On November 23, 2024, at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Distillery in Alexandria, Virginia, an incredible lineup of historic bottlings of rye whiskeys were sampled. The focus was on antique expressions […]
An Examination of Barrel Entry Proof
As I continue to dig into the origins of aged American whiskeys and into how far back their production goes, I continue to discover very interesting practices and find hints […]
The British Connection to America’s “Bottled in Bond” Whiskeys
What connects “bottled in bond”, a term we tend to associate with American whiskeys, to English investments? Let me explain… I am so VERY curious about the history of American […]
Why So Defensive About Sourced Whiskey?
I was asked at the Dram Devotee’s Whistle Pig tasting on Thursday, “Why do you sound so defensive when you are speaking about sourced whiskey?” It must be true that […]
Hip Flasks
I bought myself a porcelain hip flask, and it got me thinking about the history of these ingenious devices. The flask is the descendant of the canteen and the pilgrim […]
Corks- Why Are They Still Used?
Why is cork still used to seal whiskey bottles? Seems like a bad idea in the modern times we live in. Collectors know that one should only store whiskey bottles […]
Is Cask Strength the Best Way To Buy Whiskey?
Is cask strength whiskey the best whiskey? Seems like a question most people you’d ask would answer “Yes!” to right away. There’s quite a bit to consider here, however. The […]
Larceny is the new Old Fitzgerald?
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 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” […]