Bourbon is a uniquely American spirit and has played an outsized role in developing aspects of American law. Bourbon history is peppered with dramatic legal battles and legal (and illegal) innovations, whether it’s laying the foundation for trademark protections or establishing the concept of brand name in the 1800s. Brian Haara, attorney and author of Bourbon Justice: How Whiskey Law Shaped America, explains how bourbon is legally defined and explores this American whiskey’s shady past and the legal concepts “that bourbon built,” from trademark to consumer protection to truth in advertising.

(Credits: 0.5 General MCLE)