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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Priest’s Tipple
Did you know that Redbreast 12 year old is sometimes called “the priest’s tipple”? 1920’s Ireland was a time of political turmoil and economic uncertainty. Money was tight and money […]
The Fries Rebellion
Did you know that The Red Lion Inn (Quakertown,Pa) was a meeting place for John Fries during the run up to the Fries Rebellion? John Fries (a length of rt […]