Merchants Distilling Corp

[kitzg]

This is likely a question for Chuck, Mike, or John. I have a 1/4 pint bottle labeled Merchants Private Stock Straight Bourbon Whiskey bottled by Merchants Distilling Corporation, Terre Haute, Indiana. The label proudly claims, "since 1898."
While part of the label on the back is missing it shows either a distillery or warehouses and claims," Merchants has been laying away millions of gallons of quality whiskey each year since 1934. [suggesting the name Merchants may have been used beginning in that year] An abundant supply of quality whiskey -- slowly aging and mellowing in modern warehouses assures you of high uniform quality at all times." The back also states,"Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 90 proof, This Whiskey is 2 years old."

My research indicates there was a distillery in Terre Haute, IN by the mid-to late 1800's. The following is an abreviation of pieces of an article that is on the web by the Vigo County (Terre Haute) Historical Society. You may be aware that the Hulman family of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway fame made their money in wholesale groceries and grocery products such as baking powder. The text in part reads,

"...At the age of 23, Herman [Hulman] left his home and family in Lingon, Germany, and came to Terre Haute at the urging of his brother, Frances.
Frances had established a wholesale grocery business in Terre Haute and by 1858 it was booming. Herman arrive in Terre Haute in 1854...
After the death of Frances, Herman took over the business. He was 27...
Herman was an intuitive businessman. He bought McGregor’s Distillery where Fairbanks Park is today. Surplus corn was used at the distillery. He was one of Terre Haute’s first recyclers. He put in a hog pen and fed them the mash from the distillery. By 1870, he was feeding 1,400 hogs.
Herman’s distillery was the third largest in the world. His wholesale grocery was a leader in the nation. On April 16, 1879, he traded the distillery for Cox’s interest in the wholesale grocery. It was again Hulman & Co."


Know about Merchants or who owned this label by the mid-1970's? The bottle itself is from Ball and is coded 73 40 which leads me to believe it may have been produced in 1973 -- it does not really look old enough to be 1940.

Greg

[cowdery]

Greg,

It's all news to me--and interesting news at that--but I don't have anything to add.

--Chuck Cowdery (http://cowdery.home.netcom.com)

[kitzg]

I've not had much time to research this and likely won't for some time. Yet what particularly piqued my interest was the following claim found in an on-line story from the Terre Haute Tribune Star, "In the early part of the century, Terre Haute could also lay claim to being the home of the largest distillery in the world. There were also several breweries."

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Greg,
I have done some research on this company and brand. The two year old bourbon makes me think that it could be some bourbon sold just after prohibition when everybody was selling a 2 year old product. There are very few distillers that would want to sell a product that young. The numbers on the bottom of the bottle do not always indicate the year the bottle was made - they often do but that is not a sure thing. Are there any other clues from the label that make you think it is a fairly recent product?

In 1908 Mida's Criteria rated the Merchant Distilling Co. Dy No 10 7th Dist. BBBB or a capital value of $400,000 - $500,000. The distillery also appears in their 1938 Index of Distilleries. I can check other more recent list when I go to Bardstown next weekend. This distillery was one of two in Terra Haute with another dozen or so rectifiers in 1908.

The brand does not show up in Mida's Trademark Registration from ca. 1900 or in their 1938 listing of brands.

Mike Veach

[kitzg]

Mike, I've been REALLY busy at work but intend to call Ball Glass Company to get more information on the code on the bottle whenever I can. (This bottle has been around awhile so I don't really need to rush to call. I tend to work 11 - 14 hr. days if you can count an occaisional check of this site so I don't get to some things like this very quickly.) It has a screw on cap (still intact). No there is nothing else that indicates age. Thanks for the help.

Greg

[kitzg]

I've just received an e-mail from a curator who is knowledgeable about glass packaging. The bottle from Merchants Distilling which I have was manufactured in 1940, six-plus years after prohibition ended in Dec. of 1933. I am guessing they placed "...2 yrs. old" on their label in 1934 and just never changed. So the whiskey which was once in this bottle could have been up to six or seven years old or as new as two years old. We don't seem to know what happened to Merchants but if I ever get to the historical society in Terre Haute, IN maybe I can learn more.

Mike was correct. This is an old bottle.

Greg

[**DONOTDELETE**]

... the label on the back ...claims," Merchants has been laying away millions of gallons of quality whiskey each year since 1934. [suggesting the name Merchants may have been used beginning in that year] An abundant supply of quality whiskey -- slowly aging and mellowing in modern warehouses assures you of high uniform quality at all times."

I agree with Mike that the age makes it appear to be from shortly after prohibition. The above quote also makes me feel that way. I have a lovely full page magazine ad from National Distillers from just after prohibition that expresses exactly the same sentiment. Apparently there was a real fear (at least among the consumers, and maybe among the distillers as well) that Repeal itself might not be forever. It must have been important to assure the consumer (or rather his retailer) that they wouldn't run out of this bourbon.

=John=
http://w3.one.net/~jeffelle/whiskey