A Century of American Whiskey

Twisted Spoke 16 Year Old 105 Proof 1999 / Stitzel-Weller

When the Van Winkle family were forced to sell their Stitzel-Weller distillery by its board of directors, new owners, Somerset Imports, granted Julian Van Winkle II (son of the famous 'Pappy') the continued use of an office at the distillery, and first option on purchasing casks to bottle his new brand with. When he died and the business passed to his son, Julian III, this courtesy was no longer extended, and he moved bottling to the old Hoffman distillery in Lawrenceburg in 1983, renaming it Old Commonwealth. He was still able to buy Stitzel-Weller stock though, and introduced the famous Pappy Van Winkle range in homage to his grandfather, using well-aged barrels from the distillery the now-legendary figure once so lovingly ran.

This rare 1999 bottling was produced by Van Winkle for the Twisted Spoke bar in Chicago, IL. It contains a 16 year old Stitzel-Weller bourbon (although the distillery was renamed Old Fitzgerald by this point), bottled at 105 proof. Although more commonly known for the Old Rip Van Winkle brand, Julian III did bottle a number of other indepedent labels like this at Old Commonwealth. This was one of the last, as his partnership with the Sazerac company to bottle Pappy Van Winkle in 2002 saw his independent contracts come to an end.

The Stitzel-Weller company was officially established in 1933 at the repeal of National Prohibition in the US. It was the result of a merger between the A. Ph. Stitzel distillery and its biggest customer, W.L. Weller & Sons. The Stitzel-Weller distillery opened on Kentucky Derby day in 1935, and quickly developed a reputation for its high quality wheated bourbon, and its main brands were Old Weller, Old Fitzgerald and Cabin Still. The original ownership was shared between Alex T. Farnsley, Arthur Philip Stitzel and Julian Van Winkle. The former passed-away in 1941 and 1947, respectively, leaving the Van Winkle family as the sole heirs to the business. 'Pappy' died in 1965, having handed the reigns to his son, Julian II the year prior, who ran it until 1972 when the board of directors forced him to sell it to the Norton-Simon subsidiary, Somerset Imports. When they were bought over by the American arm of Scottish distillers, DCL, its subsequent iteration invested heavily in bourbon. So much so in fact, that their newly rebuilt Bernheim distillery had such capacity that Stitzel-Weller was rendered surplus to requirements. It was shut down in 1992. Still part of the Diageo portfolio, it has never re-opened and instead now houses the visitor experience for their Bulleit brand.

Black Maple Hill 23 Year Old Single Barrel Rye / KBD

Black Maple Hill is owned by Californian company, CVI Brands. They do not own a distillery and contract the bottling of the brand to outside sources, initially with Julian Van Winkle in 2000, and then Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, who produced this.

Kentucky Bourbon Distillers are the owners of the Willett distillery in Bardstown. Willett distillery was built in 1936, just a few years after the repeal of National Prohibition by Lambert Willett, a former distiller for Max Selliger & Co. The distillery was initially a success, principally through its Old Bardstown and Johnny Drum brands, however it was hit hard by the bourbon slump of the 1970s. The result was an ill-advised move into producing ethanol for the production of \"gasohol,\" spurred by the 1979 energy crises. When that market re-stabilised, Willett was left floundering and eventually closed in the early 1980s. Lambert's granddaughter, Martha Willett and her husband, Even Kulsveen, then purchased the distillery and established Kentucky Bourbon Distillers in 1984. They originally bottled the remaining barrels of 1970s-distilled stock, however as that gradually diminished, they began sourcing barrels from other producers in order to replenish it, becoming one of the most important independent bottlers in Kentucky. The majority of their barrels were believed to have come from neighbouring Heaven Hill, and with these casks they developed a wealth of important brands, including the Willett Family Estate, Noah's Mill and Rowan's Creek. In addition, they contract-bottled brands for other companies, such as the Very Olde St Nick and this Black Maple Hill brand. Revered for the quality of their whiskey, their products have become some of the most collectible to come out of Kentucky. One January 21st, 2012, the company re-opened Willett distillery, and have been slowly replenishing its warehouses with its own whiskey ever since.

KBD eventually had to reserve their warehoused stocks for their own popular Willett Family Reserve brand, so CVI have been sourcing their from the Stein distillery in Oregon since 2014.

Berghoff 14 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon 1988 / Stitzel-Weller

This is a 14 year old bourbon produced for Berghoff, a famous German restaurant in Chicago, Illinois. The diner has a long-association with Stitzel-Weller distillery, and they bottled a number of these for it over the years.

