Kentucky is known for bourbon, and science says there's a good reason for this.

Kentucky Bourbon

Kentucky may be known as the Bluegrass State, but it is also the Bourbon Capital of the World, and there's actually a scientific reason for that (more on that in a second).  I always thought that for a whiskey to be considered a bourbon, it had to be made in the state of Kentucky, but that's not true.  According to Kentucky Bourbon, bourbon can be made anywhere within the United States.

No – but we LOVE that you think that. According to the 1964 Congressional Resolution, in order to have “Bourbon” on the label it must be made in the United States of America and meet all other federal “standards of identity” for Bourbon.

Even though bourbon doesn't have to be made in Kentucky, 95% of bourbon is made in the Bluegrass State, why is that?  Well scientifically speaking, it's because the area that we now call Kentucky is loaded with natural resources to create the perfect bourbon.

Bourbon History From the 1700s

To understand why Kentucky is so good at making bourbon, we need to take a step back in time to the 1700s. During this time many of the settlers that came to the Kentucky region were from Germany, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.   These settlers came with a wealth of whiskey-distilling knowledge from their homelands.   According to History, the soil in Kentucky was perfect for growing corn, a main ingredient in bourbon.

The influx of settlers who crossed the Appalachian Mountains in the late 1700s soon learned the Kentucky soil was perfect for growing bourbon’s second main ingredient—corn.

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95% of Bourbon is Made in Kentucky

According to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, there's another reason Kentucky is known as the Bourbon Capital of the World, and that's due to the limestone aquifers.

Kentucky's limestone aquifer purifies our spring water while infusing it with delicious hints of calcium and magnesium. The result is a smoother, richer water, which is ideal for making bourbon, plus one with no iron, which would turn a bourbon mash black.

So you can honestly say that while no, bourbon does not have to be made in Kentucky, it's just better if it is!