I ask myself this question all the time because I enjoy researching whiskey history. Whiskey history is MOSTLY mythology. Even history buffs who love this stuff (including me!)- We all get caught up in perpetuating myths about whiskey. I often hear people say, “Why do we love the marketing so much when the truth is so much more interesting?” And I think I know the answer, but I’m sure others have their own take. My belief is that people prefer mythology because the story provides an answer that doesn’t require too much from its audience. History is nuanced and unclear. It’s challenging and often ugly- or just plain unbelievable!
I read a question this morning that asked, “What is the fascination with _______ products when there are so many other great distiller products?” My initial reaction was to say, “Marketing.” But it’s much more than that, isn’t it? There’s an entire mythology built around bourbon! Mythology is fascinating because it feeds our desire to know more without challenging us too much. It answers our questions and satisfies our curiosity and congratulates us on our ease of understanding. Ever since companies began buying other men’s brands and passing them off as their own, it has been necessary to convey legitimacy, however false it may be, to the consumer. The advertising campaigns fed the mythology- and America loves a corporate ad campaign. We prefer it. Coca Cola invented Santa Claus! Orange juice for breakfast was invented by Sunkist! Diamond engagement rings were invented by DeBeers! Why shouldn’t bourbon be allowed its stories, right? Americans don’t like feeling like they’re being lied to, but a myth isn’t really a lie…is it? It’s a story, and it’s usually a very good one. So where’s the harm?
The trouble arises when a company profits from your ignorance. Perpetuating falsehoods is good for business, after all. Allocation creates a false sense of rarity by creating scarcity. I don’t like the practice, but it’s nothing new. It’s a remarkably successful tactic, so where’s the harm, right? Companies have been buying brands and passing them off as their own since before Prohibition. I think companies have an unspoken deal with the public- that as long as they’re not physically hurting you, they should be allowed to say or do anything they want to sell you something. We all understand, at least on some level, that we’re being lied to. Americans simply prefer the Disney version. We like to be told we’re on sipping liquid tradition and that the brands we chose reflect on our own excellent taste. I prefer to think of whiskey mythology as a bridge that curious consumers eventually cross. The mythology may draw you in, but eventually, you start asking questions. Curiosity, it seems, is good for consumers but not so great for business.
I suppose it depends on the person, but personally, I prefer to know the truth so that I can appreciate the myth. My love for Greek and Roman mythology wasn’t diminished by learning the history of the Greek and Roman empires. My love for my country hasn’t waned after learning the darker sides of its history. My love for whiskey certainly hasn’t faded away after all I’ve learned over the years. I appreciate bourbon mythology the same way I appreciate fairies and folklore. It’s all wonderful and interesting and the stories are brilliant, but bourbon is real, and I’ve been drinking whiskey long enough to know what tastes good and what doesn’t. No amount of fairy dust is going to convince me to drink an inferior whiskey. The truth always tastes better, too.