Kentucky produces 95% of the world's bourbon. The state's limestone-filtered water, distinct four-season climate, and century-old rickhouse tradition create conditions that cannot be replicated elsewhere — even though bourbon can legally be made anywhere in the USA. The combination of corn sweetness, rye spice (in high-rye mash bills), charred oak vanilla and caramel, and the Kentucky weather cycle creates the world's most distinctive national spirit category. And behind that identity is a history that includes the contributions of enslaved Black Americans — particularly Nearest Green, whose whiskey-making knowledge built what became the Jack Daniel's Distillery.
| Year | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 84 | Balanced return to normal conditions; good moisture with warm summer. Classic Kentucky bourbon quality. |
| 2022 | 89 | Record summer temperatures; highest-ever sugar concentration in Kentucky corn. Exceptionally rich, sweet new make. |
| 2021 | 87 | Dry summer with excellent heat accumulation; concentrated grain flavour in new make bourbon. |
| 2020 | 83 | Warm, wet summer produced high-yielding corn crop with good fermentable sugar; reliable bourbon quality. |
| 2019 | 85 | Good harvest with balanced moisture; classic Kentucky bourbon character with excellent vanilla and caramel development. |
| 2018 | 91 | Hot, dry Kentucky summer; exceptional corn crop with high starch and sugar levels. Bourbon new make of remarkable richness and sweet character. |