Michter's Distillery gets new owners.

[Bourbon Boiler]

That's a different company than what was in PA. They just bought the name back in the late 90's. While I wish them well, I wish they would stop acting like they were the same company that was in PA.

Thanks. I didn't realize the sale was that long ago.

[cowdery]

Interesting that they've announced this Louisville plan. Like so many of these I'll believe it when I see it, but I think it's smart strategically. There are several other brands that should have done something like this but Chatham beat them to it. Good for them.

They participated in the KBF Sampler in April. There they were telling people they 'moved to Kentucky in 1989.' So they do have a bit of the phony-baloney going.

The reality is that the only connection between this Michter's and the original Michter's is that Chatham Imports acquired rights to use the Michter's name. Since reviving the brand (not in 1989, 1999 more like it) they have been working with KBD as their broker, bottler, and DBA.

Heaven Hill is always assumed as the distiller whenever KBD is involved because KBD has always gotten a lot of its whiskey from Heaven Hill, but it comes from other sources as well. People I know who have been in the warehouses report seeing barrels from Barton, Brown-Forman and others.

The micro-distillery is a gimmick. If they ever use any of the whiskey made there in the mainstream product that's a long time in the future and will be a drop in the bucket. The main thing is that Michter's will have a 'home place' (that's what marketers call it) in Kentucky, which is a valuable marketing asset.

[macdeffe]

SWA has a rule that if a whisky bears a distillery name (they are specifed and I think its working ones), the whisky inside MUST come from that distillery

Slightly in this catagory is Glengyle Distillery in Campbeltown. Springbank built this distillery to get total of 3 working distilleries in Campbeltown, and make Campbeltown its own region again. They only produce there 1 month a year and around 50000 LPA :-)

Steffen

[macdeffe]

Also

(4) Scotch Whisky must not be labelled, packaged, advertised or promoted in any other way
that, having regard to the presentation of the product as a whole, creates a likelihood that the
public may think that it has been distilled at any distillery or place other than the distillery or place
at which it was actually distilled.
(5) Single Malt Scotch Whisky and Single Grain Scotch Whisky must not be labelled, packaged,
advertised or promoted in any way that, having regard to the presentation of the product as a
whole, creates a likelihood that the public may think that the whisky was distilled by any person
other than the person who distilled it, or the owner or operator of the distillery at which it was
distilled, whether by an indication that that person is the distiller, the owner or operator of the
distillery, or otherwise. 8
(

Should America introduce the same rules ?

[ethangsmith]

John Hansell broke the news on his blog:

http://www.whatdoesjohnknow.com/2011...-makes-a-move/

Should be interesting to see what they come up with!

[cowdery]

In general, Macdeffe, you won't get much support from me by saying we should be more like the Scots.

[nblair]

Yes, the labeling laws kind of suck. However, IMO they are still light years better than artificial coloring and reusing barrels an unsaid number of times...

[macdeffe]

Well I wasn't looking for a general comparison between scottish and american whisky nor start a discussion which you prefer, or if you prefer any. Lets not go to where the US labeling rules is OK because e150 is not allowed :-)

Personally I can put up a lot of questions and critic on the swa rules, so its not like its a set of holy rules to me, quite the opposite in fact. I do agree with nblair about not liking e150 and the question about cask reuses is a subject worth a long discussion in itself, but I don't wont to involve those aspects into labeling discussion. It's very independent and unrelated subjects

Sorry if I offended anyone by putting up the SWA quotes, that wasnt the meaning with it

Steffen

[nblair]

I apologize if I came across as hostile, I was not trying to be. I do think the labeling laws here are disappointing, but I can live with them. A minimal amount of research is usually needed to find out where a product is sourced.

I don't like marketers making up a false history and false distillery, so I usually choose not to purchase those products. That is, unless I know for sure that I enjoy it and it's a good whiskey. If it's good, then that's a cure-all.

[barturtle]

They participated in the KBF Sampler in April. There they were telling people they 'moved to Kentucky in 1989.' So they do have a bit of the phony-baloney going.

The reality is that the only connection between this Michter's and the original Michter's is that Chatham Imports acquired rights to use the Michter's name. Since reviving the brand (not in 1989, 1999 more like it) they have been working with KBD as their broker, bottler, and DBA.

Interesting, as best I can tell Chatham was founded in 88 in New York, which means they would have have moved from NY to PA first to move to KY...

Also they first worked with Van Winkle before moving to working with KBD.