Definition

1. Noun:
   • A type of American whiskey: "Bourbon" is a distilled spirit made primarily from corn and aged in new charred oak barrels.
   • A European royal dynasty: "Bourbon" refers to a historic royal family that ruled France and other European kingdoms.
   • (US, historical) A reactionary politician: In U.S. political history, especially post-Civil War, "Bourbon" described a conservative Democrat, typically from the South, opposed to reform.

Examples

• Noun (Whiskey):
  • He ordered a glass of bourbon on the rocks.
  • Kentucky is famous for its bourbon distilleries.
• Noun (Royalty):
  • Louis XIV was a prominent Bourbon king of France.
  • The Bourbon dynasty was restored to the French throne in 1814.
• Noun (Politics):
  • The Bourbon Democrats resisted changes to the economic system.

Advanced Usage

• "Bourbon whiskey": The full legal term for the spirit, which must be made in the U.S. with at least 51% corn mash.
  • True bourbon whiskey must be aged in new, charred oak containers.
• "Bourbon restoration": The period (1814-1830) when the Bourbon monarchy returned to power in France after the fall of Napoleon.
  • The Bourbon restoration was ultimately overthrown in the July Revolution.

Variants and Related Words

• Bourbonist (n, historical): A supporter of the Bourbon monarchy.
  • The Bourbonists were defeated in the conflict.
• Bourbonize (v, rare): To make or become like bourbon whiskey, or to adopt reactionary policies (figuratively).
  • (Figurative) The party's platform began to bourbonize, rejecting all progressive measures.

Synonyms

• Whiskey (specifically American whiskey): A broader category of distilled grain spirits.
• Reactionary: A person opposed to political or social progress (for the political sense).
• Royalist: A supporter of a monarch or royal family (for the dynastic sense).

Related Phrases

• Straight bourbon: Bourbon whiskey that has been aged for at least two years and contains no added coloring or flavoring.
  • This bottle is a straight bourbon from a small-batch distillery.
• Bourbon barrel: A new, charred oak barrel used for aging bourbon, which gives it its characteristic color and flavor.
  • The beer was aged in a used bourbon barrel.

Related Idioms

• "As American as bourbon": Used to describe something quintessentially American, similar to "as American as apple pie."
  • The classic diner, with its neon sign, was as American as bourbon.
• "Bourbon and branch": An old-fashioned term for bourbon whiskey mixed with water.
  • The cowboy asked for a simple bourbon and branch.

Noun

1. a European royal line that ruled in France (from 1589-1793) and Spain and Naples and Sicily
2. a member of the European royal family that ruled France
3. whiskey distilled from a mash of corn and malt and rye and aged in charred oak barrels
4. a reactionary politician in the United States (usually from the South)