Thank you, Dr. Bunghole. I hope that will add to the interest in preserving this very important site in American whiskey history.
Both Linda & I are toasting you with a (small) glass from our only bottle of Cecil Withrow's Stone Castle bourbon. One hundred six (barrel) proof, unfiltered, uncut, just the way it was when Cecil let us sample it. Cecil has become a spirit himself now, but his family has bottled his whiskey. It is marketed in Japan, and Koji brought us a bottle a couple years ago. It's a beautiful bottle, and a familiar one. At least it is now. At the time we'd never seen a bottle like that before, but now we recognize it as the same bottle used for the "new" Michter's product.
In fact, BOTH of the "new" Michters' products. As you may know, the name Michter's (which never was the name of the distillery in Pennsylvania, only its retail outlet) was purchased by a bottler and is now used for two lines of rye whiskey, a straight bourbon whiskey, and an American whiskey that isn't bourbon. Personally, we find all of these products to be outstanding, but that's not the point. The point is the bourbon. Because the bourbon is (or at least once was), Cecil's. That whiskey was about five years old in 1999 when we first tasted it. About 7 when it was bottled for Japan. About 10 when it was bottled as Michter's.
Here is the "new" Michter's story, as seen on the website of the Kentucky Attorney General:
First of all, the current owner, which comes as no surprise to those of us who have always respected the outstanding product from this too-often overlooked company...
Organization Number 0268348
Name MICHTER'S AMERICAN WHISKEY CO.
Company Type ASC - Assumed Name Corporation
Status A - Active
State KY
File Date 7/22/2002
Expiration Date 7/22/2007
Principal Office 1869 LORETTO RD.
BARDSTOWN, KY 40004
Incorporators and Initial Directors
Director EVEN G. KULSVEEN
Incorporator EVEN G. KULSVEEN
Assumed Name of Status
KENTUCKY BOURBON DISTILLERS, LTD. Active
Okay, so that explains the "Bardstown" on the current labels. But didn't they used to say "Lawrenceburg". Sure enough, Kentucky Bourbon Distillers bought the brand from... Why none other than
Organization Number 0165558
Name MICHTERS AMERICAN WHISKEY CO.
Company Type ASC - Assumed Name Corporation
Status I - Inactive
State KY
File Date 4/11/2000
Expiration Date 4/11/2005
Principal Office P. O. BOX 105
LAWRENCEBURG, KY 40342
Incorporators and Initial Directors
Director JULIAN VAN WINKLE
Incorporator DAVID M. ROTH
Assumed Name of Status
COMMONWEALTH DISTILLERY CO. Active
Well, I guess that underlines the quality we're dealing with here. And where do you suppose Julian got this whiskey?
Organization Number 0336703
Name MICHTERS AMERICAN DISTILLING CO.
Company Type ASC - Assumed Name Corporation
Status I - Inactive
State KY
File Date 11/24/1998
Expiration Date 11/24/2003
Principal Office 4305 MCCRACKEN PIKE
FRANKFORT, KY 40601
Incorporators and Initial Directors
Incorporator WILLIAM S. WATTS
Assumed Name of Status
OLD TAYLOR LAND COMPANY Inactive
STONECASTLE PROPERTIES, INC. Active
TAYLORTON WAREHOUSES, INC. Inactive
Current Officers
Sole Officer Michael Withrow
Who, I imagine, is the "MW" who intialled the "filled by" line on the label of our bottle.
So, here's to Cecil Whithrow, and to Mike, and to Julian Van Winkle, and to Even (and Drew) Kulsveen, and to Koji, and to Abe Bomberger, and to Michter's Jug House, and to Linn & Vickie, and to this whole, wonderful, crazy business that ties all of these folks together.
:partyman: