In September, Gran Maizal also began exporting its whiskey to the United States, home to the world’s best-known corn-based spirit, bourbon — a move that its founders see as both a challenge and an opportunity. “Bourbon has been the center of the popularity and growth of whiskey in the U.S. for the last 20 years,” said Gonzalo de la Pezuela, who founded Gran Maizal with Cesar Ayala. ”So why not invite people to try a high-end whiskey from the birthplace of corn?”Despite their common ingredient, Gran Maizal whiskey is a world apart from traditional bourbons, let alone barley-based whiskeys like Irish and Scotch. In bourbon, the charred oak barrel in which it ages is responsible for most of the flavor; in Gran Maizal, the centerpiece is the corn. “And we quickly were able to say, ‘Well, you know what?

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Persons: Gran Maizal, “ Bourbon, ”, Gonzalo de la, Cesar Ayala, de, Ayala, ’ Organizations: Gran Maizal Locations: United States, U.S, Gran