The Stitzel-Weller company was officially established in 1933 at the repeal of National Prohibition in the US. It was the result of a merger between the A. Ph. Stitzel distillery and its biggest customer, W.L. Weller & Sons. The Stitzel-Weller distillery opened on Kentucky Derby day in 1935, and quickly developed a reputation for its high quality wheated bourbon, and its main brands were Old Weller, Old Fitzgerald and Cabin Still. The original ownership was shared between Alex T. Farnsley, Arthur Philip Stitzel and Julian Van Winkle. The former passed-away in 1941 and 1947, respectively, leaving the Van Winkle family as the sole heirs to the business. 'Pappy' died in 1965, having handed the reigns to his son, Julian II the year prior, who ran it until 1972 when the board of directors forced him to sell it to the Norton-Simon subsidiary, Somerset Imports. When they were bought over by the American arm of Scottish distillers, DCL, its subsequent iteration invested heavily in bourbon. So much so in fact, that their newly rebuilt Bernheim distillery had such capacity that Stitzel-Weller was rendered surplus to requirements. It was shut down in 1992. Still part of the Diageo portfolio, it has never re-opened and instead now houses the visitor experience for their Bulleit brand.

This Berghoff bourbon was bottled in 1988 by United Distillers, and likely one of the last examples of these. Unusually, the Berghoff bottles were always labelled with the historic Stitzel-Weller name, despite the plant having been renamed Old Fitzgerald by Somerset Imports.

Bourbon Valley 1974 24 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

A classic 1974 vintage bourbon from the old Heaven Hill distillery in Bardstown. It was bottled at 24 years old in 1999 and exported for the Japanese market, who preferred the flavour of older bourbon at the time, while the US mostly consumed younger whiskey.

Heaven Hill was established by a group of private investors in 1935, following the repeal of Prohibition a few years earlier. Among the founders was distiller, Joseph L. Beam, and a member of the Shapira family. As the company grew, the Shapira's eventually acquired sole ownership of it, and their descendants still run it today. In a similar dynastic vein, Joe Beam remained master distiller despite the Shapira takeover, and members of his family have occupied the role ever since. This was produced at the Old Heavenhill Springs distillery, later renamed simply as Heaven Hill, which was located in Bardstown, Kentucky. It was sadly lost in a devastating fire in 1996, and bourbon made there has become increasingly sought after as the years pass. The company had no distillery for the next three years, but were permitted to rent stills at Jim Beam and Brown-Forman in order to maintain production. They eventually acquired the newly refurbished Bernheim distillery from Diageo in 1999, which has been their home ever since.

I.W Harper 1916 Bottled in Bond 17 Year Old Pint / Prohibition Era Bottling

Distilled in 1917, this whiskey was protected in bond from the Prohibition Act of 1920, which made alcohol production and consumption illegal. This was bottled in 1933, just before the repeal of the act.

The I.W. prefix in this whiskey's name derives from Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, who founded the brand. With his brother he helped establish Louisville in Kentucky as a centre for Bourbon production. Sadly, he felt Harper was a more marketable name than his own to apply to the bottles.

This was distilled at Bernheim distillery, which the Bernheim brothers had sold to United American Co. a few years earlier, anticipating the coming Prohibition legislation. After the passing of the act, this whiskey was procured by Otto Wathen's American Medicinal Spirits Company, who bottled this.

The American Medicinal Spirits Company was one of only six distilling companies to survive Prohibition of the 434 that existed prior. Exploiting the medicinal loophole was the brainchild of Otto Wathen, then president of his father's R.E. Wathen distillery and it was an idea that continues to prove its value today in the persisting image of his still ever-popular portfolio, which included the bourbon classic, Old Grand-dad. The AMS Co was eventually taken over by National Distillers who reorganised it in 1927, incorporating their Kentucky Distilleries & Warehouse Co, R.E. Wathen & Co, Hill & Hill, and E.H. Taylor & Sons. National Distillers then went on to become one of the \"Big Four\" post-Prohibition whiskey companies in the US, along with Schenley, Hiram Walker and Seagram.

The I.W. Harper brand and the Bernheim distillery were purchased by Schenley in 1937, and they produced it until 1987 when they were acquired by United Distillers (now Diageo). The Schenley product was labelled 'Gold Medal,' a reference to the many the brand received, including at the 1915 San Francisco Fair, two years before this was produced.

United Distillers discontinued the I.W. Harper brand in the US in the 1980s, however Diageo revived the brand in 2015.  Bernheim was sold to Heaven Hill in 1999, although it is believed the bourbon is still sourced by from it by Diageo.

I.W Harper 1916 Bottled in Bond 17 Year Old Pint / Prohibition Era Bottling

Distilled in 1917, this whiskey was protected in bond from the Prohibition Act of 1920, which made alcohol production and consumption illegal. This was bottled in 1933, just before the repeal of the act.

The I.W. prefix in this whiskey's name derives from Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, who founded the brand. With his brother he helped establish Louisville in Kentucky as a centre for Bourbon production. Sadly, he felt Harper was a more marketable name than his own to apply to the bottles.

This was distilled at Bernheim distillery, which the Bernheim brothers had sold to United American Co. a few years earlier, anticipating the coming Prohibition legislation. After the passing of the act, this whiskey was procured by Otto Wathen's American Medicinal Spirits Company, who bottled this.

