Kentucky's Distilling Interest: An Illustrated History Containing Sketches and Announcements of the Most Celebrated Makers and Brands in the State, by The Kentucky Distiller's Bureau Co., 1893. Illustrated. pp.100.
This book was published as a promotional tool for straight whiskey distillers in the last decade of the nineteenth century. The book starts with a summary of the distilling industry and its history, but really gives very little history and much flowery language describing bourbon. It hints upon regional tastes by the distillery's location, but does nothing to describe those taste. The regional variations in taste is all in the water used according to the writers of this book.
After the brief "history" individual companies are given a page or two to promote themselves and their brands. Many of them write short descriptions of the company and distillery and brands. Others simply use the pages to post advertisements. Some even do a combination of both. These companies are divided by region, sort of. The Owensboro distilleries are gouped together as are the Warren County distilleries and Louisville distilleries, but when you get to the bluegrass region of the state things start jumping around all over the region. From Lexington to Northern Kentucky, back to Lawrenceburg and over to Cynthiana and back to Harrodsburg. Bourbon County pops in there somewhere as does Old Taylor and Geo. T Stagg.
The Ilustrations and the charts make this of some historical value. There are photographs and prints of many distilleries that no longer exist. There are also many other illustrations of places around the state. People are also illustrated in the book with one of the earliest depictions of Daniel Boone in a Coonskin cap. The charts illustrate whiskey production in the 1880's by state in the region and then by district in Kentucky. The states are of course Kentucky, but also Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Tennessee with a column for United States Whiskey production. Kentucky produces more than any other state and exports more than any other state.
This is a valuable book for whiskey history. It can be found at the Filson Historical Society and the University of Kentucky.