Off the Bourbon Trail

Pop quiz: Does bourbon need to be made in Kentucky to be called bourbon?

If you said yes we still love you. But we also think youll love whats in this box, because these three bourbons hail from places that might surprise you. Each one proves that while Kentucky may be bourbons spiritual homeland, the soul of American whiskey is everywhere.

We kick things off in the Green Mountains of Vermont with WhistlePig PiggyBack 100 Proof Bourbon. This is a farm-born, full-throttle bourbon thats aged six years and made with 100% FarmStock grains. At 100 proof, it delivers bold flavor, signature spice, and a sweetness that punches above its proof.

Next stop: Houston, Texaswhere climate swings are as wild as the bourbon is bold. Yellow Rose Harris County Bourbon is made with 100% Texas-grown yellow corn and aged in small barrels under the scorching Texas sun. The result? A rich, deep flavor with notes of brown sugar, roasted pecan, and Southern charm.

And rounding things out is an old friend: Remus Bourbon, crafted in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Named after a Prohibition-era bootlegger, this straight bourbon has a vanilla-forward, rye-tinged complexity that proves Indianas distillers know a thing or two about historyand how to drink it.

Together, these three make a case for bourbon without borders. Wherever you pour from, youre in good hands.

SMARTASS CORNER:

1. Bourbon doesnt have to come from Kentuckybut it must be made in the U.S., use at least 51% corn, and age in new, charred oak barrels.

2. WhistlePig originally made its name with rye, but their PiggyBack Bourbon shows they can nail corn-forward spirits, too.

3. The temperature swings in Texas can exceed 30F in a day, which speeds up aging and intensifies the flavor. Big sun, big sips.

4. Harris County Bourbon sees 15% angels share evaporation per yearnearly double what youd expect in Kentucky.

5. George Remus, namesake of Remus Bourbon, was once dubbed King of the Bootleggers. He reportedly inspired The Great Gatsby.

6. While Indiana may not be a whiskey tourism hotspot, its home to MGPa legendary distillery behind many top-shelf bourbons.

7. That 100 proof mark on PiggyBack? Its a bartender favorite because it holds its own in cocktails like the Old Fashioned and Boulevardier.

8. Texas climate means Yellow Rose doesnt have to age for a decade to hit deep flavor notesit just has to survive a summer.