Whiskey historian Oscar Getz spent a lifetime assembling an impressive collection of whiskey memorabilia covering American whiskey from itâ??s beginnings in the 1600â?²s all the way up to the decade post Prohibition. Situated in an old brick building near distillerâ??s row in Bardstown the museum is home to pieces of George Washingtonâ??s original rye whiskey still, has a tribute to Abraham Lincolnâ??s days as a tavern keeper and features every sort of American whiskey memorabilia you can think off. Located in Kentucky it naturally leans pretty heavily towards bourbon whiskey, ninety seven percent of which is produced nearby.
Many people make two mistakes when they think of bourbon whiskey. One: that all bourbon comes from Kentucky. And two: that bourbon comes from specifically Bourbon County Kentucky. Bourbon by United States law is: â??Whisky produced in the U.S. at not exceeding 80% alcohol by volume (160 proof) from a fermented mash of not less than 51 percent corn and stored at not more than 62.5% alcohol by volume (125 proof) in charred new oak containers.â? Which simply means that bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States. Ironically, todayâ??s Bourbon County produces no bourbon whiskey at all.
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