Happy National Bourbon Day, y'all! 

Of course, I joke that every day here in Kentucky is a Bourbon Day. If you're writing a book about bourbon, like I currently am, you certainly think about brown spirits every day, even if you imbibe them far less frequently.

It really is a fascinating time to be a Kentucky bourbon lover. There are 1.5 barrels of bourbon for every Kentuckian, and the bourbon industry is an 8.5 billion dollar industry here in the Commonwealth. There are bourbon-themed menus, festivals, and cocktails for nearly every taste! (P.S.: Check out the Bourbon & Beyond Lineup! I'm beyond excited to attend!) 

The truth is, with all the amazing distillery tours and new releases and cocktail bars, it's also sometimes an overwhelming time to be a Kentucky bourbon lover. Are the big-name, big-price tag pours worth it? Should you save special bottles for your collection? Should you mix a cocktail, add a splash of water, or drink it straight? I have to say that, in the past several years of writing about bourbon, I've heard that question asked a million different ways. And, the real experts -- those who've spent their careers blending the perfect whiskeys -- always come around to a very similar response. In fact, I've heard a variant of these very words from Jim Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe and Woodford Reserve Master Taster Elizabeth McCall.  Here you go, folks. the secret to drinking bourbon, courtesy of HerKentucky.com.

Drink your bourbon however you like it.

Let me know in the comments: What bourbon are you drinking today, and how are you drinking it?