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.

Michter's 25 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon 2020 70cl

When the famous Michter's distillery was abandoned by its owners in 1989, they left everything from the equipment, near-millions of gallons of stock, and perhaps most importantly, the rights to the name. Michter's distillery developed a cult status in the subsequent years due to the release of the much-lauded A.H. Hirsch Reserve, distilled there in 1974 when it was still called Pennco.

The new owners of the Michter's name, Chatham Imports, started a new company called Michter's Distillery LLC, and operated as a Non-Distiller Producer (NDP) for a number of years, meaning they sourced their whisky from other distilleries and bottled it under their own name. Many of these releases have been incredibly sought after, with early batches of their single barrel bourbons rumoured to have been sourced from the legendary Stitzel-Weller.

In 2015 they constructed a new Michter's distillery in Shively, KY and have begun barrelling their own stock ever since. With the construction of a new warehousing facility in 2018, it is expected this new Michter's will soon be bottling all of its own whiskey, developing an important legacy of its own.

This is a small batch limited release from batch #L20I2076 which has been aged from an incredible 25 years.

Bottle number 7 of 348. 

Whiskey author Fred Minnick has confirmed in his book, Bourbon Curious that the source of Michter's Kentucky labelled products are sourced from Brown-Forman.

Michter's 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon 2018 70cl

When the famous Michter's distillery was abandoned by its owners in 1989, they left everything from the equipment, near-millions of gallons of stock, and perhaps most importantly, the rights to the name. Michter's distillery developed a cult status in the subsequent years due to the release of the much-lauded A.H. Hirsch Reserve, distilled there in 1974 when it was still called Pennco.

The new owners of the Michter's name, Chatham Imports, started a new company called Michter's Distillery LLC, and operated as a Non-Distiller Producer (NDP) for a number of years, meaning they sourced their whisky from other distilleries and bottled it under their own name. Many of these releases have been incredibly sought after, with early batches of their single barrel bourbons rumoured to have been sourced from the legendary Stitzel-Weller.

In 2015 they constructed a new Michter's Fort Nelson distillery in Shively, KY and have begun barrelling their own stock ever since. With the construction of a new warehousing facility in 2018, it is expected this new Michter's will soon be bottling all of its own whiskey, developing an important legacy of its own.

This 20 year old is from batch #L18I1370. One of 463 bottles. 

While older editions of the 20 year old were presumed to be wheated Bernheim whiskey sourced from the Kentucky Bourbon Distillers warehouses at Willett, whiskey author Fred Minnick has confirmed in his book, Bourbon Curious, that the source of Michter's Kentucky labelled products are sourced from Brown-Forman. 

Michter's 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon 2019 70cl

When the famous Michter's distillery was abandoned by its owners in 1989, they left everything from the equipment, near-millions of gallons of stock, and perhaps most importantly, the rights to the name. Michter's distillery developed a cult status in the subsequent years due to the release of the much-lauded A.H. Hirsch Reserve, distilled there in 1974 when it was still called Pennco.

The new owners of the Michter's name, Chatham Imports, started a new company called Michter's Distillery LLC, and operated as a Non-Distiller Producer (NDP) for a number of years, meaning they sourced their whisky from other distilleries and bottled it under their own name. Many of these releases have been incredibly sought after, with early batches of their single barrel bourbons rumoured to have been sourced from the legendary Stitzel-Weller.

In 2015 they constructed a new Michter's Fort Nelson distillery in Shively, KY and have begun barrelling their own stock ever since. With the construction of a new warehousing facility in 2018, it is expected this new Michter's will soon be bottling all of its own whiskey, developing an important legacy of its own.

This 20 year old is from batch #L19H1439. One of 440 bottles. 

While older editions of the 20 year old were presumed to be wheated Bernheim whiskey sourced from the Kentucky Bourbon Distillers warehouses at Willett, whiskey author Fred Minnick has confirmed in his book, Bourbon Curious, that the source of Michter's Kentucky labelled products are sourced from Brown-Forman. 

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.

Michter's Whiskey Historic Series Decanter Quart 1978

A rare late 1970s example of whiskey distilled at the original Michter's distillery in Schaeferstown, PA. Generally overlooked in its time, the distillery developed a cult status in the years following its closure in 1989 after Julian Van Winkle III bottled the Hirsch Reserve for Gordon Hue using barrels he had purchased from it.

