Charmaine's

VINTAGE BOURBON

1990, HENRY MCKENNA
SOUR MASH STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY 750ML, 40%ABV, 80PF

producer

Heaven Hill Distillers Inc.
Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, KY

A bourbon brand with an interesting history. Henry McKenna was distilled by Seagram’s for most of the 20th century at the Henry McKenna distillery in Fairfield, Kentucky, which they acquired from the family in 1941.

Seagram’s closed the Fairfield distillery in 1976, and in an unusual deal, sold the domestic rights to the brand to Heaven Hill a few years later. Seagram’s retained ownership of the export version however, producing it at their Four Roses distillery until their eventual dissolution in the early 2000s.

This is a 1990 bottling of the domestic product, distilled at the old Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown prior to it burning down in 1996. This was exported at a later date to the Japanese market. These bottlings are known for being unexpectedly well executed for what was marketed as an inexpensive batch product at the time. The lower proof bundles the flavors and lessens the complexity while showcasing the spirit
for what it is meant to be: enjoyed regularly.

color Warm, rich amber, golden honey.
nose Strong spiced rye, pure oak, scant char, well balanced.

palate Strong caramel, boisterous and robust hickory,
the nose pales in comparison to the quality felt on the palate.

finish Follows up on the caramel, rye spice, and hickory wood. Aggressive finish, char is enjoyable and mild.

ounce cost $20

1991 OLD TAYLOR 6-YEAR
KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY 750ML, 40%ABV, 80PF

producer

The Old Taylor Distillery/National Distillers Frankfort, KY/Clermont, KY

Old Taylor Bourbon was named in honor of Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr., who was born in Columbus, Kentucky, in 1832. Taylor was a grand nephew of
U.S. President Zachary Taylor. Like various other figures in the Kentucky whiskey industry, Taylor is often referred to in public relations materials as a “Colonel”, since he held the honorary title of Kentucky Colonel. The honorary title resembles that of the military rank but is not actually associated with military service and has primarily been used for public relations purposes (e.g., by “Colonel” Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken). Taylor started and owned seven different distilleries throughout his career, the most successful being the O.F.C. and Carlisle distilleries, the forerunners of today’s Buffalo Trace Distillery.

1. H. Taylor is said to have lobbied in favor of the Bottled-in-Bond Act, a
   law that gave participating whiskey producers a tax break and a government certification of product quality. Unlike most distilleries of the time that looked like little more than a sawmill sitting in a thicket, Taylor’s distillery on Glenn’s Creek, near Frankfort, was designed to resemble a medieval castle with the landscaped grounds of an estate. The distillery attracted tourists and picnickers who were given complimentary “tenth pint” bottles of Old Taylor.

In the late 1940s, Old Taylor bourbon was promoted with the slogan, “Sign of a good host”.

Old Taylor Distillery remained in local control after Taylor died in 1922 until National Distillers (ND) acquired the operation in 1935. ND, formed out of
a merger in 1934, operated Old Taylor until it was purchased by Jim Beam
in 1987. This bottling, distilled in 1985, would have been one of the last of those National Distillers runs to be released by the company—notated by the “86259” in the barcode on the back label. These are highly sought after and are known for being of some of the highest quality whiskeys in the market at the time.

color Darkgold,shimmeryandlight.
nose Cinnamon, rye, vanilla custard, raspberry candy, tangerines, jasmine, denim.

palate Cherry, scant bitterness, slightly sweet, rich vanilla, cayenne pepper, tart berry, tart citrus.

finish Simple,mediumlength,sweet,floralpeppery. ouncecost $160

1960S I.W. HARPER ‘GOLD MEDAL’ KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY 750ML, 43%ABV, 86PF

Producer:

I.W. Harper Distilling Company (currently owned by Diageo) Louisville, Kentucky

The I.W. Harper brand has been around since the late 1800s and was created by Mr. Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, a German immigrant who came to the USA
in 1867 with $4 in his pocket. After working for a liquor wholesaler, Loeb, Bloom, & Co., and saving up enough money, Isaac brought his brother Bernard to the United States. The Bernheim brothers opened their own liquor operation in 1872 and in the early 1890s the bought a distillery in Louisville, renamed it the Bernheim Distillery, and went to work until their warehouse burned down in 1896. 100 years later, in 1996, the distillery known as the Old Bernheim distillery (Heaven Hill) would burn down after it’s warehouse also caught fire. The Bernheims sold their distillery to the now defunct, but once large, drinks brand Schenley in 1937. Schenley was acquired by an Israeli businessman in 1968 who then sold the company to Guinness in 1987, who is owned by Diageo, which is where the I.W. Harper brand lives today.

