Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey

by Charles Cowdery

Overview

Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey, follows the trail of America whiskey-making from its 17th century origins right up to the present day. In it, readers will discover the history of the American whiskey industry, how American whiskey is made and marketed, the differences among various types of American whiskey (bourbon, rye, Tennessee) and how they compare to other world whiskies.

Readers also will meet the many fascinating characters who have made American whiskey what it is today, whether they be famous, infamous or largely unknown.

All major producers and brands are discussed. The book includes a complete tasting guide with 35 detailed product reviews.

Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey, is for fans of American whiskey, but also for readers who just enjoy a good tale steeped in American culture and heritage.

Bourbon, Straight is richly detailed, clear, authoritative, insightful, independent and fun to read.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940014268622
Publisher:	Made and Bottled in Kentucky
Publication date:	08/01/2004
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	266
File size:	197 KB

About the Author

Charles K. Cowdery is the author of BOURBON, STRAIGHT: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey (Made and Bottled in Kentucky, 2004). He writes about American whiskey for The Whisky Advocate, WHISKY Magazine and other publications; and is editor and publisher of The Bourbon Country Reader, the only publication dedicated exclusively to American whiskey. He is a Kentucky Colonel (Patton, 206) and a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame (2009).

Online, Cowdery blogs about American whiskey and other subjects at The Chuck Cowdery Blog (chuckcowdery.blogspot.com).

Cowdery's first contribution to broader bourbon awareness and understanding was the public television documentary "Made and Bottled in Kentucky," which he wrote, produced and directed for the commonwealth's bicentennial celebration in 1992. That production was underwritten by grants from Kentucky Educational Television and the Kentucky Distillers Association.

As a marketing professional, Cowdery has worked in and around the beverage alcohol industry for more than 30 years, including nine as a Kentucky resident. During that part of his career, he worked on major marketing projects for Brown-Forman, Beam Global and Diageo.

A resident of Chicago since 1987, Cowdery is a freelance journalist, marketing copywriter, scriptwriter, and attorney-at-law. His other book is Blues Legends (Gibbs Smith, 1995), which profiles 20 notable blues musicians. He does speaking appearances on both subjects, bourbon and blues.

Born and raised in Mansfield, Ohio, Cowdery has a B.S. degree from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) and a J.D. from the DePaul University School of Law (Chicago, Illinois).

Editorial Reviews

Kentucky colonel Chuck Cowdery knows a hell of a lot about bourbon. He's also a former marketer for the whiskey industry, so he has special insight into the iconic drink, whose simultaneously down-home and badass image was birthed by canny distillers who knew the value of branding even back in the mid-1800s. Cowdery admires the myth as much as he does the spirit itself, but he penetrates the marketing hoo-ha that makes it so confusing to novices.

Mike Sula

Cowdery's style is straightforward, just like a good Bourbon. He lays on the history of the subject but doesn't lay on the BS. It's a great historical read and one that will distinguish between the myth and the reality, the politics and the politicians and the wheat-flavored whiskies from the rye. Mercifully, he reviews the country's whiskies without using points or puffs; rather he explains what's in the stuff, how old it is, why it tastes the way it does and lets you decide if you like it.

Patrick Fegan