In particular, the Michter's Jug House where this purports to have been distilled was a place of great interest. At the time this was bottled, the distillery was owned by Louis Forman, who had developed the Michter's brand in the 1950s and reacquird the distillery from Pennco in 1978. The Jug House was built by the distillery primarily as a feature for tourists, and it contained a single pot still that produced a single barrel a day so that out-of-season visitors could still see whiskey being produced. The Hirsch Reserve was erroneously labelled as a pot still bourbon, leading many to speculate that the Jug House was the source of this legendary whiskey, regarded by many as the finest ever bottled. This is likely also the case here, due to the wider release of the product, but it is never-the-less incredibly rare. The remaining warehoused stock from the distillery was re-distilled for industrial use after its closure, making these bottles true relics from a distillery now thought of as a lost treasure.

The Michter's distllery, historically known as Bomberger is long gone, however the Jug House is remarkably still in use. When the distillery closed, it was installed in the garden of former distiller, Charles Everett Beam, before it was sold to the Tom's Foolery distillery in Ohio who distil bourbon on it to this day.

The Michter's brand name was acquired by Chatham Imports after the distillery closure in 1989, and they recently built a new Michter's Fort Nelson distillery in Kentucky, and have been bottling under the name for many years. This whiskey from the original site is a real collector's item, especially given it comes purely from the distillery's smallest still.

Michter's Whiskey King Tut Decanter 1978

A rare late 1970s example of whiskey distilled at the original Michter's distillery in Schaeferstown, PA. Generally overlooked in its time, the distillery developed a cult status in the years following its closure in 1989 after Julian Van Winkle III bottled the Hirsch Reserve for Gordon Hue using barrels he had purchased from it.

In particular, the Michter's Jug House where this purports to have been distilled was a place of great interest. At the time this was bottled, the distillery was owned by Louis Forman, who had developed the Michter's brand in the 1950s and reacquird the distillery from Pennco in 1978. The Jug House was built by the distillery primarily as a feature for tourists, and it contained a single pot still that produced a single barrel a day so that out-of-season visitors could still see whiskey being produced. The Hirsch Reserve was erroneously labelled as a pot still bourbon, leading many to speculate that the Jug House was the source of this legendary whiskey, regarded by many as the finest ever bottled. This is likely also the case here, due to the wider release of the product, but it is never-the-less incredibly rare. The remaining warehoused stock from the distillery was re-distilled for industrial use after its closure, making these bottles true relics from a distillery now thought of as a lost treasure.

The Michter's distllery, historically known as Bomberger is long gone, however the Jug House is remarkably still in use. When the distillery closed, it was installed in the garden of former distiller, Charles Everett Beam, before it was sold to the Tom's Foolery distillery in Ohio who distil bourbon on it to this day.

The Michter's brand name was acquired by Chatham Imports after the distillery closure in 1989, and they recently built a new Michter's Fort Nelson distillery in Kentucky, and have been bottling under the name for many years. This whiskey from the original site is a real collector's item, especially given it comes purely from the distillery's smallest still.

Michter's Whiskey Historic Series Decanter Quart 1978

A rare late 1970s example of whiskey distilled at the original Michter's distillery in Schaeferstown, PA. Generally overlooked in its time, the distillery developed a cult status in the years following its closure in 1989 after Julian Van Winkle III bottled the Hirsch Reserve for Gordon Hue using barrels he had purchased from it.

In particular, the Michter's Jug House where this purports to have been distilled was a place of great interest. At the time this was bottled, the distillery was owned by Louis Forman, who had developed the Michter's brand in the 1950s and reacquird the distillery from Pennco in 1978. The Jug House was built by the distillery primarily as a feature for tourists, and it contained a single pot still that produced a single barrel a day so that out-of-season visitors could still see whiskey being produced. The Hirsch Reserve was erroneously labelled as a pot still bourbon, leading many to speculate that the Jug House was the source of this legendary whiskey, regarded by many as the finest ever bottled. This is likely also the case here, due to the wider release of the product, but it is never-the-less incredibly rare. The remaining warehoused stock from the distillery was re-distilled for industrial use after its closure, making these bottles true relics from a distillery now thought of as a lost treasure.

The Michter's distllery, historically known as Bomberger is long gone, however the Jug House is remarkably still in use. When the distillery closed, it was installed in the garden of former distiller, Charles Everett Beam, before it was sold to the Tom's Foolery distillery in Ohio who distil bourbon on it to this day.