Always focusing on quality in the days when bad bourbon was widespread, this 1960s bottling was labeled ‘Gold Medal’ referencing a gold medal at the World’s Fair in New Orleans in 1885.

Color Bright amber, soft hues of straw and gold. Nose Light and fresh, vanilla, split oak, caramel corn.

Palate Sweet and rich, floral, vanilla caramel, orange blossom honey, very mild tannins and pleasant depth.

Finish Lean, crisp and fresh, slight spice. Ouncecost $100

1979 I.W. HARPER ‘BOTTLED-IN-BOND’
750ML, 50% ABV, 100PF
DISTILLED IN SPRING, 1974 / BOTTLED IN FALL, 1979

Producer:

I.W. Harper Distilling Company (currently owned by Diageo) Louisville, Kentucky

Bottled in bond is a label for an American-made distilled beverage that has been aged and bottled according to a set of legal regulations contained in
the United States government’s Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits,
as originally laid out in the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. As a reaction to widespread adulteration in American whiskey, the act made the federal government the guarantor of a spirit’s authenticity, gave producers a tax incentive for participating, and helped ensure proper accounting and the eventual collection of the tax that was due. Although the regulations apply to all spirits, most bonded spirits are whiskeys in practice.

To be labeled as bottled-in-bond or bonded, the liquor must be the product of one distillation season (January–June or July–December) by one distiller at one distillery. It must have been aged in a federally bonded warehouse under U.S. government supervision for at least four years and bottled at 100 (U.S.) proof (50% alcohol by volume). The bottled product’s label must identify the distillery where it was distilled and, if different, where it was bottled. Only spirits produced in the United States may be designated as bonded.

Some consumers consider the term to be an endorsement of quality, while many producers consider it archaic and do not use it. However, because bottled-in-bond whiskey must be the product of one distillation season, one distillery, and one distiller – whereas ordinary straight whiskey may be a product of the mingling of straight whiskeys (of the same grain type) with differing ages and producers within a single state – it may be regarded as a better indication of the distiller’s skill, making it similar in concept to a single malt whisky, small batch whiskey, or single barrel whiskey.

This 1979 bottling was distilled in the Spring of 1974. The 1970s BIBs were an outlier of the already waning whiskey market at the time as consumers were looking towards clear spirits and liqueurs. It is widely assumed that many of these were used as incentives by wholesalers to peddle other brands. In today’s market, the higher proof bottled-in-bond bourbons are some of the most coveted by collectors and consumers alike.

Color Maple and amber, thin-syrupy legs.
Nose ‘Wheater’ nose, fruits, chocolate, pronounced heat.

Palate Orchard fruits, background of milk chocolate and strawberry, medium- body, hot and bold.

Finish Scant dryness, abbreviated heat and prolonged fruit, ‘candy dust’. Ouncecost $150

1985 BLANTONS
KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY 750ML, 40%ABV, 80PF

Producer:

Buffalo Trace Distillery, courtesy of The Sazerac Company Age International, Inc.
Frankfort, Kentucky

Blanton’s bourbon was named in honor of one of the distillery’s early leaders, Albert B. Blanton, who the company claims spent most of his life preserving the tradition of handcrafted bourbon. Blanton worked at the facility now known
as the Buffalo Trace Distillery for approximately 55 years. He was born and raised on a farm just outside Frankfort, Kentucky, and he began working at the distillery (then called the O.F.C. Distillery) in 1897 as an office boy when he was 16 years old. Over the next few years, he reportedly worked in every department, and in 1912 he was appointed superintendent of the distillery, its warehouse, and bottling shop – at the same time that the distillery was renamed to become the George T. Stagg Distillery. He became president of the whiskey plant in 1921. Blanton died in 1959.

