A Century of American Whiskey

Old Grand-Dad 114 Proof Bourbon 2017 / Lot No.1

The stories behind America's bourbon brands are some of the greatest in whisky history, and no other traces the narrative of Kentucky distilling as closely as Old Grand-dad. Bourbon historian Chuck Cowdery describes the brand's story as \"one of the richest in bourbon country,\" with distilling dynasties such as the Beam, Dant, Hayden, Taylor, Medley and Wathen families all having a hand in its production over the years.

The original old Grand-dad was Basil Hayden, who's second generation descendents named their primary brand in his honour (he still features on the label today). They built the original Old Grand-dad distillery at Hobbs Station, not far from where Jim Beam's Clermont distillery now sits today. They bought the Hobbs Station distillery its brands in 1899, and developed a successful business out of it. Even with the Prohibition Act looming on the horizon, the Wathen family were shrewd, and re-organised their company as the American Medicinal Spirits Co. This allowed them to exploit a loophole in the Prohibition laws, which had banned the production and sale of alcohol, but permitted the continued bottling of whiskey for medicinal purposes and as a weekly baker's ration. Otto Wathen consolidated much of Kentucky's distilling, filling his warehouses with bonded stock and acquiring brands such as Hill & Hill, Bourbon de Luxe and Old Crow.

The AMS Co were eventually bout over by National Distillers, who went on to become one of the biggest post-repeal distilling companies in the US. The original Old Grand-dad distillery at Hobbs Station never re-opened after Prohibition however, with National Distillers buying what is the more familiar Old Grand-dad distillery in Frankfort in 1933. It and National Distillers were acquired by Jim Beam in 1987, who produced this at Clermont, a return (almost) to its spiritual home. The National Distillers era Old  Grand-dad distillery is now a Beam bottling plant. 

Smooth Ambler Old Scout 10 Year Old Straight Bourbon 2015

The Smooth Ambler is a craft distillery based in West Virginia, but the 'Old Scout' range is a collection of barrels sourced from other places, meeting the high standards of the Smooth Ambler brand. Old Scout was initially conceived as a means of generating funds in the intervening years that the initial Smooth Ambler spirit was maturing into whiskey, however its popularity has resulted in its continuation since.

This 10 year old is from batch #30 which was bottled on 9th March 2015 from barrels sourced from MGP distillery.

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.

Larceny Barrel Proof Batch #B521

This bourbon brand is named after John E. Fitzgerald, who first gave his name to the classic Old Fitzgerland label, devised by S.C. Hebst in 1870. John E. Fitzgerald Larceny was introduced by Heaven Hill in 2012 as a more affordable wheated bourbon to its premium Old Fitzgerald line.

Larceny Barrel Proof was introduced in 2019 and is a thrice-annual release from Heaven Hill's Bernheim distillery.

Bernheim is a historic Kentucky distillery. It was established by the Bernheim Brothers in the late 19th century, before passing into the hands of the Schenley company following the repeal of Prohibition. When Schenley were bought over by United Distillers in 1987, the distillery was rebuilt as the new owners looked to consolidate their production to a single facility. When United Distillers became Diageo in 1997, the new parent company were interested in bourbon, and sold the distillery to Heaven Hill. Heaven Hill were established in 1935, but their long-serving Bardstown distillery was lost in a devastating fire in 1996. Homeless for three years, the company acquired Bernheim in 1999, and have produced all of their whiskey there ever since.

Old Grand-Dad 114 Proof Bourbon 2017 / Lot No.1

The stories behind America's bourbon brands are some of the greatest in whisky history, and no other traces the narrative of Kentucky distilling as closely as Old Grand-dad. Bourbon historian Chuck Cowdery describes the brand's story as \"one of the richest in bourbon country,\" with distilling dynasties such as the Beam, Dant, Hayden, Taylor, Medley and Wathen families all having a hand in its production over the years.

