Bourbon Heritage and Cigars On May 4th, 1964, Congress designated bourbon as a distinctive product of the United States. Nearly 60 years later, it remains the only spirit produced in the United States to enjoy this type of protection. This day is known as Bourbon Independence Day, a day to celebrate a spirit made of at least 51% corn, aged in new charred oak containers, not necessarily barrels, and distilled no more than 160 proof. However, looking at the title of this article, you’ll know that this isn’t the topic of discussion. We aren’t here to talk about what makes a bourbon, or Bourbon Independence Day, for that matter. So why is this important? In 2007, Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky and Representative Rick Boucher of Virginia introduced concurrent resolutions in both the Senate and House of Representatives seeking to have the month of September designated as “National Bourbon Heritage Month” to celebrate America’s native distinctive spirit. On August 2, 2007, President George W. Bush signed the resolution into law; thus, September officially became Bourbon Heritage Month. Okay great! We have a month, signed into law, designated to celebrate Bourbon. What does this have to do with Cigars, and what does this mean to me? Okay, let’s get to the latter question first. September is the month of events, festivals, promotions, and releases. This past weekend, at the time of this writing, two big Bourbon Festivals wrapped up. Many distilleries throughout the country offer limited releases, tours, custom cocktails, and so much more, all to celebrate the heritage of America’s spirit. Many restaurants will create bourbon-themed dinners and food pairing events, where chefs will create dishes specifically to complement the various flavors found in a specific bourbon. You may find bars offering tastings to sample bourbons you may not otherwise…