The American Medicinal Spirits Company was one of only six distilling companies to survive Prohibition of the 434 that existed prior. Exploiting the medicinal loophole was the brainchild of Otto Wathen, then president of his father's R.E. Wathen distillery and it was an idea that continues to prove its value today in the persisting image of his still ever-popular portfolio, which included the bourbon classic, Old Grand-dad. The AMS Co was eventually taken over by National Distillers who reorganised it in 1927, incorporating their Kentucky Distilleries & Warehouse Co, R.E. Wathen & Co, Hill & Hill, and E.H. Taylor & Sons. National Distillers then went on to become one of the \"Big Four\" post-Prohibition whiskey companies in the US, along with Schenley, Hiram Walker and Seagram.

The I.W. Harper brand and the Bernheim distillery were purchased by Schenley in 1937, and they produced it until 1987 when they were acquired by United Distillers (now Diageo). The Schenley product was labelled 'Gold Medal,' a reference to the many the brand received, including at the 1915 San Francisco Fair, two years before this was produced.

United Distillers discontinued the I.W. Harper brand in the US in the 1980s, however Diageo revived the brand in 2015.  Bernheim was sold to Heaven Hill in 1999, although it is believed the bourbon is still sourced by from it by Diageo.

Booker's 7 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon #C-E-15-84 / Signed

This is 7 years old and bottled at cask strength. The Booker's brand is a subsidiary of Jim Beam and was named after former master distiller, Booker Noe. His son Fred is now the current master distiller and is on record as having said, \"if you’re drinking Booker’s, you better have your pajamas on!” Jim Beam have two distilleries in Kentucky where they produce their bourbon, but Booker's is the only brand produced exclusively at one of them; the Boston Road plant, now also known as the Booker Noe distillery.

Booker's was launched in 1992 and is part of the Jim Beam Small Batch collection, alongside Baker's, Knob Creek and Basil Hayden.

Batch #C-E-15-84 has been aged for 7 years and 5 month. The wooden box has been signed by Booker Noe.

Booker's Rye 13 Year Old Limited Edition

The Booker's brand is a subsidiary of Jim Beam and was named after former master distiller, Booker Noe. His son Fred is now the current master distiller and is on record as having said, \"if you’re drinking Booker’s, you better have your pajamas on!” Jim Beam have two distilleries in Kentucky where they produce their bourbon, but Booker's is the only brand produced exclusively at one of them; the Boston Road plant, now also known as the Booker Noe distillery.

Booker's was launched in 1992 and is part of the Jim Beam Small Batch collection, alongside Baker's, Knob Creek and Basil Hayden.

This limited, one-off release was created by Fred Noe, the current Master Distiller at Jim Beam, Fred is the son of Booker and the great grandson of the \"Jim Beam\", making him the seventh generation Beam family distiller.

\"Big Time Batch\" was a limited edition rye whiskey, bottled in 2016.

Booker's 7 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon #C-K-03-82

This is 7 years old and bottled at cask strength. The Booker's brand is a subsidiary of Jim Beam and was named after former master distiller, Booker Noe. His son Fred is now the current master distiller and is on record as having said, \"if you’re drinking Booker’s, you better have your pajamas on!” Jim Beam have two distilleries in Kentucky where they produce their bourbon, but Booker's is the only brand produced exclusively at one of them; the Boston Road plant, now also known as the Booker Noe distillery.

Booker's was launched in 1992 and is part of the Jim Beam Small Batch collection, alongside Baker's, Knob Creek and Basil Hayden.

Blanton's Single Barrel Silver Edition dumped 2002

Blanton's is a bourbon brand from the portfolio of Age International, the company formed by former Fleischmann's Distilling director's, Bob Baranaskas and Ferdie Falke. They had approached Schenley in the early 1980s with a view to purchasing its Old Charter brand, but were instead offered Ancient Age and the George T. Stagg distillery where it was produced. The deal was completed in 1983, two years before the retirement of George T. Stagg master distiller, Elmer T. Lee, who had served there for 36 years, working his way from the bottom up. One of his final pioneering triumphs before doing so was the introduction of mass produced single barrel bourbon, specifically through the creation of the Blanton's brand in 1984.

Normally a 6 to 8 year old bourbon, it is aged in Warehouse H at Buffalo Trace, which is the only metal-clad warehouse at the distillery, commissioned for construction by Albert B. Blanton, after whom the whiskey is named. The warehouse was built shortly after prohibition and being metal, transfers heat quicker than brick warehouses, allowing for more rapid ageing.

The popularity of these products was particularly high in Japan, coinciding with a market boom for American whiskey there in the 1980s. In 1991, with Age International in some financial trouble, a Japanese company called Takaro Shuzo stepped in and acquired a 22.5% stake in the company. In an unusual series of events, they then scuppered a deal the following year that was to see the remaining shares sold to Heublein (a subsidiary of Grand Metropolitan). Their deal the year before had included a 30 day right of refusal to purchase the shares for themselves should they be put up for sale. With the deal all but done, the Japanese company stepped in on the final day of the window to acquire full control of the company. As it turned out, their only interest was in the brands, and they had used the 30 days to negotiate a deal with the Sazerac Company of  New Orleans. This saw the American company take ownership of the distillery (which they renamed Buffalo Trace in 1999), as well as the exclusive production and US distribution rights for the Age International labels. This is an arrangement that is still in place today.

