The Whiskey Fail
Today, the "American Whiskey Trail" is a clever marketing tool used to lure city sippers to the Deep South for tours of Maker's Mark, Jack Daniel's and Wild Turkey distilleries. But during Prohibition, the government's zealous attempts to dry out the country put the kibosh on the Kentucky whiskey and bourbon business. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, of the 17 whiskey distilleries in Kentucky before Prohibition, only 7 reopened at its conclusion. The American whiskey that did made its way to market was highly prized for its authenticity, especially because moonshine makers were producing horrible — and literally blinding — swill that tasted horrible, full of added ingredients like iodine and tobacco to make it look like aged whiskey.