What's The Difference Between A Kentucky Mule And A Tennessee Mule?

Other than, perhaps, regional pride, common local food pairings, and implicit sports team affiliations, there is just one tiny but critical detail that sets a Kentucky mule apart from that of its neighbor to the south, Tennessee. Each more or less follows the standard mule recipe, which usually includes ginger beer, lime juice, and one, often location-specific, spirit. The world famous Moscow mule, for example, uses vodka. A Mexican mule uses tequila, and a London mule uses gin. Mules are also generally recognized by their iconic copper mugs, another quality the Kentucky and Tennessee takes have in common. So, if you've guessed where this is going, reward yourself with an extra mule "kick" tonight.

Although you certainly wouldn't notice at a glance, a Kentucky mule contains its liquid claim to fame, bourbon, while a Tennessee mule is made with its own intoxicating love song, Tennessee whiskey. Some preparations garnish the former with a sprig of mint, and the latter with a wedge of lime, but we have not seen this written into state law in either case. And taste alone won't likely differentiate the two drinks' deeper, unseen nuances in this cocktail case.

Although some may train for a lifetime to be able to identify the difference between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey based on little more than a whiff, even the most expert imbibers might struggle once either is mixed with bubbly, spicy ginger beer, and the lime's tart bite. Even the less intense ginger ale that you can sometimes swap for ginger beer in a mule will be too much of a distraction. Still, there are some required traits that make each spirit exactly what it is.

Even the differences between bourbon and whiskey in general don't quite crack the Kentucky/Tennessee divide. Most relevant to these literal borderline variations, bourbon can be made anywhere in the country, but Kentucky happens to produce the highest volume. To carry the name Tennessee whiskey, however, that particular booze must legally be made in the titular state. It's like the nation's Champagne, in its way. Both bourbon and Tennessee whiskey also begin with a majority corn base by a narrow margin. But only Tennessee whiskey typically proceeds through a charcoal filtration system called the Lincoln County Process, named for the original location of perhaps the most recognizable Tennessee whiskey purveyor among them, Jack Daniels. And, speaking of brand recognition, you can always simply read the label on the bottle to better understand whether you're about to sip a Kentucky or a Tennessee mule.