The Michter's brand name was acquired by Chatham Imports after the distillery closure in 1989, and they recently built a new Michter's Fort Nelson distillery in Kentucky, and have been bottling under the name for many years. This whiskey from the original site is a real collector's item, especially given it comes purely from the distillery's smallest still.

Michter's Whiskey Decanter Pint 1976

A rare late 1970s example of whiskey distilled at the original Michter's distillery in Schaeferstown, PA. Generally overlooked in its time, the distillery developed a cult status in the years following its closure in 1989 after Julian Van Winkle III bottled the Hirsch Reserve for Gordon Hue using barrels he had purchased from it.

In particular, the Michter's Jug House where this purports to have been distilled was a place of great interest. At the time this was bottled, the distillery was owned by Pennco, who has acquired it and the Michter's brand from Louis Forman. The Jug House was built by the distillery primarily as a feature for tourists, and it contained a single pot still that produced a single barrel a day so that out-of-season visitors could still see whiskey being produced. The Hirsch Reserve was erroneously labelled as a pot still bourbon, leading many to speculate that the Jug House was the source of this legendary whiskey, regarded by many as the finest ever bottled. This is likely also the case here, due to the wider release of the product, but it is never-the-less incredibly rare. The remaining warehoused stock from the distillery was re-distilled for industrial use after its closure, making these bottles true relics from a distillery now thought of as a lost treasure.

The Michter's distllery, historically known as Bomberger is long gone, however the Jug House is remarkably still in use. When the distillery closed, it was installed in the garden of former distiller, Charles Everett Beam, before it was sold to the Tom's Foolery distillery in Ohio who distil bourbon on it to this day.

The Michter's brand name was acquired by Chatham Imports after the distillery closure in 1989, and they recently built a new Michter's Fort Nelson distillery in Kentucky, and have been bottling under the name for many years. This whiskey from the original site is a real collector's item, especially given it comes purely from the distillery's smallest still.

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.

Michter's Whiskey Historic Series Decanters 1978 with Plinth and Jugs

A rare late 1970s example of whiskey distilled at the original Michter's distillery in Schaeferstown, PA. Generally overlooked in its time, the distillery developed a cult status in the years following its closure in 1989 after Julian Van Winkle III bottled the Hirsch Reserve for Gordon Hue using barrels he had purchased from it.

In particular, the Michter's Jug House where this purports to have been distilled was a place of great interest. At the time this was bottled, the distillery was owned by Louis Forman, who had developed the Michter's brand in the 1950s and reacquird the distillery from Pennco in 1978. The Jug House was built by the distillery primarily as a feature for tourists, and it contained a single pot still that produced a single barrel a day so that out-of-season visitors could still see whiskey being produced. The Hirsch Reserve was erroneously labelled as a pot still bourbon, leading many to speculate that the Jug House was the source of this legendary whiskey, regarded by many as the finest ever bottled. This is likely also the case here, due to the wider release of the product, but it is never-the-less incredibly rare. The remaining warehoused stock from the distillery was re-distilled for industrial use after its closure, making these bottles true relics from a distillery now thought of as a lost treasure.

The Michter's distllery, historically known as Bomberger is long gone, however the Jug House is remarkably still in use. When the distillery closed, it was installed in the garden of former distiller, Charles Everett Beam, before it was sold to the Tom's Foolery distillery in Ohio who distil bourbon on it to this day.

The Michter's brand name was acquired by Chatham Imports after the distillery closure in 1989, and they recently built a new Michter's Fort Nelson distillery in Kentucky, and have been bottling under the name for many years. This whiskey from the original site is a real collector's item, especially given it comes purely from the distillery's smallest still.

This impressive presentation contains a half gallon, half pint and one-tenth pint decanter, as well as a ceramic jug and mug.

This lot has a 10 bottle shipping fee.

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.

Mic Drop 2009 8 Year Old Straight Bourbon

A straight bourbon by \"the provider of geeky spirits,\" PM Spirits. This is titled \"Mic. Drop.\" and subtitled \"PM Spirits Out,\" they're obviously chuffed with this one.

Distilled at MGP distillery, Indiana (still affectionately known to many as Seagram's) in 2009, with a mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% barley malt. Bottled from a dumping of 24 different casks.

