In Kentucky, there are more barrels of bourbon aging in rickhouses than there are people living in the state. A century ago, that would have seemed impossible. Bourbon Reborn tells the dramatic true story of how America’s native spirit rose from frontier experiment to global powerhouse—only to collapse under Prohibition, fade during decades of decline, and then roar back into prominence in a billion-dollar revival that reshaped the modern spirits industry. From the limestone-filtered waters of 18th-century Kentucky to the boardrooms of multinational beverage empires, this book uncovers the forces that nearly destroyed bourbon—and the innovators who refused to let it die. Inside, you’ll discover: How Scotch-Irish settlers transformed corn into a distinctly American whiskey The political battles and fraud scandals that led to the landmark Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 The devastation of Prohibition and the handful of distilleries that survived The decades-long slump when vodka replaced bourbon in America’s glass The explosive craft revival that turned forgotten warehouses into global destinations How premiumization, billion-dollar acquisitions, and international demand made bourbon a luxury symbol worldwide The climate, agricultural, and economic pressures that now threaten its second golden age More than a history of a drink, Bourbon Reborn is the story of American resilience—of farmers, distillers, entrepreneurs, and risk-takers who rebuilt an industry barrel by barrel. For readers of business history, American culture, food and drink nonfiction, and anyone fascinated by how a product becomes an icon, this is a sweeping account of reinvention, ambition, and survival. The barrels aging today will define the next decade. Will bourbon’s revival endure—or is another reckoning on the horizon?