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

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!!

Really great!

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

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: The men, the myths, and the legends

I have spent the last seven years exploring the Bourbon Trail, meandering country roads at Loretto, and dodging traffic in Louisville to get the "flavor" of bourbon. I would recommend to anyone about to start that journey today, that they read Bourbon Empire first. Kind of like knowing that "first downs are good" for the first time football watcher, this book will give the hints on how to enjoy and indeed anticipate the experience for the first time. Now that I have read the book, I am going to travel The Bourbon Trail again.

I Absolutely LOVE This Book! And I don't drink!!!

I got this book because my husband is a spirits guy and a good friend is a chemist and the two of them convinced me of the mystique and attraction of the drink. I just couldn't experience it myself because I don't like spirits, but I was intrigued enough to listen to this book.

Firstly, the narrator - he's absolutely a dream narrator. His voice is pleasant enough that sometimes I'll play this book for myself while I sleep. But, he can also nuance voices and inflections in a natural way to convey different personalities and the humor of the writing. What a gem!

Secondly, the writing is fascinating. Mitenbuler doesn't buy into any the of the hype around the rock-star bourbons and their hype but he's no critic. He simply exposes the industry and the marketing machinations behind them that separate some brands from their popularity and the actual integrity of their processes and ingredients and qualities. It was so enlightening.

I listened to a book titled "Get Well Soon" recently and it was so sophomoric and written like a blogger vs. a historian's or journalistic style like this book is written that I just kept longing to go back to this book, just to have the pleasure of listening to exquisite writing.

Highly, Highly Recommended!

Very Interesting History of Whiskey in the US

I learned a lot about the history of whiskey in the US, recommend to anyone interested in whiskey.

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.

Very interesting with a great flow different from other books on bourbon

Recently getting into bourbon, I’ve become obsessed with learning as much as I can. I have listened to a few audiobooks and watched documentaries. The majority start at the beginning and finish at present time. This book is different in that the author will take a topic and go from start to finish in each chapter. To me it is much more entertaining and ties everything together. My favorite book on bourbon thus far.