This is a 2002 bottling of the Silver Edition.

Since 1999, every bottle of Blanton's has one of 8 different stoppers, each depicting a horse and jockey at a different stage of finishing a race. The designs are all lettered so that a complete set laid out side by side will spell \"BLANTONS.\" 

Please note due to the fragility of Blanton’s bottle seal and packaging, Whisky Auctioneer cannot accept responsibility for any damage and/or leakage during transit.

Brown-Forman's King of Kentucky 2006 Single Barrel 14 Year Old #18

The origins of the Brown-Forman company date back to 1870 when George Garvin Brown went into business with his brother, John Thompson Street Brown. The pair had struck upon the innovation of selling whiskey in sealed glass bottles in order to ensure quality control to capitalise on the medicinal whiskey trade in the 19th century. They introduced their Old Forester brand in the same year in order to do just that. The two brothers’ business relationship quickly deteriorated however, and George Garvin founded a new venture with his accountant, George Forman, taking the Old Forester label with him. His early investment in the medicinal whiskey trade paid huge dividends when National Prohibition was enacted in 1920, seeing Brown-Forman granted a license to continue making whiskey. It was one of just six, alongside Glenmore, Frankfort Distilleries, Schenley, A. Ph. Stitzel and the American Medicinal Spirits Co. The company then bought the Early Times distillery in 1923 in order to make use of its huge stocks, and for nearly 100 years Early Times whiskey was one of its flagship brands (then sold to Sazerac in 2020). Brown-Forman emerged from Prohibition as one of America's powerhouse distilling companies, adding the Labrot & Graham distillery (later Woodford Reserve) to its portfolio in the 1940s, and the Jack Daniel distillery in Tennessee in the 1950s. The company remains a global player in the whisky industry to this day, opening a new Old Forester distillery in 2018, and acquiring a foothold in the Scotch market in 2016 through its takeover of Benriach, Glenglassaugh and Glendronach.

The King of Kentucky label was bought by the company in 1935 but was shelved in the 1960s. It then lay dormant for decades until revived in 2018.

This single barrel Kentucky bourbon was filled at their distillery in Louisville on the 27th June 2006. Barrel #18 was aged 14 years on rick 46, floor 8 of Warehouse K.

This is one of just 64 bottles dumped in 2020.

Buffalo Trace 1995 Experimental Collection 15 Year Old 37.5cl / French Oak Barrel Aged

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

A distillery with both enormous production capacity and warehouse space, the Sazerac Company has long had the privilege of being able to conduct numerous experiments in both distilling and ageing with its whiskey. The company estimates that it has over 30,000 experimental barrels in its warehouses, and as of 2006 has been releasing the fruits of these for enthusiasts to mull over.

This 15 year old was distilled using its high-rye mashbill #2 and aged in a new toasted French oak barrel. It was bottled in 2010.

Bourbon Hill 15 Year Old 101 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon 1996

Bourbon Hill is a label produced by Heaven Hill for Japan, a market that preferred well-aged bourbon that was not to America's taste at the time of production. 

Heaven Hill was established by a group of private investors in 1935, following the repeal of Prohibition a few years earlier. Among the founders was distiller, Joseph L. Beam, and a member of the Shapira family. As the company grew, the Shapira's eventually acquired sole ownership of it, and their descendants still run it today. In a similar dynastic vein, Joe Beam remained master distiller despite the Shapira takeover, and members of his family have occupied the role ever since. This was produced at the Old Heavenhill Springs distillery, later renamed simply as Heaven Hill, which was located in Bardstown, Kentucky. It was sadly lost in a devastating fire in 1996, and bourbon made there has become increasingly sought after as the years pass. The company had no distillery for the next three years, but were permitted to rent stills at Jim Beam and Brown-Forman in order to maintain production. They eventually acquired the newly refurbished Bernheim distillery from Diageo in 1999, which has been their home ever since.

Bourbon Hill is a charcoal filtered whiskey, a practice known as the Lincoln County Process and often better associated with Tennessee Whiskies such as Jack Daniel's. This often leads to a common misconception, likely deliberately promoted by some distillers, that whiskey produced in this fashion cannot be called bourbon. 

Taylor Springs 1935 Bottled in Bond 5 Year Old Bourbon

This Kentucky straight bourbon was distilled and bottled by the Glencoe Distilling Co. The Glencoe distillery was established in the late 19th century by Jacob Stitzel and was run by his two sons, Frederick and Philip. The distillery was promptly acquired by Hollenbach Bros, and whiskey blender and wholesaler who kept the Stitzel brothers on to manage the operation. One company with regular dealings with the Stitzel's was W.L. Weller & Sons, who bought up the Hollenbach Brands when its owners divested from the company in the early 1900s. These included Fortuna, Pride of the West and Glencoe. 

