: one who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor.”
― Ambrose Bierce
Plus she is the indirect cause of the income tax, women’s suffrage, Democrats and Caitlyn.
Dammit, BB, do you make it a habit to carry all the world’s woes on your back?
You used to be so fancy-free back when it seemed little bb was writing your comments.
KY produces a huge amount of bourbon. Bots have not taken that industry over…yet. I use it for medicinal purposes.
So KY produces booze and jelly. I guess they do go hand in hand – first the booze then the jelly.
loopey- I have no clue the origin of KY jelly, but when you want to drive home a point, it comes in handy.
Speaking of George Washington, his distillery was the only part of the Mount Vernon plantation that was profitable. He was a good agronomist, rotated crops and experimented with different ones, nevertheless he could not make money from crops. He also refused to sell slaves and so his slave population steadily increased, which increased his operating costs (slave maintenance was expensive as they required food, clothing, shelter and incurred medical expenses, and of course the very young and very old were not useful at all). It should be noted that Jefferson had the same problem and for some of the same reasons. In truth, while those respective plantations may not have been the norm, perhaps their slave communities were their dominant aspect. I wonder how common that was in the Old South… It also casts a very different light on what slavery was really like, at least for those who lived under educated and enlightened owners.
Washington has been criticized for not freeing his slaves until his death. But really, where would they have gone? Washington’s slaves had a much better life living in Mount Vernon and being a part of it’s community and I’m certain this was one his mind.
In the case of Jefferson, he had no choice. He was so heavily in debt upon his death that the only part of Monticello he was able to save from creditors was the house itself and a bit of land around it so his daughter could live there. I really don’t know what happened to his slave community after his death, but it would be interesting to find out.
<- feeling good about hijacking this thread 🙂 Monkey gotta throw shit…
While I enjoy a good bourbon over ice my personal preference is Jameson’s Irish.
Bushmill’s Irish runs a very close second. JMO.
A good Bourbon has always been my weakness . No not as something to mix with coke but a good Bourbon straight . A small simple pleasure , like keeping a 2 inch group at 200 yards and then the Bourbon