The Bourbon Boom is real. More than 10 years into it, this is more than a fad. But it is hard to see history while it is going on. To paint a picture, here are some of the major milestones of the boom and the years leading up to it.

1970 – After 25 years of steady growth, bourbon sales begin a long, sharp decline.

1980 – The Wall Street Journal publishes on its front page a favorable story about Maker’s Mark bourbon, and the tiny, family-owned Kentucky brand takes off.

1984 – The Bourbon Boom begins – in…