When Prohibition was enacted in 1920, the distillery was dismantled. W.L. Weller & Sons eventually sold the sight and brands to National Distillers, who were the new face of the once-infamous Whiskey Trust, a pre-Prohibition consortium who rose to infamy in their attempts to centralise Kentucky distilling through strong-arming distillers into selling them their businesses. The Trust was revived as the legitimate National Distillers during Prohibition, buying into and eventually subsuming the considerable assets of the American Medicinal Whiskey Co.

Glencoe distillery was rebuilt in the 1930s and operated for many years during the mid-20th century. This Bottled in Bond bourbon was distilled in 1935 and bottled in 1940.

Buffalo Trace 1989 Experimental Collection 21 Year Old 37.5cl / Rediscovered Barrels

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

A distillery with both enormous production capacity and warehouse space, the Sazerac Company has long had the privilege of being able to conduct numerous experiments in both distilling and ageing with its whiskey. The company estimates that it has over 30,000 experimental barrels in its warehouses, and as of 2006 has been releasing the fruits of these for enthusiasts to mull over.

This 21 year old was distilled back 1989 and were discovered uncatalogued in the Buffalo Trace warehouses. This was the first of three in release number 10.

Black Maple Hill Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon / KBD

Black Maple Hill is owned by Californian company, CVI Brands. They do not own a distillery and contract the bottling of the brand to outside sources, initially with Julian Van Winkle in 2000, and then Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, who produced this.

Kentucky Bourbon Distillers are the owners of the Willett distillery in Bardstown. Willett distillery was built in 1936, just a few years after the repeal of National Prohibition by Lambert Willett, a former distiller for Max Selliger & Co. The distillery was initially a success, principally through its Old Bardstown and Johnny Drum brands, however it was hit hard by the bourbon slump of the 1970s. The result was an ill-advised move into producing ethanol for the production of \"gasohol,\" spurred by the 1979 energy crises. When that market re-stabilised, Willett was left floundering and eventually closed in the early 1980s. Lambert's granddaughter, Martha Willett and her husband, Even Kulsveen, then purchased the distillery and established Kentucky Bourbon Distillers in 1984. They originally bottled the remaining barrels of 1970s-distilled stock, however as that gradually diminished, they began sourcing barrels from other producers in order to replenish it, becoming one of the most important independent bottlers in Kentucky. The majority of their barrels were believed to have come from neighbouring Heaven Hill, and with these casks they developed a wealth of important brands, including the Willett Family Estate, Noah's Mill and Rowan's Creek. In addition, they contract-bottled brands for other companies, such as the Very Olde St Nick and this Black Maple Hill brand. Revered for the quality of their whiskey, their products have become some of the most collectible to come out of Kentucky. One January 21st, 2012, the company re-opened Willett distillery, and have been slowly replenishing its warehouses with its own whiskey ever since.

KBD eventually had to reserve their warehoused stocks for their own popular Willett Family Reserve brand, so CVI have been sourcing their from the Stein distillery in Oregon since 2014.

These hand-bottled releases of the Kentucky bourbon are difficult to come by.

Bourbon Valley 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon 1990

A classic bourbon from the old Heaven Hill distillery in Bardstown.

Heaven Hill was established by a group of private investors in 1935, following the repeal of Prohibition a few years earlier. Among the founders was distiller, Joseph L. Beam, and a member of the Shapira family. As the company grew, the Shapira's eventually acquired sole ownership of it, and their descendants still run it today. In a similar dynastic vein, Joe Beam remained master distiller despite the Shapira takeover, and members of his family have occupied the role ever since. This was produced at the Old Heavenhill Springs distillery, later renamed simply as Heaven Hill, which was located in Bardstown, Kentucky. It was sadly lost in a devastating fire in 1996, and bourbon made there has become increasingly sought after as the years pass. The company had no distillery for the next three years, but were permitted to rent stills at Jim Beam and Brown-Forman in order to maintain production. They eventually acquired the newly refurbished Bernheim distillery from Diageo in 1999, which has been their home ever since.

This is a 12 year old whiskey bottled in the year 1990. It was exported to the Japanese market.

Brook Hill 1917 Bottled in Bond 15 Year Old Pint / Prohibition Era Bottling

A fantastic example of a Prohibition era bottling of American whiskey. Although the Volstead Act of 1920 had banned all production, sale an consumption of alcohol in the US, a few select companies were able to acquire medicinal licenses that allowed them to continue bottling their warehoused stock. These medicinal bottlings could be prescribed by medical professionals, and bakers were also entitled to a weekly ration to cook with.

