FAMOUS for its bourbon, bluegrass music and thoroughbred horses, Kentucky is the birthplace of quintessentially American whiskey.

One of Kentucky’s greats, Maker’s Mark (£29.50, 70cl, 45% abv, Sainsbury's) enjoys a cult following and its distinctive red wax seal signals the rich caramel hue that comes from ageing in charred oak. A smooth operator, the mixture of 70% corn, barley and red winter wheat offers aromas of spiced ginger, cocoa and vanilla with butterscotch, warm leather and spice on the lush finish.

The dynamics that go into Woodford Reserve (£31.50, 70cl, 43.2%, Waitrose) which hails from America’s oldest and smallest distillery in the heart of the bluegrass region, are on the same par, but the taste is quite different. Hand-crafted in small batches and triple distilled – like Irish whiskey– in copper pot stills, it’s more fragrant and fruity with butterscotch, toffee and caramel flavours.

A rich bronze whiskey from the heartland of Bourbon County, Buffalo Trace (£20, 70cl, 40% abv, Tesco) takes its name from the crossing point on the Kentucky River where herds of buffalo used to migrate west. Aged for a minimum of nine years, it smacks of oak, vanilla, spiced leather with warm molasses on the long, oaky, dry finish.

The number one bestseller in the world, Jim Beam have a stable of bourbon and whiskey styles and while Jim Beam White (£17.50, 70cl, 40% abv, Sainsbury’s) remains a firm favourite for its floral nose, oaky notes and smooth, rich caramel taste, which works so well in a cocktail, their latest edition is hard to resist.

The distiller has taken America’s most revered spirit and infused it with maple to create a liqueur style of bourbon that could make you wobbly in the saddle it’s so moreish. Try Jim Beam Maple (£19, 70cl, 35% abv, Tesco) which is blessed with sweet, smooth maple flavours, caramel, oak and cinnamon, and conjures thoughts of pancakes and maple syrup.

On the flipside, Bulleit Bourbon (£32.90, 70cl, 45% abv, alexanderandjames.com) is an ideal shooter. A small batch bourbon with high rye content, it’s been brought back into production by Tom Bulleit - 150 years after the death of his great-great-grandfather.

Made to the original recipe, there's a hint of smoke with oak, spice and vanilla.