The company refers to him as “Colonel Blanton”, as he held the honorific
title of Kentucky Colonel (a relatively common honorific bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky). The distillery had several owners during its history, and was renamed by its current owner, the Sazerac Company, to become the Buffalo Trace Distillery in 2001.

Elmer T. Lee, the originator of Blanton’s, was hired by the distillery by Blanton in 1949. He introduced the Blanton’s brand in 1984, a year before he retired, as the first modern brand of bourbon marketed as single barrel bourbon. Lee continued to act as an ambassador for Buffalo Trace until his death in 2013.

This 1988 bottling showcases the early days of the brand, originating just four years prior. The neck label, saying Blanton instead of Blanton’s coincides with the timeline of 1987-1990.

Color Dark and rich, deep clarity.
Nose Caramel, apples, baking spice, mild tobacco.

Palate Rich vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg, slight oak presence, dried cranberry, pecan.

Finish Concise, oak and white pepper, mild fruit, complexity of oak tannins reminiscent of cognac.

Ouncecost $200

VINTAGE RYE WISKEY

1978, OLD OVERHOLT STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY 1 QUART 43%ABV, 86PF

producer

National Distillers Cincinnati, Ohio

Old Overholt, said to be America’s oldest continually maintained brand
of whiskey, was founded in West Overton, Pennsylvania in 1810. Henry Oberholzer (Anglicized to “Overholt”), a German Mennonite farmer,
moved to West Overton, Pennsylvania, on the banks of Jacobs Creek in Western Pennsylvania in 1800. His family came from the area of Germany which specialized in distilling “korn”, or rye whiskey, and Henry took up
the tradition. In 1810, Henry’s son Abraham Overholt (1784–1870) took
over management of the distillery and made it into a business. By the 1820s, the distillery was putting out 12 to 15 gallons of rye whiskey per day. Abraham grew the company rapidly; by 1843, Baltimore newspapers were advertising Overholt’s “Old Rye”; at that time, only the very few top distilleries were advertised by name. By 1859, Overholt incorporated his business as

“A. Overholt & Co.” He operated out of a new distillery building that was six stories high, 100 feet long, and which could produce 860 gallons per day.

The company eventually became part of National Distillers, which had facilities in Cincinnati, Ohio and Frankfort, Kentucky, and also produced Old Crow, Old Grandad and Old Taylor. In 1987, National Distillers Group sold the spirits business to the Fortune Brands holding company,

which became Beam Inc.

This 1978 bottling is a lower proof than what is widely available today: Old Overholt Bottled-In-Bond.

color Clean and golden, pale straw and amber.
nose Graham cracker, caramel, vanilla, citrus.
palate Low viscosity, leather, cinnamon, orange peel. finish Short and sparse, expressive for a lower proof spirit. ounce cost $75

VINTAGE BLENDED SCOTCH WISKEY

1960, HAIG & HAIG PINCH
BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKEY, 12 YEARS OLD 1 QUART, 43%ABV, 86PF

producer

Haig & Haig (Now owned by Diageo) Markinch, Scotland

Kane McKenzie Haig founded a distillery in the early 1720s in Kennetpans near Stirling, which became Scotland’s largest distillery by 1733. It has been called the world’s first commercial distillery. Stein had taken over some land and distilling operations from a local monastery. (Stein’s distillery

is now in ruins, and fund-raising was attempted in early 2015 to try to preserve its remnants.)

Robert Haig was a distiller in the early 1600s and a member of the Scottish Clan Haig family. His great-grandson Kane McKenzie Haig, who lived in the Kennetpans area, married Margaret Stein of the Stein family in 1751 and founded the company known as John Haig & Co.