The original old Grand-dad was Basil Hayden, who's second generation descendents named their primary brand in his honour (he still features on the label today). They built the original Old Grand-dad distillery at Hobbs Station, not far from where Jim Beam's Clermont distillery now sits today. They bought the Hobbs Station distillery its brands in 1899, and developed a successful business out of it. Even with the Prohibition Act looming on the horizon, the Wathen family were shrewd, and re-organised their company as the American Medicinal Spirits Co. This allowed them to exploit a loophole in the Prohibition laws, which had banned the production and sale of alcohol, but permitted the continued bottling of whiskey for medicinal purposes and as a weekly baker's ration. Otto Wathen consolidated much of Kentucky's distilling, filling his warehouses with bonded stock and acquiring brands such as Hill & Hill, Bourbon de Luxe and Old Crow.

The AMS Co were eventually bout over by National Distillers, who went on to become one of the biggest post-repeal distilling companies in the US. The original Old Grand-dad distillery at Hobbs Station never re-opened after Prohibition however, with National Distillers buying what is the more familiar Old Grand-dad distillery in Frankfort in 1933. It and National Distillers were acquired by Jim Beam in 1987, who produced this at Clermont, a return (almost) to its spiritual home. The National Distillers-era Old Grand-dad distillery is now a Beam bottling plant. 

Jack Daniel's Old No.7 90 Proof 1976

Jack Daniel's is the best-selling American whiskey in the world. Despite that fact it can legally be categorised as a straight bourbon, it has always shunned this title, preferring to market itself as a Tennessee Whiskey. These are similar to straight bourbons but have the additional requirement of having been filtered through maple wood charcoal, a practice known as the Lincoln County Process. History has not always given the distillery an easy ride though. Tennessee was an early adopter of Prohibition in 1910, and one of the last to repeal it in 1938 (five years later than the repeal at Federal level). Even today the distillery is still located in a \"dry\" county, meaning none of its products are sold in its hometown or those around it. The distillery was then only operational for four years before being forced to close again during the second world war. Ten years later it was purchased by the Brown-Forman corporation and its fortunes turned for good. Its classic black-labelled Old No.7 brand (named after the distillery’s original DSP number) is now a globally recognised product.

An early 1970s bottle of the Old No.7 brand. This was bottled at the classic 90 proof, the historic strength for the brand until it was reduced to 86 proof in 1987.

Rowan's Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon

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.

Formerly a 12 year ol expression, Rowan's Creek is now a non-age statement release, presumed to be around 8 years old.

Russell's Reserve 2011 Single Barrel #20-0442 / Grapevine Wine & Spirits

A non-chill filtered expression from Wild Turkey, bottled under the Russell's Reserve brand, named after their Master Distillers, Jimmy Russell and his son, Eddie.

The Wild Turkey distillery, then known as Boulevard, was built in 1935 by the Ripy Brothers in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The Wild Turkey brand name originated around 1941 when some, shared on a hunting trip, was referred to as \"some of that wild turkey whiskey.\" It is distilled at bottled by the Austin Nicholls company and for many years they had sourced the whiskey from the Ripy's, but eventually bought the distillery from them in 1972, renaming it in the process. Of almost equal importance, the purchase of the distillery included the contract of legendary master distillery, Jimmy Russell, who started working there in 1954. His name is synonymous with the brand, and his son succeeded him 2015. In 2011 a new Wild Turkey distillery was built on the same site, replacing the original Ripy plant after 76 years.

A single barrel release, this was distilled in 2011 and bottled in 2020 for Grapevine Wine & Spirits.

I.W. Harper 15 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

The I.W. prefix in this brand 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. 

For the majority of the 20th century, the brand was produced by Schenley at the Bernheim distillery, which they purchased following the repeal of Prohibition in the 1930s. Schenley were eventually bought out by United Distillers (now Diageo) in 1987.

United Distillers discontinued the I.W. Harper brand in the US shortly after, but retained it for the export market. It would not been seen on US shelves again until 2015 when Diageo relaunched this 15 year old.

