In my opinion, Chet Zoeller is one of the finest bourbon whiskey historians of all time. He wasn’t just a prolific recorder of historic information, he was also an incredibly […]
Patrick J. Lamphear, 19th Century Whiskey Brand Rep
We tend to see the newest bourbon boom as being this unique phenomenon, and that all the experts and notable critics of whiskey are a modern invention. I assure you, […]
Origins of Wheated Whiskey.
Where did “wheated bourbon” come from? To be clear, “wheated bourbon” is a marketing term. The term has no historic precedent before the late 1990s. It is simply a modern […]
Stitzel-Weller in 1972: Notes on a Slideshow
1972 Stitzel-Weller Slideshow (click on title to view slideshow) The following notes were written in addition to the original, 1972 Stitzel-Weller-provided script. The exact words from the original script are […]
The Stitzel Distilleries: From 1872 to Stitzel-Weller…in 9 parts.
The following blog contains a study of the Stitzel distilleries and the men behind them. Each of the 9 separate parts copied below were written in May and June of […]
Cyrus Noble’s Three Sworn Enemies.
When you read this newspaper ad from 1913, your first thought might be, “Well, this person hates whiskey and promotes the temperance movement.” But oddly enough, it’s a sales ad […]
Some Much Needed Perspective: Bourbon Vs. Rye Whiskey Distilleries.
(This is a post from my Facebook page, @AmericanWhiskeyHistory, December 9, 2022. But my thoughts have not changed on the subject!) I need to say this because I’m SOOOO tired […]
Old Grand Dad. In 5 Parts.
Part One. Introduction. Perhaps we should begin where I began- By asking, “Where was Old Grand Dad originally made?” Jim Beam’s website explains the brand’s history this way: “Known as […]
Why Don’t Distilleries Re-Use Barrels?
I have always found it odd that American distillers are prohibited from re-using barrels. It’s not as if the practice of “secondary aging” with used barrels isn’t completely commonplace today! […]
Which Kentucky Distilleries Were Absorbed By the Whiskey Trust in 1899?
The “Whiskey Trust” was not a footnote in the story of American whiskey history, though it is often treated as such by whiskey historians. The evolution of the Trust after […]