Haig was bottled in a distinctive three-sided bottle with dimpled sides, starting in the 1890s. The bottle was registered as a trademark in the US in 1958 by Julius Lunsford. It and the bottle design for Coca-Cola (which was also registered by Lunsford) were the first two bottle designs to appear in the Principal Register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

This 1960s bottling was exported to the United States via the exclusive importer at the time, Renfield Importers of Union, New Jersey.

color Pale straw, excellent clarity.
nose Toffee and bananas up front, gentle ginger, nutmeg, nutty spice. palate Sweet and creamy, soft caramel, effervescent cinnamon. finish Complex and light, soft anise, touch of warmth.
ounce cost $35

VINTAGE IRISH WHISKEY

1960, OLD BUSHMILLS BLENDED IRISH WHISKEY 4/5QT, 40%ABV, 80PF

producer

The Old Bushmills Distillery Co.
Bushmills, Country Antrim, Northern Ireland

The Old Bushmills distillery in County Antrim, Northern Ireland,
is the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery, with a grant to distill dating back to 1608. While the actual license stretches back more than four centuries, the actual distillery – and the company that bears
its name – was not founded until 1784. Then, in 1860, two Belfast spirit merchants bought the premises and began to distill in earnest and,
in 1890, the company-owned SS Bushmills carried the first bottles to the US. Eventually the company joined the Jameson, Powers and Cork Distillers in the Irish Distillers Group.

Throughout its history the company operated through various periods
of closure, while the modern distillery has been in continuous operations since it was rebuilt after a fire in 1885. In 2005, the distillery was purchased by Diageo for £200 million. It was subsequently announced, in 2014,
that Diageo traded the Bushmills brand with Tequila Cuervo La Rojeña, the parent company of Jose Cuervo, for a 50% stake in the Don Julio brand.

This 1960s bottling was imported by the Jos Garneau Co., New York, which was at one point a division of the Brown-Forman corporation.

color Thin, pale hay, slight winter haze.
nose Light and fruity spice, vanilla, toasted oat, mild caramel, crème brulee. palate Warm and gentle mouthfeel, honeycomb, bubblegum, tart apple. finish Lean, crisp and fresh, slight spice.
ounce cost $65

1967 DUNPHY’S ‘7-YEAR OLD’ BLENDED IRISH WHISKEY 4/5QT, 43.4 %ABV, 86.8PF

producer

Irish Distillers
Old Midleton Distillery, Midleton, County Cork, Ireland

Not much is known about the Dunphy’s brand other than its existence as an arm of the Midleton Distillery, producers of the world’s most popular Irish whiskey, Jameson. Dunphy’s was created for the American Market initially as
a bargain-priced product used for Irish Coffee and other drinks. The company then became very popular in its homeland and rivaled brands like Jameson, Powers, and Bushmills. Around the middle-1960s there was a new extension of the brand created, also strictly for export: Dunphy’s 7-Year. This only lasted for a short while as distribution in the United States fully ceased in the 1980s.

This 1967 bottling is an incredibly rare item and most likely one of the few that still exist. Dunphy’s can be found in Ireland to this day but is still difficult to locate.

color Bright amber, soft hues of straw and gold.
nose Creamy vanilla, chocolate cookies, clean and vegetal.
palate Rich and spicy, low viscosity.
finish Warm Christmas baking spice, balanced and efficient finish. ounce cost $140

1980S JOHN POWER & SON, ‘GOLD LABEL’ IRISH WHISKEY
750ML, 40%ABV, 80PF

producer

Irish Distillers
Old Midleton Distillery, Midleton, County Cork, Ireland

In 1791 James Power, an innkeeper from Dublin, established a small distillery at his public house at 109 Thomas St., Dublin. The distillery, which had an output of about 6,000 gallons in its first year of operation, initially traded as James Power and Son, but by 1822 had become John Power & Son, and had moved to a new premises at John’s Lane, a side street off Thomas Street. At the time the distillery had three pot stills, though only one, a 500-gallon still is thought to have been in use.

In 1871, the distillery was expanded and rebuilt in the Victorian style, becoming one of the most impressive sights in Dublin. After expansion, output at the distillery rose to 700,000 gallons per annum, and by the 1880s, had reached about 900,000 gallons per annum, at which point the distillery covered over six acres of central Dublin, and had a staff of about 300 people.

During this period, when the Dublin whiskey distilleries were amongst the largest in the world, the family-run firms of John Powers, along with John Jameson, William Jameson, and George Roe, (collectively known as the “Big Four”) came to dominate the Irish distilling landscape, introducing several innovations. In 1886, John Power & Son began bottling their own whiskey, rather than following the practice customary at the time, of selling whiskey directly to merchants and bonders who would bottle it themselves. They were the first Dublin distillery to do so, and one of the first in the world. A gold label adorned each bottle, and it was from these that the whiskey got the name Powers Gold Label.

In 1966, with the Irish whiskey industry still struggling following Prohibition in the United States, the Anglo-Irish Trade War, and the rise of competition from Scotch whiskey, John Powers & Son joined forces with the only other remaining distillers in the Irish Republic, the Cork Distilleries Company, and their Dublin rivals John Jameson & Son, to form Irish Distillers. Soon after, in a bold move, Irish Distillers decided to close all their existing distilleries, and to consolidate production at a new purpose-built facility in Midleton (the New Midleton Distillery) alongside their existing Old Midleton Distillery. The new distillery opened in 1975, and a year later, production ceased at John’s Lane Distillery and began anew in Cork, with Powers Gold Label and many other Irish whiskeys reformulated from single pot still whiskeys to blends.

This 1980s bottling shows a distribution label of Dillon Wines & Spirits LTD of Belfast, making this a domestic Irish bottling that made its way to the US via transport, not export.

color Warm gold, clear and velvety.
nose Rich cinnamon, white pepper, honey, toasted oak, orange zest.
palate Brown sugar, slight nutmeg boldness, vanilla, dried oak, orchard fruits. finish Long, oily, spice fades into barley and toasted wood.
ounce cost $60

1950, PADDY, 10-YEAR OLD IRISH WHISKY
4/5QT, 43%ABV, 86PF

producer

Irish Distillers (On behalf of Sazerac)
Old Midleton Distillery, Midleton, County Cork, Ireland

The Cork Distilleries Company was founded in 1867, and by 1868 had five distilleries under its control. In 1882 the company hired Paddy Flaherty as a salesman. He was so successful with his techniques (which included buying rounds of drinks for patrons) that when publicans ran low, they would write the distillery to reorder cases of “Paddy Flaherty’s whiskey”. In 1912, with his name becoming synonymous with the success of their spirit, the distillery officially renamed the whiskey in his honor: Paddy Irish Whiskey.

In the 1920s and 1930s in Ireland, whiskey was sold in casks from the distillery to wholesalers, who would then sell it to publicans. To prevent dilution in these casks by middlemen and fluctuations in quality, Paddy began to bottle their whiskey themselves, becoming one of the first to do so. Paddy was part of the sale to Pernod Ricard in 1988 and was ultimately purchased by the American company Sazerac in 2016.

This stunning 1950s bottling was produced when Paddy still had an age statement (10 years old) and before Irish Distillers began using an ‘e’ in ‘whiskey’ for the brand.

color Deep golden amber, rich hues of brown and bronze.
nose Oily, fresh floral notes, cereal grain, dried fruits.
palate Medium-bodied richness, slight butterscotch/vanilla, faint rosewater. finish Dry spice, black pepper, scant toasted oak, mild tannins.
ounce cost $70

VINTAGE ARMAGNAC

1940, JANNEAU
GRAND ARMAGNAC, 30 YEARS OLD 750ML 40%ABV, 80PF

producer

Maison Janneau et Fils Cie Condom-en-Armagnac, Gers, France

Maison Janneau et Fils Cie in the Gers region is the oldest of the large houses of Armagnac. It was founded in the town of Condom by Pierre Etienne Janneau in 1851. Four generations of the Janneau family have followed, passing down the secret of Grand Armagnac from father to son. Maison Janneau is one of the leading producers that carry out the distillation, aging, and bottling of its production fully in the region

of origin, the AOC Armagnac.

At the House of Janneau, they have been blending since the late 1970’s the spirits obtained from both methods to create their assemblages, a characteristic which distinguishes our Armagnacs from all others. There are two very different distillation methods consented by statute for the distillation of Armagnac. The most common is Continuous Distillation, which uses a unique column still, also called Armagnaçais, extracts vigorously, aromatic brandies, rich in essential oils. In 1972 Janneau reintroduced the Double Distillation method to the Region, which was the original method of distillation in alembic before the limitations imposed in 1903.