One of these companies was Brown-Forman, whose origins date back to 1870 when George Garvin Brown went into business with his brother, John Thompson Street Brown. The pair had struck upon the innovation of selling whiskey in sealed glass bottles in order to ensure quality control to capitalise on the medicinal whiskey trade in the 19th century. They introduced their Old Forester brand in the same year in order to do just that. The two brothers’ business relationship quickly deteriorated however, and George Garvin founded a new venture with his accountant, George Forman, taking the Old Forester label with him. His early investment in the medicinal whiskey trade paid huge dividends in 1920, seeing Brown-Forman granted a license to continue making whiskey. It was one of just six, alongside Glenmore, Frankfort Distilleries, Schenley, A. Ph. Stitzel and the American Medicinal Spirits Co.

The company then bought the Early Times distillery in 1923 in order to make use of its huge stocks, some of which went into this bottle of Brook Hill. The Brook Hill brand was founded by Joseph L. Friedman, and was acquired by Brown-Forman along with Yellowstone and Belmont through the G. Lee Redmond Company in 1924. They bottled this version in 1932.

Brown-Forman emerged from Prohibition as one of America's powerhouse distilling companies, adding the Labrot & Graham distillery (later Woodford Reserve) to its portfolio in the 1940s, and the Jack Daniel distillery in Tennessee in the 1950s. The company remains a global player in the whisky industry to this day, opening a new Old Forester distillery in 2018, and acquiring a foothold in the Scotch market in 2016 through its takeover of Benriach, Glenglassaugh and Glendronach.

Booker's 30th Anniversary Small Batch Bourbon

The Booker's brand is a subsidiary of Jim Beam and was named after former master distiller, Booker Noe. His son Fred is now the current master distiller and is on record as having said, \"if you’re drinking Booker’s, you better have your pajamas on!” Jim Beam have two distilleries in Kentucky where they produce their bourbon, but Booker's is the only brand produced exclusively at one of them; the Boston Road plant, now also known as the Booker Noe distillery.

This special release commemorated the brand's 30th anniversary and is a vatting of 70% 2009 vintage 9 year old bourbon, and 30% 16 year old bourbon distilled in 2002.

Buffalo Trace 1991 Experimental Collection 19 Year Old 37.5cl / Rediscovered Barrels

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

A distillery with both enormous production capacity and warehouse space, the Sazerac Company has long had the privilege of being able to conduct numerous experiments in both distilling and ageing with its whiskey. The company estimates that it has over 30,000 experimental barrels in its warehouses, and as of 2006 has been releasing the fruits of these for enthusiasts to mull over.

This 19 year old was distilled back 1991 and the barrels were discovered uncatalogued in the Buffalo Trace warehouses. This was the second of three in release number 10.

I.W. Harper 1945 Bottled in Bond Bourbon

The I.W. prefix in this whiskey's name derives from Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, who founded the brand. With his brother he helped establish Louisville in Kentucky as a centre for Bourbon production. Sadly, he felt Harper was a more marketable name than his own to apply to the bottles.

A Bottled in Bond release, this was distilled at Bernheim by Schenley in 1945 and bottled in 1952.

Schenley was organised in 1920 by Louis Rosenstiel as the Cincinnati Distributing Corp. It was one of just six companies granted a license by the US government to bottle medicinal whiskey, alongside Brown-Forman, Frankfort Distilleries, the A. Ph. Stitzel distillery, the American Medicinal Spirits Company, and James Thompson & Brother. In the same year, Rosenstiel acquired the Joseph S. Finch distillery in Pennsylvania, its stock and its Golden Wedding brand, which would go onto become one of the flagship labels of Schenley in the 20th century. In 1922, Rosenstiel met Winston Churchill while holidaying in France, and the future British Prime Minister advised him to begin preparing for the eventuality that the unpopular Prohibition act would be repealed. Rosenstiel then spent the next decade accruing assets in the whiskey industry and by the time his foresight finally paid off in 1933, Schenley were the owners of numerous distilleries including George T. Stagg, James E. Pepper, and the Squibb distillery in Indiana. They added the famous Bernheim distillery to the portfolio in 1937, and the year prior made their first play in the Scotch market by becoming the US distributor for John Dewar & Sons. Rosenstiel's spirits empire dominated much of the market share of American whiskey for the next forty years through brands like I.W. Harper and Cream of Kentucky, before he sold his controlling stake to the Glen Alden company in 1968. He passed away eight years later, and in 1987, Schenley was bought over by United Distillers, newly formed through a merger of the Distillers Company Ltd (DCL) and Arthur Bell & Sons after both were acquired by Guinness that year.

Buffalo Trace 1988 Experimental Collection 18 Year Old 37.5cl / Zinfandel Aged After 10 Years

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

A distillery with both enormous production capacity and warehouse space, the Sazerac Company has long had the privilege of being able to conduct numerous experiments in both distilling and ageing with its whiskey. The company estimates that it has over 30,000 experimental barrels in its warehouses, and as of 2006 has been releasing the fruits of these for enthusiasts to mull over.

