In my almost two decades of writing about alcohol, I’ve learned many things. One thing I realized is that America’s “native spirit” bourbon is by far the most beloved American whiskey variety.

Bourbon might not be the first thing you reach for instead of brandy, but in some situations it's actually a perfect swap.

From bourbon to rye, a real man should understand ... If you want to become a whiskey master, start with these basics. Distilled from a mash of water, yeast, and malted barley and aged in oak ...