This 1940s bottling of a 30-year-old distillate would put the age of the spirit at roughly 110 years old.

color Dark and rich, clear and clean considering its age. nose Plums and vanilla, soft caramel.
palate Vanilla, licorice, dried prunes.
finish Light spice, long and complex finish.

ounce cost $55

VINTAGE RUM

2000, EMBARGO HAVANA CLUB AÑEJO RESERVA
700ML 40%ABV, 86PF

producer

Corporación Cuba Ron Cardenas, Cuba

The Arechabala family founded a distillery in Cardenas, Cuba in 1878.
Later renamed José Arechabala S.A., the company created the Havana Club brand in 1934, and sold rum under that name in both Cuba and the United States. The company was nationalized without compensation by the Castro government in 1960. The Arechabala family allege it was taken from them at gunpoint. Subsequently, much of the Arechabala family was forced to leave Cuba for Spain and the United States, while other members of the family were imprisoned.

The Cuban government sold rum abroad under the Havana Club name beginning in 1972, focusing primarily on the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The government focused on Havana Club because (unlike the Bacardi family) the Arechabala family had not established plants outside of Cuba and so could not produce a competing brand. The company

was considered a “national jewel” by the Cuban government, and in 1977 manufacturing was moved to a new plant in Santa Cruz del Norte.

Since 1994, Cuban production and non-US global marketing of Havana Club has continued under a joint partnership between Pernod Ricard
and Corporación Cuba Ron. In 1994, Bacardi began producing rum under the Havana Club name in Cataño, Puerto Rico using a recipe given to them by Arechabala family members. While originally sold in only a few US states (primarily Florida), production was expanded in 2006, and in 2012, after winning a critical court battle, Bacardi announced plans to sell the rum more broadly.

color Golden amber, almost oily viscosity.
nose Oak, tobacco, cinnamon, rich caramel.
palate Very similar to the nose, dialed back sweetness, warm spices. finish Peppery heat, mild smoke, rich and clean.
ounce cost $30

VINTAGE TEQUILA

1960, TEQUILA SAUZA
100% AGAVE TEQUILA BLANCO 750ML, 40%ABV, 80PF

producer

Distilleria Sauza Tequila, Jalisco, MX

Sauza takes its name from Don Cenobio Sauza, the tequila pioneer who founded the brand in 1873, on the same site of the present day Sauza distillery. He was the first distiller to label his agave spirit ‘tequila’ – after the town in which he lived and worked, and the first producer to export the newly-named category to the US. Don Cenobio is also credited with technical innovations such as heating stills using steam coils.

In a time when agave spirits were not widely appreciated worldwide, this 1960s bottling was imported to Italy by Sposetti, Genoa. Incredibly rare considering its condition, it was produced before ‘puro agave’ was what it is today.

color Especially clear, almost platinum.
nose Hints of pepper, slight aroma of vegetal sweetness.
palate Spice and pepper, mildly discernable agave notes, pleasant depth. finish Hot but brief.
ounce cost $45

1986 TEQUILA HERRADURA BLANCO NOM-1119
1L, 46%ABV, 92PF

producer

Grupo Industrial Herradura & Brown-Forman Corporation Amatitán, Jalisco, Mexico

The first known owner of the tequila producing property was Feliciano Romo in the early 19th century. The official history of Herradura begin with Félix López, who began as the distillery administrator under then owners Josefa Salazar and her sons. In 1870, López took over the distillery and agave fields and registered it as a tequila producer under the name of Hacienda San José del Refugio.

Félix López married Carmen Rosales and they had two children, Aurelio
and María de Jesús. The couple modernized the production of tequila at the hacienda, building a facility that remained in use until 1963. López died in 1878 and Rosales took over the business along with her brother Ambrosio Rosales and his wife Elisa Gomez Cuervo. Later, the business was inherited by Aurelio López.

