But what is the difference? Where does it come from and why? And what is happening in the world of Bourbon today?

These are just some of the questions answered by Bourbon Empire, a new book by Reid Mitenbuler that explores the world of Bourbon and everything around it.

This is a book not just for bourbon lovers but also for everyone with an interest in Whisky generally or even just American history.

It covers the beginnings of the nation’s favourite tipple as well as the future, especially in the face of the rising “craft” drinks culture.

Craft drinks are taking the world by storm and Mitenbuler aims to get to the heart of just what drives consumer’s toward this label, as well as what the label actually means.

But lets not get ahead of ourselves.

Mitenbuler covers a lot more than just the rise of craft in the Bourbon industry.

In fact, he covers the rise of Bourbon itself. This is a great exploration in the beginnings of distilling and especially the creation of Bourbon in America.

He explores the history of the drink and where it has its roots. This is a fascinating read for anyone interesting in both the history of Bourbon and the history of America.

Bourbon plays a huge role in many different cultures and sub cultures in the States, and this book gets to the heart of just why it is so influential and where the boom came from.

It has been a firm favourite of Presidents (George Washington even had his own blend, as readers will discover) writers (Mark Twain for example) and everyone in between. It is somewhat of a staple in American life.

Mitenbuler takes us behind the scenes and shows us how Bourbon has been marketed in the past, and how it is being marketed now.

He breaks down some of the industry tricks and how to spot them, giving readers a great chance to see just what is going on behind their favourite labels.

This is where we are met by the term craft.

Craft is on the rise across many spirits and beers. It is not just being used by independent distillers but by the big boys as well.

So why the sudden turn towards craft?

Mitenbuler gets right done to how Bourbon marketed as well as how it is made and this is where the key to craft lies.

Bourbon has recently seen a revival in its appreciation, could this be down to the draft industry?

There is a hankering for nostalgia and Bourbon has long been revered as the choice of ages past.

Consumer’s want to be taken back to that past and Mitenbuler gives us a great run down on how brands are attempting to do just that.

But is that all there is to it?

I won’t spoil it for you! You’ll have to go and get your own copy to find out just what is happening in the world of Bourbon.