The history of MGP distillery has its roots in the emid-19th century, however it is best known for its association to Seagram, who purchased it at the close of Prohibition in 1933. Located in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, the distillery provided whiskey and grain neutral spirits for many of the Canadian distilling giants products for the rest of the 20th century. When an ill-advised move into the entertainment industry saw Seagram collapse in the early 2000s, much of their assets, including the Lawrenceburg distillery were bought up by Pernod-Ricard. They announced in 2006 that they intended to close it, however ended up selling it instead to a holding company in Trinidad called CL Financial. They renamed it LDI (Lawrenceburg Distillers Indiana). It was not long however before the new owners would go bust as well, and the distillery was again sold, this time to MGP Ingredients, who renamed it in the process. The company produced and markets some of its own brands, but its main line of business is a huge contract-distilling operation. Among these are a number of well-regarded grain recipes, and several bourbons. Among its biggest customers are Diageo, and former owners, Pernod-Ricard, alongside an extensive list of independent boutique brands. In 2021 it was announced that MGP had acquired Luxco, which would provide it with a new national distribution for its Indiana-produced brands, but also facilitated it with the Lux Row distillery, which opened in 2018.

Monument Valley 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon 1998

A 12 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon produced by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers at the then-silent Willett distillery. Prior to 2012, the company was sourcing most of the bourbon they bottled from neighbouring Heaven Hill.

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 Black Maple Hill brands. 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.

Maker's Mark Black Label Kentucky Straight Bourbon 

A popular small batch bourbon, produced at the Maker's Mark distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. Maker's Mark is a wheated bourbon, first introduced in 1953 by \"Bill\" Samuels Snr, produced with the assistance on none other than a certain Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle.

Created for Japan, this black label version is bottled at a slightly higher 47.5% ABV

Maker's Mark VIP Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Taylor William \"Bill\" Samuels Snr started out in the whiskey industry at his family's T.W. Samuels distillery in the 1930s. When his father, Lesley Samuels, died in 1936, Bill inherited the running of the place, which he did so until 1942 when he sold it and its brands to Country Distillers Products. Bill has initially intended to retire to his farm, but the allure of creating a new bourbon proved too much, and he set about canvassing help in producing the recipe for the smoothers tasting whiskey that he has campaigned for and failed to get the family to distil over a decade prior. Among those who he reached out to were Hap Motlow of Jack Daniel's, Ed Shapira of Heaven Hill, and the legendary Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle I. Pappy's wheated Old Weller and Old Fitzgerald bourbon were exactly the profile that Samuels was after, and with Van Winkle's help, he debuted finessed his own wheat mashbill, and bought land in Loretto, Kentucky in 1953. He filled his first barrels the following year, and in the years that preceded his first bottlings, Bill's wife Margie created the Maker's Mark brand based on her collections of fine English pewter stamps. The first bottle of Maker's Mark was bottled on 8th May 1958, and was hand-dipped with red wax, as all bottles still are to this day. 

The VIP series are bottled in replicas an 1870s glass in the distillery museum. They are individually labelled with personalised messages.

Michter's Whiskey Historic Series Decanter Quart 1978

A rare late 1970s example of whiskey distilled at the original Michter's distillery in Schaeferstown, PA. Generally overlooked in its time, the distillery developed a cult status in the years following its closure in 1989 after Julian Van Winkle III bottled the Hirsch Reserve for Gordon Hue using barrels he had purchased from it.

In particular, the Michter's Jug House where this purports to have been distilled was a place of great interest. At the time this was bottled, the distillery was owned by Louis Forman, who had developed the Michter's brand in the 1950s and reacquird the distillery from Pennco in 1978. The Jug House was built by the distillery primarily as a feature for tourists, and it contained a single pot still that produced a single barrel a day so that out-of-season visitors could still see whiskey being produced. The Hirsch Reserve was erroneously labelled as a pot still bourbon, leading many to speculate that the Jug House was the source of this legendary whiskey, regarded by many as the finest ever bottled. This is likely also the case here, due to the wider release of the product, but it is never-the-less incredibly rare. The remaining warehoused stock from the distillery was re-distilled for industrial use after its closure, making these bottles true relics from a distillery now thought of as a lost treasure.

The Michter's distllery, historically known as Bomberger is long gone, however the Jug House is remarkably still in use. When the distillery closed, it was installed in the garden of former distiller, Charles Everett Beam, before it was sold to the Tom's Foolery distillery in Ohio who distil bourbon on it to this day.