The first releases of this in 2015 likely used some of the last whiskey produced by Diageo at Bernheim before they sold it to Heaven Hill, with subsequent iterations likely sourced from the same distillery. The barrels are aged at Stitzel-Weller and bottled at Cascade Hollow in Tennessee.

Bernheim is a historic Kentucky distillery. It was established by the Bernheim Brothers in the late 19th century, before passing into the hands of the Schenley company following the repeal of Prohibition. When Schenley were bought over by United Distillers in 1987, the distillery was rebuilt as the new owners looked to consolidate their production to a single facility. When United Distillers became Diageo in 1997, the new parent company (at the time) were interested in bourbon, and sold the distillery to Heaven Hill. 

Willett Family Estate 3 Year Old Small Batch Rye

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.

This Willett Family Estate release was bottled from barrels filled by KBD at the Willett distillery.

Willett Family Estate 3 Year Old Small Batch Rye

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.

This Willett Family Estate release was bottled from barrels filled by KBD at the Willett distillery.

Club Special Reserve Fine Blended Whiskey Quart 1976

This is an old bottle of blended whiskey from Standard Distillers Products, the historic producer of the Pikesville rye brand back when it was still made in Pennsylvania.

The company disappeared not long after, with Heaven Hill in Kentucky acquiring the Pikesville brand and Standard Distillers Products as a trading name with which to bottle it under in 1982.

Whistlepig 10 Year Old Single Barrel Rye #20212 / K&L Swine Merchants

The Whistlepig distillery was established in Vermont in 2007 by Raj Peter Bhakta, who enlisted the late Dave Pickerell as Master Distiller, having previously worked at Maker's Mark for 14 years. Initially, the distillery sourced casks of rye whisky while they were setting up their distilling operation. The majority of these barrels were sourced from MGP in Indiana, and from Alberta Distillers in Canada. Their high-quality blends, single barrels, and unusual cask finishes have seen the brand become and overwhelming success. They began distilling at Whistlepig Farm in 2015, bottling the first of their own distillate as part of their \"triple terroir\" Farmstock blends in 2017. In the same year, Bhakta retired from the company, selling his stake in it to BDT Partners two years later.

This single barrel rye was sourced from Alberta Distillers and was specially selected for K&L, playfully referred to here as \"swine\" rather than wine merachants.

Eagle Rare 10 Year Old 2013

Eagle Rare is a historic bourbon brand, originally developed by Seagram in 1975 in an effort to capitalise on what it felt were the popular marketing motifs used by Wild Turkey. Distilled at their Four Roses distillery, the recipe was devised by Charles L. Beam and was sold as a 10 year old with both a 90 and 101 proof version available. Seagram held ambitions beyond the drinks industry however, and in an effort to diversify their portfolio in the 1980s, they sold Eagle Rare along with the Benchmark brand to the Sazerac Company. They initially bottled it using barrels sourced from Heaven Hill, but later moved production to Buffalo Trace in 1992.

This is a Sazerac-era bottling, distilled at Buffalo Trace and bottled in 2013.

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.

Beam 100 Month Old Stutz Bearcat Decanter 1977

The Beam family (anglicised from the German surname Böhm in the 18th century) are the greatest dynasty in all of American distilling, with members involved in nearly every Kentucky distillery during the 20th century. Perhaps none more important however than James \"Jim\" Beauregard Beam, who rebuilt his family business following the repeal of Prohibition, re-opening the famous Clermont distillery in 1935. The company is now the best-selling bourbon brand in the world (due to Jack Daniel's refusing to be categorised as such). They operate two Kentucky distilleries, the eponymous Jim Beam in Clermont and the Booker Noe distillery in nearby Boston, and since their purchase of National Distillers in 1987 also have a wealth of historic brands under their banner. Since 2014 the company has been a subsidiary of Suntory in Japan, which has widened its portfolio into the Scotch and Japanese whisky industries as well.

This decanter is shaped like the famous Bearcat automobile, produced by the Stutz motor company in Indiana.

