669. Why Is 95 Percent of the World’s Bourbon Made in Kentucky?

Apr 3, 2026

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Is it tradition … or protectionism? And what happens when the bourbon boom turns into a glut?

SOURCES:
- Andrew Muhammad, agricultural economist at the University of Tennessee.
- Brad Patrick, executive in residence and lecturer at the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics, bourbon fellow at the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits.
- Danny Kahn, master distiller and distillation and aging operations director at Sazerac.
- Ken Troske, labor economist and chair of the economics department at the University of Kentucky.

RESOURCES:
- "America's Bourbon Boom Is Over. Now the Hangover Is Here," by Aaron Tilley and Sadie Gurman (The Wall Street Journal, 2024).
- Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America's Whiskey, by Reid Mitenbuler (2015).
- "Code of Federal Regulations: Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits," (Electronic Code of Federal Regulations).

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