Apple Press

National Bourbon Heritage Month is 100 percent legitimate holiday, and it’s been celebrated every September since 2007 when the U.S. Senate unanimously declared it the law of the land. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky), who certainly had good reason to promote his state’s most popular export. Since then, Americans have drunk more bourbon whisky than ever before. Over the past five years, bourbon’s popularity has grown by nearly 36 percent in case volume and 50 percent in revenue, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. In 2016, the bourbon industry sold 21,753,000 cases and reaped more than $3.1 billion.Apples are in season every fall when the desire for richer cocktails strikes again. This cocktail, created by Jeremy Allen, bartender at MiniBar in Los Angeles, combines apple cider and bourbon, which is a classic combination. Then, Allen adds apple cider vinegar, to cut a bit of sweetness.