“Lee Gyun drinks makgeolli, and Edward Lee drinks bourbon.”
Edward Lee's "Bourbon Land" First Published in Korean
All about bourbon whiskey, tempting with its aroma and captivating with its story.

Strongly recommended by Jo Seung-won of Jurak World, Carnivore Man, and Kim Ji-ho of Whiskey Dia
The most anticipated book among whiskey lovers in Korea
Includes 50 bourbon recipes and a special Korean-language introduction.

Edward Lee, a star chef and author, has published his latest book, Bourbon Land.
We look at the culture and history of bourbon, America's representative whiskey, through the fresh perspective of an immigrant, and generously share recipes that utilize bourbon as an ingredient.
Since its publication in the United States, Bourbon Land has garnered significant attention as a must-read for whiskey lovers, and was even named a finalist in the wine and beer category of the 2025 IACP Awards.


Edward Lee describes Bourbon as his "best friend," someone he feels comfortable with whenever he meets her.
In Korea, the charm of familiar and popular bourbon whiskeys such as 'Jim Beam', 'Jack Daniel', and 'Maker's Mark' is closely examined through the eyes of Edward Lee.
For Edward Lee, Kentucky is like a second home to him. He learns about the process of making bourbon whiskey, which is made only with corn grown in newly charred oak barrels, the winding history of bourbon, as well as his own bourbon tasting method, how to choose a glass and ice, how to serve whiskey to guests, and how to collect whiskey. This book is followed by an introduction to Kentucky's famous distilleries and interviews with key figures in bourbon.
Additionally, it contains 50 creative bourbon recipes that allow you to enjoy bourbon to its fullest potential through the author's most confident 'cooking' method, providing a special quality that sets it apart from other whiskey guidebooks.


Let's take a look at the whiskey bible, which is so rich and unique that it has been praised by domestic whiskey lovers, including reporters Jo Seung-won and Kim Ji-ho, who read it first, saying, "It's not just a simple bourbon book."
Now it's time to taste Chef Edward Lee's uniquely delicious world of 'edible bourbon'.

I feel like Koreans value something genuine, something created by so-called good people who work hard and live honestly.
I know some bourbon makers, all good people who live on the Kentucky country roads and dedicate their lives to making this traditional whiskey.
I would be more than happy if bourbon whiskey became popular in Korea, a country I love and filled with foods that truly resonate with me.

--- p.7

The oak wood that makes up all the oak barrels is also the source of the flavor of bourbon whiskey.
It takes 70 to 100 years for a small acorn to grow from a sapling into a fully grown oak tree, the source of the flavor in this glass I hold in the fading sunlight outside my window.
The countless hours, days, and years that farmers and their families dedicate to growing corn, rye, and wheat create bourbon whiskey.
Several factors work simultaneously and over time to give this brown liquid the flavors of faded leather, burnt fruit, toasted hay, damp earth, and dried spices.

--- p.15

The magical properties that make bourbon whiskey an irresistible drink are precisely why it has become a staple in my kitchen.
The flavor of bourbon whiskey is unique, intense, and unforgettable, instantly elevating the flavor of my dishes.
Recipes gain depth and new dimensions, layers and soul.
Of course, it adds savory and smoky flavors, caramel and tannins.
Cooking with bourbon is about respecting the spirit.
It is the practice of balance and beauty.
No special teaching is required, but attention is required.
It's the ultimate luxury, but it's so easy to get that it can easily seem ordinary.
There are many different flavors of bourbon whiskey, but they all have one thing in common: the taste of time trapped in a bottle.
Once you learn how to cook with bourbon, you'll become obsessed with it.
The writings, places, people, and history I've written are the result of a lifetime of culinary experiences with bourbon whiskey.

--- p.16

I have many 'friends', and they all bring their own style to my world.
My favorite tequila is the one who will come out right away if you suddenly call him in the middle of the night, but when we're together, we strangely break the law a little.
Jin and I have always had a relationship where we argue fiercely.
He shows up dressed up so smartly and wearing so much perfume that he wants to be the center of attention wherever he goes.
I think it would be nice if we could get along, but I feel like that friend is meeting me out of pity for me, and strangely enough, I keep feeling that way too.
I used to enjoy dating vodka for a while, but at some point, I started wearing candy-like lipstick and flashy clothes, making it hard to recognize my original self.
We met a few times after that, but it seemed like he was more focused on taking selfies than on what I was saying.

--- p.17

The amazing thing about bourbon whiskey is that so many different flavors can coexist in one glass.
So when using bourbon as an ingredient, you isolate one or more of these flavor notes and then manipulate the rest of the ingredients to bring out those flavors.
For example, if you want to emphasize the butterscotch flavor of bourbon, you can add butterscotch to your food to taste the bourbon through that lens, which will dull the salty flavor.
Of course, the many flavors of bourbon remain, but the intense butterscotch flavor comes through first, from a distance, and serves to add a complex flavor to the entire dish.
This is my general approach when using bourbon in cooking, and I followed the same approach for the recipes in this book.

--- p.33

If there were no fire in the world, there would be no bourbon whiskey.
No other whiskey in the world, other than bourbon, burns its barrels before maturation.
The ability to control fire is a testament to human intelligence.
Fire is both fascinating and destructive.
We are drawn to fire, yet at the same time we are afraid of it.
Fire is the origin of cooking.
The flavor that fire adds to food is fundamental.
I have always been fascinated by the aroma created by a direct flame.
There are many names for its aroma, including charred, grilled, burnt, toasted, and smoked.
This is the Maillard reaction.
Ashes and bark, barbecue and grill.
The yearning that arises from this is instinctive.
So, it is only natural that foods that are charred or grilled go better with bourbon whiskey.
As a chef, the more you learn about the relationship between fire and bourbon, the more you can learn how to cook with it, how to find food pairings, and how the relationship between food and bourbon develops.

--- p.37

If you ask me what glass I should use when drinking a cocktail or enjoying a drink in the comfort of my home, I'll say whatever glass I have at hand.
There is no wrong glass to drink bourbon from.
I prefer to drink my bourbon in a large rocks glass with a few ice cubes, just a little less than a fingertip deep.
But even if it's a plastic cup filled with crushed ice, it's just as enjoyable to drink.

--- p.52

Ice lovers also consider the clarity of the ice to be important.
To make completely clear ice, you need to boil the water. If you boil it several times and then slowly freeze it into a square shape and transfer it to an airtight container, you can prevent it from freezing while maintaining its pretty shape.
Making ice this clean is a somewhat labor-intensive process, but seeing the expressions on customers' faces as they admire the crystal-clear ice is priceless.

--- p.54

Now let's taste it.
Take a small sip, roll it around in your mouth, and then swallow.
This is something I do mainly to train my mouth.
When you taste bourbon whiskey for the first time in a day, the first sip usually just shocks your palate, leaving only a bitter aftertaste.
What really matters is the second round.
Roll it around in your mouth, swallow slowly, and exhale gently while licking your lips. (This is called a Kentucky Chew.)
--- p.109

Let's serve our best bourbons early in the evening, and our bottom-shelf, easy-to-find drinks last.
I've been to many bourbon-themed dinners over the years, and often times I have to wait until the last course to get my 20-year-old bourbon, or worse, after dinner is over.
But by then, the subtle flavor can no longer be felt.
After countless courses and drinks, you should be looking for an antacid for digestion, not a fine spirit.

--- p.197