Bottling bourbon in decanters was a practice that took off though the 1960s, and nobody embraced it with as much fervour as Jim Beam. By the 1990s, there were over 200 Jim Beam Decanter collector's clubs dotted across the globe.

Black Maple Hill Oregon Straight Bourbon

Black Maple Hill is a boutique bourbon label, bottled for Californian company CVI Brands. It has appeared in many forms over the years, with the earliest releases bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at his Old Commonwaelth facility in Lawrenceburg, using wheated bourbon from the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery.

Later bottles were produced by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers at Willett, generally using old Heaven Hill supply, however shortages of their ageing stock meant it was eventually reserved for their Willett Family Estate label, forcing Black Maple Hill to move to a non-age statement product, and then finally part ways from KBD for good.

After a few years in the wilderness, CVI Brands brought Black Maple Hill back, partnering with the Stein distillery in Joseph, Oregon in 2014. The Stein distillery had been open since 2009, and bottled its first Black Maple Hill bourbon and rye in 2016.

Black Maple Hill Oregon Straight Rye

Black Maple Hill is a boutique bourbon label, bottled for Californian company CVI Brands. It has appeared in many forms over the years, with the earliest releases bottled by Julian Van Winkle III at his Old Commonwaelth facility in Lawrenceburg, using wheated bourbon from the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery.

Later bottles were produced by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers at Willett, generally using old Heaven Hill supply, however shortages of their ageing stock meant it was eventually reserved for their Willett Family Estate label, forcing Black Maple Hill to move to a non-age statement product, and then finally part ways from KBD for good.

After a few years in the wilderness, CVI Brands brought Black Maple Hill back, partnering with the Stein distillery in Joseph, Oregon in 2014. The Stein distillery had been open since 2009, and bottled its first Black Maple Hill bourbon and rye in 2016.

S.S. Pierce Number 6 Blended Whiskey Quart 1964

S.S. Pierce was an American spirits company with offices in Massachusetts and California, importing and in this case, blending their own products.

This is a 4 year old blended American whiskey, containing 37.5% straight whiskies, and 62.5% grain neutral spirits.

S.S. Pierce Private Stock Kentucky Whiskey Quart 1965

S.S. Pierce was an American spirits company with offices in Massachusetts and California, importing and in this case, blending their own products.

This is a 5 year old blended American whiskey, containing 40% straight whiskies, and 60% grain neutral spirits.

Whistlepig 10 Year Old Straight Rye 100 Proof / Signed by Dave Pickerell

The Whistlepig distillery was established in Vermont in 2007 by Raj Peter Bhakta, who enlisted the late Dave Pickerell as Master Distiller, having previously worked at Maker's Mark for 14 years. Initially, the distillery sourced casks of rye whisky while they were setting up their distilling operation. The majority of these barrels were sourced from MGP in Indiana, and from Alberta Distillers in Canada. Their high-quality blends, single barrels, and unusual cask finishes have seen the brand become and overwhelming success. They began distilling at Whistlepig Farm in 2015, bottling the first of their own distillate as part of their \"triple terroir\" Farmstock blends in 2017. In the same year, Bhakta retired from the company, selling his stake in it to BDT Partners two years later.

This straight rye finished was in bourbon barrels and bottled at 100 proof.

This bottle has been signed by the late Dave Pickerell, who was their Master Distiller and widely known as the founding father of American craft distilling. Sadly, Dave passed away on 1st November 2018, at age 62.

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.

Jefferson's Cognac Cask Finish Straight Rye 

The Jefferson's Reserve brand was launched in 1997, created by Try Zoeller and his father Chet, and marketed by their company, McClain & Kyne. Zoeller sold the business to Castle Brands in 2005. As of 2015, Castle Brands have had a 20% stake in Copperhead Distillery Company, which owns and operates Kentucky Artisan Distillery and are increasingly warehousing their own stock. Originally the brand was bottled using casks sourced from other distilleries.

This straight rye whisky was finished in ex-Cognac Casks. 

