# Raise a Glass: National Bourbon Day Celebrates America's Only Native Spirit on April 7th

# 🥃 National Bourbon Day 🥃 **April 7th** Welcome to **National Bourbon Day**, America's spirited celebration of its only native spirit! While bourbon flows year-round in Kentucky and beyond, April 7th is the day we officially tip our glasses to this amber-hued elixir. ## The Backstory Bourbon whiskey has been warming American souls since the late 18th century, with its origins deeply rooted in Kentucky (though it can legally be made anywhere in the U.S.). The spirit gets its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky, though historians still debate whether it was named after the French royal family or the county itself. ## What Makes It Bourbon? Not just any whiskey can call itself bourbon! To earn the name, it must: - Be made in the United States - Contain at least 51% corn in its mash bill - Be aged in new, charred oak barrels - Be distilled to no more than 160 proof - Enter the barrel at no more than 125 proof - Be bottled at no less than 80 proof No artificial coloring or flavoring allowed—that caramel color comes purely from the charred barrel! ## How to Celebrate - **The Classic Route**: Sip it neat or on the rocks to appreciate the craftsmanship - **Mix it up**: Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Mint Julep, or Boulevardier - **Tour virtually**: Many Kentucky distilleries offer online experiences - **Bourbon tasting flight**: Compare different age statements and mash bills - **Cooking with bourbon**: Bourbon-glazed salmon, bourbon pecan pie, or bourbon barrel-aged coffee **Fun fact**: There are more barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky than there are people living there! Cheers! 🥃2026-04-07T09:51:43.706Z This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.