The name Herradura, which means horseshoe in Spanish, is a said to have come from the finding of a horseshoe on the hacienda property. In the 1920s the Cristero War broke out, with both Aurelio and his sister María de Jesus as sympathizers. At one point government troops surrounded the hacienda but the siblings were able to escape. However, Aurelio never returned to the hacienda again.

The hacienda passed into the hand of Aurelio’s cousin David Rosales, who kept the tequila 100% agave despite the trend towards blending to cut costs. María de Jesús was able to return to Herradura and distinguished herself with charitable works to the town of Amatitán, including the building of wells in an area with little water.

In the 1990s, there was conflict over sales of shares in the company by some members of the family as well as agave growing land. Part of the legal problems stemmed from the sale of shares to non-Mexican entities. In 2004, Herradura bought back foreign owned shares, making the company 100% Mexican owned again. At this time, the company controlled thirty percent of the Mexican tequila markets behind Jose Cuervo’s forty percent share.

However, in 2007 all assets of the company were sold for $USD 776 million to the US-based company Brown-Forman. That same year Herradura was named “best distillery of 2007” by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

This 1986 bottling was produced at NOM-1119, still to this day one of the few plants that produces for one sole brand. Most tequila houses will produce distillate for multiple brands and companies.

color Crystal-clear, medium viscosity.
nose Clean agave, papaya, guava, pineapple, apricot, slight medicinal top note.

palate Round and sweet up front, typical highland ‘burn’, grassy, vegetal; white pepper, stone fruit on the back.

finish Medium and brisk, menthol, white pepper, tropical fruit. ounce cost $180

VINTAGE VODKA

1990, WODKA GRASOVKA ‘BISON GRASS VODKA’ 500ML, 40%ABV, 80PF

producer

Nisskosher Wytwórnia Wódek Gatunkowych Bielsko-Biala, Poland

This zubrowka vodka is flavored with Hierochloe Odorata grass, better known as ‘bison grass’ due to its growing in the Biełowieża Forest in Biełowieża National Park on the border between Poland and Belarus. This is an area where Europe’s last wild bison are known to graze. The original recipes originated from areas where the art of composing diverse liqueurs in homes of Polish noblemen was intertwined with the skills of Jewish distillers who immigrated to Poland from many parts of Europe.

This is a 1990 bottling of the UK export. Nisskosher no longer makes the product under the Grasovka label as it was discontinued in 2013.

color Clear, very faint green tinge.
nose Aromatic yet delicate, grassy with pear skin,

soapy shortbread, scant pistachio nuttiness.

palate Grassy and herbal, mild sweetness, light peppery bite, jasmine and peppermint tea.

finish Light white pepper spice. ounce cost $45

VINTAGE AMARO

1960, FERNET-BRANCA LIQUORE AMARO DELLA 750ML 39%ABV, 78PF

producer

Fratelli Branca Distillerie Milan, Italy

Fernet-Branca was formulated in Milan in 1845 by self-taught herbalist Bernardino Branca. It was initially marketed as a cure for cholera and
for menstrual cramps. The brand soon gained popularity, leading to the founding of the Fratelli Branca Distillery. Fratelli Branca invested in extensive advertising campaigns including the creation of calendars with artworks from famous artists in 1886. The brand’s famous eagle-and-globe logo was designed in 1893 by Leopoldo Metlicovitz.

In 1907, Fratelli Branca began exporting their fernet to Argentina.
Eventually the drink became so popular there that Fratelli Branca established
a distillery in 1925 in Buenos Aires. In the United States the drink became popular after the passage of prohibition laws in 1919, with it sold in pharmacies as a medicinal product. By 1936 Branca had set up a branch office in Tribeca, New York to satisfy American demand. The popularity of the drink in America continued into the 1960s, with production peaking at 60,000 cases in 1960.
San Francisco consumes roughly 35% of the total volume of Fernet-Branca
that us imported into the United States.

This being from the 1960s, it is in incredible condition.

color Dark, almost black, thick and viscous.

nose Strong peppermint, spicy licorice.

palate Fresh mint leaves, mint tea, chamomile, citrus zest.

finish Retains dried mint and spearmint freshness throughout, prunes, cooked fruit.

ounce cost $40