Whistlepig 10 Year Old Single Barrel Rye #20212 / K&L Swine Merchants

The Whistlepig distillery was established in Vermont in 2007 by Raj Peter Bhakta, who enlisted the late Dave Pickerell as Master Distiller, having previously worked at Maker's Mark for 14 years. Initially, the distillery sourced casks of rye whisky while they were setting up their distilling operation. The majority of these barrels were sourced from MGP in Indiana, and from Alberta Distillers in Canada. Their high-quality blends, single barrels, and unusual cask finishes have seen the brand become and overwhelming success. They began distilling at Whistlepig Farm in 2015, bottling the first of their own distillate as part of their \"triple terroir\" Farmstock blends in 2017. In the same year, Bhakta retired from the company, selling his stake in it to BDT Partners two years later.

This single barrel rye was sourced from Alberta Distillers and was specially selected for K&L, playfully referred to here as \"swine\" rather than wine merachants.

Whistlepig 10 Year Old Single Barrel Rye #20209 / K&L Swine Merchants

The Whistlepig distillery was established in Vermont in 2007 by Raj Peter Bhakta, who enlisted the late Dave Pickerell as Master Distiller, having previously worked at Maker's Mark for 14 years. Initially, the distillery sourced casks of rye whisky while they were setting up their distilling operation. The majority of these barrels were sourced from MGP in Indiana, and from Alberta Distillers in Canada. Their high-quality blends, single barrels, and unusual cask finishes have seen the brand become and overwhelming success. They began distilling at Whistlepig Farm in 2015, bottling the first of their own distillate as part of their \"triple terroir\" Farmstock blends in 2017. In the same year, Bhakta retired from the company, selling his stake in it to BDT Partners two years later.

This single barrel rye was sourced from Alberta Distillers and was specially selected for K&L, playfully referred to here as \"swine\" rather than wine merachants.

Beam 100 Month Old Horse Decanter 1987

The Beam family (anglicised from the German surname Böhm in the 18th century) are the greatest dynasty in all of American distilling, with members involved in nearly every Kentucky distillery during the 20th century. Perhaps none more important however than James \"Jim\" Beauregard Beam, who rebuilt his family business following the repeal of Prohibition, re-opening the famous Clermont distillery in 1935. The company is now the best-selling bourbon brand in the world (due to Jack Daniel's refusing to be categorised as such). They operate two Kentucky distilleries, the eponymous Jim Beam in Clermont and the Booker Noe distillery in nearby Boston, and since their purchase of National Distillers in 1987 also have a wealth of historic brands under their banner. Since 2014 the company has been a subsidiary of Suntory in Japan, which has widened its portfolio into the Scotch and Japanese whisky industries as well.

Bottling bourbon in decanters was a practice that took off though the 1960s, and nobody embraced it with as much fervour as Jim Beam. By the 1990s, there were over 200 Jim Beam Decanter collector's clubs dotted across the globe.

This is the Horse Decanter, and it contains a 100 month old bourbon bottled in 1987.

High West Bourye 2016

High West sourced their early whiskey from the MGP distillery in Indiana. Parent company, Constellation Brands, purchased a minority stake in the Bardstown Bourbon Company contract-distillery in 2016, so future releases will likely be distilled there.

Bourye is a blend of bourbon and rye whiskies, usually sourced from MGP. This is the 2016 release.

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.

Willett Family Estate 3 Year Old Small Batch Rye

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.

This Willett Family Estate release was bottled from barrels filled by KBD at the Willett distillery.

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.

Jim Beam 4 Year Old Classic Eighteen Wheeler Decanter 1991

The Beam family (anglicised from the German surname Böhm in the 18th century) are the greatest dynasty in all of American distilling, with members involved in nearly every Kentucky distillery during the 20th century. Perhaps none more important however than James \"Jim\" Beauregard Beam, who rebuilt his family business following the repeal of Prohibition, re-opening the famous Clermont distillery in 1935. The company is now the best-selling bourbon brand in the world (due to Jack Daniel's refusing to be categorised as such). They operate two Kentucky distilleries, the eponymous Jim Beam in Clermont and the Booker Noe distillery in nearby Boston, and since their purchase of National Distillers in 1987 also have a wealth of historic brands under their banner. Since 2014 the company has been a subsidiary of Suntory in Japan, which has widened its portfolio into the Scotch and Japanese whisky industries as well.

