Whiskey Distilled from Corn: Bourbon's American Birth
American clergyman Reverend Elijah Craig distills the first whiskey from maize in Bourbon County, Kentucky, birthing a spirit that would eventually define an entire category of American liquor. This specific production established Bourbon as a distinct regional identity, transforming local grain into a globally recognized export that shaped the economic landscape of the early United States.
June 14, 1789
237 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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