After 30 years Old Hickory Bourbon

[dave ziegler]

Hello to everyone been very sick but getting better now. Yesterday Sat -06-30-07 A friend and I went to visit a friend we had not seen in 20 years I got to talking about Kinsey and how much I loved Old Hickory Bourbon well he said wait he came out with a half full 1/2 gal of Old Hickory Kentucky 80 proof he had in his Cabiniet for 30 years. It smelled so dam good and my friend and I had a shooter, and I had a second one it was every bit as smooth and tasty as I remembered when I drank it over 30 years before when I worked for continental Distilling I think it is Chuck that always says it keeps. Well he was kind to me and sold me the rest for $20. I will save it and have some on my 60th birthday in Sept. My buddy Don had never had Old Hicxkory and was amazed at its smoothness and drinkablity. He said to me that is the Best Dam Whiskey I have ever drank! I have been working on a list of Publicker/Continental Products I talked to a guy who worked in the Bottle House and He said they had about a Hundred twelve brands counting all the Custom stuff they did for other companies. I have also found by finding old labels that they owned or Bottled for, I think owned Amwerican Distilling for a bit in the early 1970's as they have labels stating 3 brands saying they were Distilled at Pekin #2 and aged and bottled at DSP #12 Linfield Pa. I also did a search about Publicker in 1980 when they were selling off their Plants and reading about American Distilling it says it was sold to who ever has it now for Gasohol in 1980 the year Publicker went to just Chemicals. In talking to a couple of People who worked for Publicker till the end they said around Nov-Dec 1979 is when they shut down all whiskey Bottling. Two of the labeled bottles I have say that were distilled in Pekin #2 and aged and bottled in Linfield are Midwest Straight Corn Whiskey, also Stillbrook Corn Whiskey and My friend has labels for Old Colony Gin that was distilled in Pekin and bottled in Linfied pa. The Labels say American Distilling Linfield Pa. I hope the day comes I can get this stuff all together and write a book about Publicker. I talked to a lady that was a Line Boss in the bottle house for 20 years she said they had another Large Bottling house at Lemont IL so that is why the Labels allot of times say Linfield,Pa Lemont IL. The next time I write I will give a list of Products I have 49 brands they did one of their biggest lines the last 5 years was a line of Whiskeys,Gins,Vodkas,Bourbons,and Canadian Whiskeys and Rums for A&P Stores I am lucky enough to have 99% of those bottles they were the Red Crown brands and the labels state distilled, aged,and Bottled for A&P by Red Crown Distillers Linfield Pa. I have found they had many names they used. It is hard for me to believe they are gone and the place sits in total ruin now. Oh The guy that had the Old Hickory also had a full bottle of The only Scotch Whiskey I ever liked Continentals Inverhouse Green Label Scotch. I ended up buying it to, I will give it a taste some time soon It was open but full and smelled great!
Dave z

[ratcheer]

Great find! As I have said many times before, Old Hickory was my first favorite bourbon (first, timewise). That was back in the late 60's. It was partially due to its low price, but it was very drinkable.

Tim

[dave ziegler]

Great find! As I have said many times before, Old Hickory was my first favorite bourbon (first, timewise). That was back in the late 60's. It was partially due to its low price, but it was very drinkable.

Tim

For the Price Old Hickory was always a great choice I think it was about $6.00 a quart or less. It was always so smooth going down. It seemed to say have another one! It was always my Bourbon as long as Continental made it!
Dave Z

[BourbonJoe]

Dave,
I remember Old Hickory being on the shelves in the State Stores back in the day. I'd buy one every once in a while. I thought it was pretty good, especially for thr price. I also drank a lot of Old Grandad about this time.
Joe

[dave ziegler]

Dave,
I remember Old Hickory being on the shelves in the State Stores back in the day. I'd buy one every once in a while. I thought it was pretty good, especially for thr price. I also drank a lot of Old Grandad about this time.
Joe

Yes the state stores those days had lots of good Bourbon. I would go to the Little one on Main st in Pottstown and get Old Hickory in what ever size I needed 1/2 Pint, Pint, Quart Half Gal or even later on a 200 ML little bottle. They never completely switched to metric they would go back and forth as they had such a large supply of Bottles that is why in my Pictures you see so many old empty cases if Bottles abandon. Everything from 4/5 to 500 ml. They were just to big and costs finished them off I guess! Old hickory was always a good buy for the price and taste and as I have said many times the Quality was always top knotch! Old Granddad was good stuff then too! And now you go to the state store and 90% of everything there is Wine only a samll section for Bourbon & Blended Giant stores with nothing but wine!
Dave