This 18 year old was distilled using its low-rye mashbill #1 and reracked into an American oak Zinfandel cask after 10 years. This was the second of two in release number 3.

Buffalo Trace 1997 Experimental Collection 15 Year Old 37.5cl / #7 Heavy Char

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

A distillery with both enormous production capacity and warehouse space, the Sazerac Company has long had the privilege of being able to conduct numerous experiments in both distilling and ageing with its whiskey. The company estimates that it has over 30,000 experimental barrels in its warehouses, and as of 2006 has been releasing the fruits of these for enthusiasts to mull over.

This 15 year old was distilled using its high-rye mashbill #2 and filled into barrels given a heavy #7 charring. This was the second of two in release number 12.

Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye 2020 Release

Thomas H. Handy is a rye whiskey named after the bartender and former owner of the Sazerac Coffee House. He acquired it in 1869, having previously run Taylor Sewell’s importing business, which had exclusive distribution of Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils brandy in the US. When the Phylloxera epidemic gripped mainland Europe in 1870, the brandy supplies in France dried up and Handy turned to rye whiskey as the alternative base for the classic Sazerac cocktail. He died in 1893, leaving the company in the hand of C.J. O’Reilly who promptly marketed the first Sazerac branded rye.

When the Sazerac Company acquired what is now called Buafflo Trace distillery in 1992, one of their long-term intentions was to see the eponymous rye brand return. They began distilling it for the first time in 1998, and the modern version of the Sazerac Rye was introduced in 2006.

The first Thomas H. Handy rye was bottled in 2006 as part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, a selection of whiskies collated and in some cases created to pay homage to the history of the company and its brands.

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye 2018 Release

Thomas H. Handy is a rye whiskey named after the bartender and former owner of the Sazerac Coffee House. He acquired it in 1869, having previously run Taylor Sewell’s importing business, which had exclusive distribution of Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils brandy in the US. When the Phylloxera epidemic gripped mainland Europe in 1870, the brandy supplies in France dried up and Handy turned to rye whiskey as the alternative base for the classic Sazerac cocktail. He died in 1893, leaving the company in the hand of C.J. O’Reilly who promptly marketed the first Sazerac branded rye.

When the Sazerac Company acquired what is now called Buafflo Trace distillery in 1992, one of their long-term intentions was to see the eponymous rye brand return. They began distilling it for the first time in 1998, and the modern version of the Sazerac Rye was introduced in 2006.

The first Thomas H. Handy rye was bottled in 2006 as part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, a selection of whiskies collated and in some cases created to pay homage to the history of the company and its brands.

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye 2019 Release

Thomas H. Handy is a rye whiskey named after the bartender and former owner of the Sazerac Coffee House. He acquired it in 1869, having previously run Taylor Sewell’s importing business, which had exclusive distribution of Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils brandy in the US. When the Phylloxera epidemic gripped mainland Europe in 1870, the brandy supplies in France dried up and Handy turned to rye whiskey as the alternative base for the classic Sazerac cocktail. He died in 1893, leaving the company in the hand of C.J. O’Reilly who promptly marketed the first Sazerac branded rye.

When the Sazerac Company acquired what is now called Buafflo Trace distillery in 1992, one of their long-term intentions was to see the eponymous rye brand return. They began distilling it for the first time in 1998, and the modern version of the Sazerac Rye was introduced in 2006.

The first Thomas H. Handy rye was bottled in 2006 as part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, a selection of whiskies collated and in some cases created to pay homage to the history of the company and its brands.

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

Buffalo Trace 1996 Experimental Collection 10 Year Old 37.5cl / Fire Pot Barrel Aged

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

A distillery with both enormous production capacity and warehouse space, the Sazerac Company has long had the privilege of being able to conduct numerous experiments in both distilling and ageing with its whiskey. The company estimates that it has over 30,000 experimental barrels in its warehouses, and as of 2006 has been releasing the fruits of these for enthusiasts to mull over.

This 10 year old was distilled using its low-rye mashbill #1 and aged in a barrel heated to 102 degrees in a \"fire pot,\" gaining a #4 char.

Buffalo Trace 1993 Experimental Collection 12 Year Old 37.5cl / Twice Barrelled

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

A distillery with both enormous production capacity and warehouse space, the Sazerac Company has long had the privilege of being able to conduct numerous experiments in both distilling and ageing with its whiskey. The company estimates that it has over 30,000 experimental barrels in its warehouses, and as of 2006 has been releasing the fruits of these for enthusiasts to mull over.

This 12 year old was distilled using its high-rye mashbill #2 and aged for 8 years before being reracked into a second virgin oak barrel. This was the second of three in release number 1.

Buffalo Trace 2001 Experimental Collection 12 Year Old 37.5cl / Bourbon from Floor #5

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

A distillery with both enormous production capacity and warehouse space, the Sazerac Company has long had the privilege of being able to conduct numerous experiments in both distilling and ageing with its whiskey. The company estimates that it has over 30,000 experimental barrels in its warehouses, and as of 2006 has been releasing the fruits of these for enthusiasts to mull over.