Bottling bourbon in decanters was a practice that took off though the 1960s, and nobody embraced it with as much fervour as Jim Beam. By the 1990s, there were over 200 Jim Beam Decanter collector's clubs dotted across the globe.

This is the Classic Eighteen Wheeler Decanter, and it contains a 4 year old bourbon bottled in 1991.

Eagle Rare 10 Year Old 2020 

Eagle Rare is a historic bourbon brand, originally developed by Seagram in 1975 in an effort to capitalise on what it felt were the popular marketing motifs used by Wild Turkey. Distilled at their Four Roses distillery, the recipe was devised by Charles L. Beam and was sold as a 10 year old with both a 90 and 101 proof version available. Seagram held ambitions beyond the drinks industry however, and in an effort to diversify their portfolio in the 1980s, they sold Eagle Rare along with the Benchmark brand to the Sazerac Company. They initially bottled it using barrels sourced from Heaven Hill, but later moved production to Buffalo Trace in 1992.

This is a Sazerac-era bottling, distilled at Buffalo Trace and bottled in 2020.

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.

Hunter's Select Barrel 9 Year Old Tennesse Bourbon Batch #1

This is a small batch bottling if Tennessee bourbon, bottled by Leiper's Fork distillery in Franklin, Tennessee. The distillery does produce its own whiskey, however this one was bottled from barrels sourced elsewhere in the state (likely at Cascade Hollow).

The mashbill is 72% corn, 20% rye and 8% malted barley, and this was aged 9 years.

Old Grand-Dad 1958 Bottled in Bond 75 Imperial Proof Miniature

The stories behind America's bourbon brands are some of the greatest in whisky history, and no other traces the narrative of Kentucky distilling as closely as Old Grand-dad. Bourbon historian Chuck Cowdery describes the brand's story as \"one of the richest in bourbon country,\" with distilling dynasties such as the Beam, Dant, Hayden, Taylor, Medley and Wathen families all having a hand in its production over the years.

The original old Grand-dad was Basil Hayden, who's second generation descendents named their primary brand in his honour (he still features on the label today). They built the original Old Grand-dad distillery at Hobbs Station, not far from where Jim Beam's Clermont distillery now sits today. They bought the Hobbs Station distillery its brands in 1899, and developed a successful business out of it. Even with the Prohibition Act looming on the horizon, the Wathen family were shrewd, and re-organised their company as the American Medicinal Spirits Co. This allowed them to exploit a loophole in the Prohibition laws, which had banned the production and sale of alcohol, but permitted the continued bottling of whiskey for medicinal purposes and as a weekly baker's ration. Otto Wathen consolidated much of Kentucky's distilling, filling his warehouses with bonded stock and acquiring brands such as Hill & Hill, Bourbon de Luxe and Old Crow.

The AMS Co were eventually bout over by National Distillers, who went on to become one of the biggest post-repeal distilling companies in the US. The original Old Grand-dad distillery at Hobbs Station never re-opened after Prohibition however, with National Distillers buying what is the more familiar Old Grand-dad distillery in Frankfort in 1933. It and National Distillers were acquired by Jim Beam in 1987, who produced this at Clermont, a return (almost) to its spiritual home. The National Distillers era Old  Grand-dad distillery is now a Beam bottling plant. 

This miniatures tax strip states that the whiskey was distilled in the Fall of 1958 and bottled in the Fall of 1963. It was bottled in bond for export at 75 British proof.

Backbone Bourbon 2015 Single Barrel / Brinkman's Wine & Spirits

This 2015 vintage bourbon was distilled in Indiana by MGP and was bottled in Kentucky by the Backbone Bourbon Co. The cask was selected specially for Brinkman's Wine & Spirits in Tennessee.

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.