Bourbon

Last of the French dynasties, succeeding the Valois after the death of Henry III.

• Henry IV, r. 1589-1610 (aka Henry of Navarre)
• Louis XIII, r. 1610-1643: reached majority in 1614 (regent Marie de' Medici). He did not actually rule until 1617.
• Louis XIV, r. 1643-1715: reached majority in 1651 (regent Anne of Austria). He did not really take control until Mazarin's death in 1661.
• Louis XV, r. 1715-1774: reached majority in 1723 (regent Philippe II, duc d'Orléans).
• Louis XVI, r. 1774-1792: the monarchy was abolished and the First Republic declared in 1792.
• Louis XVII, r. 1793-1795: the `lost dauphin'; the comte de Provence declared him King in 1793, but he remained imprisoned until his death in 1795. Rumours abound about his escape, but most serious historians disregard these claims.
• Louis XVIII, r. 1814-1824: restored to the throne by Charles de Tallyrand, after Napoleon's defeat.
• Charles X, r. 1824-1830: abdicated following the July Revolution.
• Louis Philippe, r. 1830-1848: abdicated following the February Revolution. The Second Republic, soon to be replaced by the Second Empire, was declared soon afterwards. The last King of France.

NOTE: I found much of the following information and more at www.straightbourbon.com

First of all, there are strict laws governing what may be labeled as bourbon. At least 51 percent of the grain used in making the whiskey must be corn (most distillers use 65 to 75 percent corn) and it must be aged for a minimum of two years in new, white-oak barrels that have been charred. Only Kentucky producers are allowed to label their product bourbon; the identical liquor produced in Tennessee cannot be labeled bourbon.

To produce bourbon, a combination of water, yeast developed specifically for whiskey making, and grains (corn, plus small amounts of malted barley, wheat and/or rye) are cooked to form a yeast mash. After cooling, the mash goes into a fermenter for up to three days. When the grains settle to the bottom of the fermenter what's left is a liquid known as distiller's beer. The distiller's beer is distilled twice, to produce a spirit that is between 120 to 130 proof. Water is then added to cut the strength to a maximum of 125 proof, depending on the wishes of the maker. The whiskey is moved into new, charred, oak barrels. Charring the inside of the barrel caramelizes the natural sugars in the wood, producing a red layer that gives the whiskey its color and flavor. During aging, the alcohol content increases slightly in the barrels, so the proof is sometimes adjusted before filtering and bottling.

Mass-produced bourbons are generally blended from the contents of several barrels in order to produce a consistent taste across batches. Fine bourbons that are not quite mass-produced are sometimes referred to as small-batch bourbons. Often these are not blended and are bottled from a single barrel (single-barrel bourbons) which is monitored by a master craftsman until the contents develop the correct qualities of scent, color, and flavor.

Some of my favorite small-batch bourbons are:
Booker's
Baker's
Blanton's
Basil Hayden's
Wild Turkey Rare Breed

Some good mass-produced bourbons are:
Knob Creek
Maker's Mark
Wild Turkey

Bourbons are a superior kind of chocolate biscuit sold in the UK. They are like coffee creams/sandwich creams (ie two biscuits with a filling), but chocolate. Given an all over chocolate covering, they would be indiscernible from Penguin biscuits. They are best enjoyed with hot chocolate, since they tend to be too sweet to take with tea or coffee.

Bour"bon (?), n. [From the castle and seigniory of Bourbon in central France.]

1.

A member of a family which has occupied several European thrones, and whose descendants still claim the throne of France.

2.

A politician who is behind the age; a ruler or politician who neither forgets nor learns anything; an obstinate conservative.

© Webster 1913.