Water is important for any distillery and almost every distillery is near a water source (if you notice most brands of alcohol will flaunt their water source); the Kentucky limestone is perfect for creating clean water. Yet there are a few other factors that have influenced this region's bourbon industry. David Pickerell lists five: water, climate, wood, corn and heritage.
- The cold-colds and hot-hots of Kentucky's weather are ideal for aging whiskey, each season brings different aspects into the liquor and all are necessary for developing a great, aged alcohol of any sort.
- If you're going to age, you need barrels and you need wood to create those barrels. The Bluegrass region is filled with oak trees and is an ideal barrel making location.
- Corn was the original reason that bourbon was caught on in this area. After the first homesteading act of the United States that required corn to be grown in this rich-soiled region, the settlers realized they had no way to use all their corn and no practical way to get it to market before it spoiled. The next best thing was to make corn whiskey, a product that not only used all of the corn but could take the long journey to New Orleans, which at the time was the closest feasible port to distribute goods from.
- It has been the heritage that has kept the bourbon business booming in the area. From the time when those of the Whiskey Rebellion resettled here the bourbon has been flowing out of the hills and the people of the region take great pride in this colorful history and will likely never let it die.