This 12 year old was distilled using its low-rye mashbill #1 in 2001. The barrels were aged on the fifth floor. This was the second of three in release number 16.

Blanton's Single Barrel dumped 2019 Limited Edition / LMDW

Blanton's is a bourbon brand from the portfolio of Age International, the company formed by former Fleischmann's Distilling director's, Bob Baranaskas and Ferdie Falke. They had approached Schenley in the early 1980s with a view to purchasing its Old Charter brand, but were instead offered Ancient Age and the George T. Stagg distillery where it was produced. The deal was completed in 1983, two years before the retirement of George T. Stagg master distiller, Elmer T. Lee, who had served there for 36 years, working his way from the bottom up. One of his final pioneering triumphs before doing so was the introduction of mass produced single barrel bourbon, specifically through the creation of the Blanton's brand in 1984.

Normally a 6 to 8 year old bourbon, it is aged in Warehouse H at Buffalo Trace, which is the only metal-clad warehouse at the distillery, commissioned for construction by Albert B. Blanton, after whom the whiskey is named. The warehouse was built shortly after prohibition and being metal, transfers heat quicker than brick warehouses, allowing for more rapid ageing.

The popularity of these products was particularly high in Japan, coinciding with a market boom for American whiskey there in the 1980s. In 1991, with Age International in some financial trouble, a Japanese company called Takaro Shuzo stepped in and acquired a 22.5% stake in the company. In an unusual series of events, they then scuppered a deal the following year that was to see the remaining shares sold to Heublein (a subsidiary of Grand Metropolitan). Their deal the year before had included a 30 day right of refusal to purchase the shares for themselves should they be put up for sale. With the deal all but done, the Japanese company stepped in on the final day of the window to acquire full control of the company. As it turned out, their only interest was in the brands, and they had used the 30 days to negotiate a deal with the Sazerac Company of  New Orleans. This saw the American company take ownership of the distillery (which they renamed Buffalo Trace in 1999), as well as the exclusive production and US distribution rights for the Age International labels. This is an arrangement that is still in place today.

This is the 2019 limited edition bottling from a batch of casks selected annually for La Maison du Whisky in Paris.

Since 1999, every bottle of Blanton's has one of 8 different stoppers, each depicting a horse and jockey at a different stage of finishing a race. The designs are all lettered so that a complete set laid out side by side will spell \"BLANTONS.\" 

Each bottle of Blanton's has one of 8 different stoppers, each depicting a horse and jockey at a different stage of finishing a race. The designs are all lettered so that a complete set laid out side by side will spell \"BLANTONS.\"

Please note due to the fragility of Blanton’s bottle seal and packaging, Whisky Auctioneer cannot accept responsibility for any damage and/or leakage during transit.

Buffalo Trace 1995 Experimental Collection 10 Year Old 37.5cl / French Oak Aged

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.

A distillery with both enormous production capacity and warehouse space, the Sazerac Company has long had the privilege of being able to conduct numerous experiments in both distilling and ageing with its whiskey. The company estimates that it has over 30,000 experimental barrels in its warehouses, and as of 2006 has been releasing the fruits of these for enthusiasts to mull over.

This 10 year old was distilled using its low-rye mashbill #1 and aged in a new French oak cask. It was bottled in 2006.

Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye 2017 Release

Thomas H. Handy is a rye whiskey named after the bartender and former owner of the Sazerac Coffee House. He acquired it in 1869, having previously run Taylor Sewell’s importing business, which had exclusive distribution of Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils brandy in the US. When the Phylloxera epidemic gripped mainland Europe in 1870, the brandy supplies in France dried up and Handy turned to rye whiskey as the alternative base for the classic Sazerac cocktail. He died in 1893, leaving the company in the hand of C.J. O’Reilly who promptly marketed the first Sazerac branded rye.

When the Sazerac Company acquired what is now called Buafflo Trace distillery in 1992, one of their long-term intentions was to see the eponymous rye brand return. They began distilling it for the first time in 1998, and the modern version of the Sazerac Rye was introduced in 2006.

The first Thomas H. Handy rye was bottled in 2006 as part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, a selection of whiskies collated and in some cases created to pay homage to the history of the company and its brands.

A historic distillery, Buffalo Trace was built in 1812 Harrison Blanton. It was then purchased by the legendary Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr in 1870, who named it OFC (Old Fashioned Copper) and invested heavily in its modernisation. So much so in fact that he declared himself bankrupt after just seven years, and George T. Stagg stepped in to rescue it, becoming its owner in 1878. He ran the distillery until his retirement in the 1890s, and it was renamed in his honour in 1904. Having survived Prohibition, it was bought up by the Schenley company in 1933, who ran it as part of their extensive portfolio for the next fifty years, eventually selling it to Age International. The latter's new Japanese ownership in 1992 had no interest in it (only in its brands), and immediately sold it to the Sazerac company, who renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999.