Bourbon Empire

The Past and Future of America's Whiskey

De: Reid Mitenbuler

Narrado por: Brian O'Neill

How bourbon came to be, and why it's experiencing such a revival today.

Unraveling the many myths and misconceptions surrounding America's most iconic spirit, Bourbon Empire traces a history that spans frontier rebellion, Gilded Age corruption, and the magic of Madison Avenue. Whiskey has profoundly influenced America's political, economic, and cultural destiny, just as those same factors have inspired the evolution and unique flavor of the whiskey itself.

Taking listeners behind the curtain of an enchanting - and sometimes exasperating - industry, the work of writer Reid Mitenbuler crackles with attitude and commentary about taste, choice, and history. Few products better embody the United States, or American business, than bourbon.

A tale of innovation, success, downfall, and resurrection, Bourbon Empire is an exploration of the spirit in all its unique forms, creating an indelible portrait of both bourbon and the people who make it.

©2015 Reid Mitenbuler (P)2015 Recorded Books

Really great!

This title was superb and the narration was excellent. I was interested the whole time and found it very informative. Highly recommend

A must Listen!

Any one who enjoys bourbon and also has a love for history, this book is for you! Great listen on long drives!!

Fascinating

I like a bit of bourbon now and then but had no idea it had such an interesting history. I learned a lot very enjoyably!b

great content, very well presented

a very informative and entertaining book, with a perfect narrator for the content. know yoir whiskey to know America.

Bourbon Geek Got Geekier

If you have any interest in bourbon, this book will elevate it exponentially. Even if you feel like you know a lot about bourbon and/or distilleries, you will discover more about the rich history and big stories that have created the bourbon we love today.

Raise a Glass!

If you want to know the history of American whiskey, and the American alcohol industry in general, this book is about as good as it gets. O'Neill offers a fascinating history of America's drinking habits from the pre-Revolution days to around 2013. This also includes some historical information on figures like Jim Beam as well as some of the early moonshiners. You will never look at a bottle of whiskey the same again. Highly recommended!

genre specific

this book simply put it is a must-read for anyone who is interested in distilling or the history of American culture.

informative and interesting

It was a thorough tour through all of history, science and lore of bourbon. Now I know which names on the shelves are real, and which are the dreams of marketers.

One thing I would've liked a deeper dive on would've been MGPI and to where its wares make it. The whole issue of bottlers who don't distill was well covered, but not always their sources, especially this one very little known and unheralded producer.

Fascinating

The perfect blend of history, technical jargon, and nerd. I really enjoyed it. Great insight into the world of whisky.

An interesting review of the Bourbon industry

A very interesting and informative book about the Bourbon industry. I learned a great deal about both Bourbon itself and it's often checkered history. My only negative comments would be that it tended to ramble a bit at times and that there was a small amount of repetition.
It provided a very useful inside look at the current state of the industry along with a little insight into where it may be heading, with several craft distillers mentioned by name.
I'd recommend it to any enthusiast wanting to learn about how the current popularity of whiskey came to be. There were insightful comments regarding most of the major American players in the market (and some of their Japanese owners).
I will likely read it again myself to hear some the more interesting points a second time.
Finally, I enjoyed (and will remember) the humorous comment comparing the state of Bourbon today with the Bourbon Empire in France. Let's hope we never get to the point where it is said by those in the know, "Let them drink Pappy".
A solid 4-4.5 star read.