The Michter's brand name was acquired by Chatham Imports after the distillery closure in 1989, and they recently built a new Michter's Fort Nelson distillery in Kentucky, and have been bottling under the name for many years. This whiskey from the original site is a real collector's item, especially given it comes purely from the distillery's smallest still.

Michter's Whiskey Pot Still Edition Decanter 1980

A early 1980s example of whiskey distilled at the original Michter's distillery in Schaeferstown, PA. Generally overlooked in its time, the distillery developed a cult status in the years following its closure in 1989 after Julian Van Winkle III bottled the Hirsch Reserve for Gordon Hue using barrels he had purchased from it.

In particular, the Michter's Jug House where this purports to have been distilled was a place of great interest. At the time this was bottled, the distillery was owned by Louis Forman, who had developed the Michter's brand in the 1950s. The Jug House was built by the company primarily as a feature for tourists, and it contained a single pot still that produced a single barrel a day so that out-of-season visitors could still see whiskey being produced. The Hirsch Reserve was erroneously labelled as a pot still bourbon, leading many to speculate that the Jug House was the source of this legendary whiskey, regarded by many as the finest ever bottled. This is likely also the case here, due to the wider release of the product, but it is never-the-less incredibly rare. The remaining warehoused stock from the distillery was re-distilled for industrial use after its closure, making these bottles true relics from a distillery now thought of as a lost treasure.

The Michter's distllery, historically known as Bomberger is long gone, however the Jug House is remarkably still in use. When the distillery closed, it was installed in the garden of former distiller, Charles Everett Beam, before it was sold to the Tom's Foolery distillery in Ohio who distil bourbon on it to this day.

The Michter's brand name was acquired by Chatham Imports after the distillery closure in 1989, and they recently built a new Michter's Fort Nelson distillery in Kentucky, and have been bottling under the name for many years. This whiskey from the original site is a real collector's item, especially given it comes purely from the distillery's smallest still.

Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon 2019 70cl

When the famous Michter's distillery was abandoned by its owners in 1989, they left everything from the equipment, near-millions of gallons of stock, and perhaps most importantly, the rights to the name. Michter's distillery developed a cult status in the subsequent years due to the release of the much-lauded A.H. Hirsch Reserve, distilled there in 1974 when it was still called Pennco.

The new owners of the Michter's name, Chatham Imports, started a new company called Michter's Distillery LLC, and operated as a Non-Distiller Producer (NDP) for a number of years, meaning they sourced their whisky from other distilleries and bottled it under their own name. Many of these releases have been incredibly sought after, with early batches of their single barrel bourbons rumoured to have been sourced from the legendary Stitzel-Weller.

In 2015 they constructed a new Michter's distillery in Shively, KY and have begun barrelling their own stock ever since. With the construction of a new warehousing facility in 2018, it is expected this new Michter's will soon be bottling all of its own whiskey, developing an important legacy of its own.

This 10 year old single barrel bourbon is becoming increasingly sought after. This is a 2019 release.

Whiskey author Fred Minnick has confirmed in his book, Bourbon Curious that the source of Michter's Kentucky labelled products are sourced from Brown-Forman.

Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon 2020 70cl

When the famous Michter's distillery was abandoned by its owners in 1989, they left everything from the equipment, near-millions of gallons of stock, and perhaps most importantly, the rights to the name. Michter's distillery developed a cult status in the subsequent years due to the release of the much-lauded A.H. Hirsch Reserve, distilled there in 1974 when it was still called Pennco.

The new owners of the Michter's name, Chatham Imports, started a new company called Michter's Distillery LLC, and operated as a Non-Distiller Producer (NDP) for a number of years, meaning they sourced their whisky from other distilleries and bottled it under their own name. Many of these releases have been incredibly sought after, with early batches of their single barrel bourbons rumoured to have been sourced from the legendary Stitzel-Weller.

In 2015 they constructed a new Michter's distillery in Shively, KY and have begun barrelling their own stock ever since. With the construction of a new warehousing facility in 2018, it is expected this new Michter's will soon be bottling all of its own whiskey, developing an important legacy of its own.

This 10 year old single barrel bourbon is becoming increasingly sought after. This is a 2020 release.

Whiskey author Fred Minnick has confirmed in his book, Bourbon Curious that the source of Michter's Kentucky labelled products are sourced from Brown-Forman.

Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon 2018

When the famous Michter's distillery was abandoned by its owners in 1989, they left everything from the equipment, near-millions of gallons of stock, and perhaps most importantly, the rights to the name. Michter's distillery developed a cult status in the subsequent years due to the release of the much-lauded A.H. Hirsch Reserve, distilled there in 1974 when it was still called Pennco.

The new owners of the Michter's name, Chatham Imports, started a new company called Michter's Distillery LLC, and operated as a Non-Distiller Producer (NDP) for a number of years, meaning they sourced their whisky from other distilleries and bottled it under their own name. Many of these releases have been incredibly sought after, with early batches of their single barrel bourbons rumoured to have been sourced from the legendary Stitzel-Weller.

In 2015 they constructed a new Michter's distillery in Shively, KY and have begun barrelling their own stock ever since. With the construction of a new warehousing facility in 2018, it is expected this new Michter's will soon be bottling all of its own whiskey, developing an important legacy of its own.

This 10 year old single barrel bourbon is becoming increasingly sought after. This is a 2018 release.

Whiskey author Fred Minnick has confirmed in his book, Bourbon Curious that the source of Michter's Kentucky labelled products are sourced from Brown-Forman.

Tennessee Bourbon 14 Year Old That Boutique-y Whisky Company Batch #1

Launched in 2012, That Boutique-y Whisky Company is an independent bottler and subsidiary of the Atom Group in Kent, England. Their releases are notable for their use of comic book style graphic labels, often with irreverent industry jokes concealed within them. Their catalogue is hugely expansive, covering whiskies from all over the world, and they are now joined by sister companies who bottle Gin and Rum.

The label here depicts the famous sugar maple charcoal production for use in the Lincoln County method that Tennessee whisky is famous for.

This 14 year old expression has come from Diageo's Cascade Hollow distillery, the home of George Dickel, and is one of several independent bottlings around this age that were released at the time. One of 547 bottles.

Distilling at Cascade Hollow has taken place since the late 19th century, however the modern distillery was constructed in 1958 by the Schenley company after they were beaten by Brown-Forman in the battle to acquire Jack Daniel's. Schenley had acquired the rights to the George Dickel brand after Prohibition was repealed, and up until that point had marketed it as a Kentucky bourbon, produced at George T. Stagg (now known as Buffalo Trace). The first George Dickel Tennessee whiskey was sold in 1964. After United Distillers acquired Schenley in 1987, production was increased as the company invested heavily in American whiskey. This however resulted in oversupply, and when UD became Diageo 1997, they promptly shut the distillery down. The company continued to sell George Dickel however, and it was popular enough that operations resumed there in September 2003. The distillery and brand are now an important part of Diageo's revived interest in the US whiskey market.

Maker's Mark 46 Cask Strength Sample 37.5cl

Taylor William \"Bill\" Samuels Snr started out in the whiskey industry at his family's T.W. Samuels distillery in the 1930s. When his father, Lesley Samuels, died in 1936, Bill inherited the running of the place, which he did so until 1942 when he sold it and its brands to Country Distillers Products. Bill has intitially intended to retire to his farm, but the allure of creating a new bourbon proved too much, and he set about canvassing help in producing the recipe for the smoothers tasting whiskey that he has campaigned for and failed to get the family to distil over a decade prior. Among those who he reached out to were Hap Motlow of Jack Daniel's, Ed Shapira of Heaven Hill, and the legendary Julian 'Pappy' Van Winkle I. Pappy's wheated Old Weller and Old Fitzgerald bourbon were exactly the profile that Samuels was after, and with Van Winkle's help, he debuted finessed his own wheat mashbill, and bought land in Loretto, Kentucky in 1953. He filled his first barrels the following year, and in the years that preceded his first bottlings, Bill's wife Margie created the Maker's Mark brand based on her collections of fine English pewter stamps. The first bottle of Maker's Mark was bottled on 8th May 1958, and was hand-dipped with red wax, as all bottles still are to this day.  

Maker's Mark 46 was the first new product released from the Loretto based distillery since the 1950s when it was launched in 2010. The whiskey is fully aged Maker's Mark bourbon that has had \"caramelised French oak staves inserted to the barrel for a several month finishing period, adding a rich spicy character.

This is a sample of the 2020 limited release version, bottled as cask strength to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Julian Van Winkle III has previously recommended Maker's 46 to wheated bourbon enthusiasts as a more easily-located alternative for his own elusive bottlings.