Episode Details

Some bourbon grows so strong in the barrel that it is classified as a hazardous material and banned from passenger planes. This episode breaks down what legally makes a whiskey bourbon, the chemistry behind its flavor, and the myths the industry has told about itself.

We cover the strict federal rules on corn, proof, and new charred oak barrels, the Bottled-in-Bond Act, and competing stories about the name bourbon. We explore Kentucky's limestone water, Tennessee whiskey, contract distilling, sour mash, and rickhouse evaporation, then look at Prohibition's medicinal whiskey and the record 16.1 million barrel inventory glut hitting the industry in 2026.

• Why distillation is capped at 160 proof and barrel entry at 125 proof
• The Elijah Craig legend and the Bourbon County versus Bourbon Street origin debate
• How MGP of Indiana supplies whiskey sold under many craft brand labels
• How heat and humidity in rickhouses push some barrels past 140 proof
• Tariff disputes, Canada's boycott, and why used bourbon barrels age spirits around the world