The Larceny brand of bourbon by Heaven Hill is a nod to the legend of John Fitzgerald… Max Shapiro’s daughter, Kate Shapiro Latts, is the business savvy designer of the […]
Old Fitzgerald- the Survivor.
Everyone wants Pappy Van Winkle, but Old Fitzgerald came first. The Old Fitzgerald brand (originally Jn.E.Fitzgerald bourbon) was created by S.C. Herbst around 1870. In the 1890’s Herbst purchased the […]
Barrel Shortage Effect
The barrel shortage is affecting our American whiskey… There are just about 27 cooperages in America…http://www.acia.net/membership.html The demand for good aged American white oak is such that most staves are […]
Possible Origin for the Word “Whiskey”?
I discovered a new option for where the word “WHISKEY” may have originated… The word “whisk” (Scotch: quhiske)- to move rapidly, to go lightly-is the word given to to light […]
The Taft Decision
Did you know that President Taft is responsible for defining “what is whiskey?” E.H. Taylor with the help of John G. Carlisle, then the Secretary of the Treasury, enabled the […]
Abraham Lincoln. Tavern Owner?
Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was a tavern owner? Abraham Lincoln was born in Hardin County Kentucky on February 12, 1809. His father, Thomas, was a cooper and carpenter. […]
Industry Camaraderie
One of the things I have always loved about the whiskey industry is the camaraderie. The success of the whole industry comes before any one individual. On November 7, 1996, […]
The Myth of Elijah Craig
The story of Elijah Craig becoming the “father of bourbon” is a great story. And that’s what it is…a story. It goes like this…Craig opened his distillery in 1789, and […]
Old Forester-The First Bourbon Bottled in the U.S.
Did you know that Old Forester was the first bourbon exclusively sold in bottles? In 1874, salesman-turned-distiller George Garvin Brown, in Marion County, Kentucky, first bottled his own “Old Forester” […]
GMOs and Whiskey
There’s been a lot of discussion about GMO’s and whiskey lately. I can’t say that I’m surprised by all the anxiety. It’s a hot topic without even bringing whiskey into […]