"Antique" Kentucky straight bourbon

[StraightNoChaser]

I cannot find much information on this bottle I ran into today. It's called Antique and is labeled having come from the "Antique Distilling Co" in Owensboro, KY. All other information I've found on this brand list it coming from Frankford, not Owensboro. Can anyone tell me anything based on this picture? It was only $12 so if it turns out to be really old (or really good) I'll pick it up as a souvenir most likely

And talk about a "dusty" bottle... it had cobwebs on it and the label was nearly peeling off! The plastic bottle is even sunken in.. not sure what causes that

[LikeItWasSodaPop]

The sunken in quality sort of creeps me out. I've seen some 20+ y/o 1.75L bottles of Ancient Age that have that similar quality and I've avoided them for that reason. From a distance I thought it was a weird bottle design.

All those years of gross plastic-y chemicals leaching out into the bourbon can't be a good thing.

[StraightNoChaser]

I agree. Not a good sign at all. Wishful thinking

[cowdery]

Despite its bad condition that's a fairly recent bottling. Antique was once a distinguished name. It was produced at the Athertonville Distillery that was eventually owned and closed by Seagram's. Not sure who would have been bottling it out of Owensboro. I don't recall ever seeing it as a Medley, Glenmore, Barton, or BT brand.

[barturtle]

85676 is Medley.

[StraightNoChaser]

Despite its bad condition that's a fairly recent bottling. Antique was once a distinguished name. It was produced at the Athertonville Distillery that was eventually owned and closed by Seagram's. Not sure who would have been bottling it out of Owensboro. I don't recall ever seeing it as a Medley, Glenmore, Barton, or BT brand.

Can you define fairly recent?

[silverfish]

Can you define fairly recent?

Would the plastic bottle indicate "fairly recent"?

I have a bottle of Antique (4/5 quart) and reading this thread sent me

searching. I found this old thread - as in post #1, my bottle was Distilled

by Frankfort Distilling, Louisville, KY but replies list Athertonville, KY and

Four Roses Distillery (1962) as well.

[StraightNoChaser]

Would the plastic bottle indicate "fairly recent"?

I do not know :grin:

[theDon]

Too bad it is in plastic. That's is a very tasty 80 proofer as is most Owensboro from that time like Private Cellar and Ezra Brooks. Very distinct profile. I have found quite a bit of those throughout Dallas over the past couple of years. I have an Owensboro and an Athertonville I believe that are a year apart on bottle dates. Both excellent.

[cowdery]

Plastic, specifically PET, bottles were introduced in the mid 1980s but this could be as late as the mid-1990s. UDV (now Diageo) would have been using the Medley UPC and Owensboro address until 1995, when it sold the Owensboro bottling and maturation facility to Barton. I'm not aware of Barton ever having the Antique label. I'm not sure who has it now. Could be BT, which acquired that Owensboro facility from Barton a few years ago, in which case this could be very recent. Another possibility is that Seagram's unloaded Antique when it dumped all of its straight bourbons sold in the USA in, I think, 1987 or thereabouts. Medley might have picked it up and through Medley, via Glenmore, it became part of UDV, which would place this bottle between 1987 and 1995.

[StraightNoChaser]

Plastic, specifically PET, bottles were introduced in the mid 1980s but this could be as late as the mid-1990s. UDV (now Diageo) would have been using the Medley UPC and Owensboro address until 1995, when it sold the Owensboro bottling and maturation facility to Barton. I'm not aware of Barton ever having the Antique label. I'm not sure who has it now. Could be BT, which acquired that Owensboro facility from Barton a few years ago, in which case this could be very recent. Another possibility is that Seagram's unloaded Antique when it dumped all of its straight bourbons sold in the USA in, I think, 1987 or thereabouts. Medley might have picked it up and through Medley, via Glenmore, it became part of UDV, which would place this bottle between 1987 and 1995.

[StraightNoChaser]

This thread makes me think that we define "old" in different ways lol. I was born in the 80s so even the 90s I would consider "old." I'm sure it's a very different case for those of you with a few more moons under your belt

[cowdery]

I think we can both agree this is old. "An alcoholic stimulant made from the fermented mash of grain."

Here is an old thread with some good information about Antique.

The bottle that looks like yours is from Athertonville. It came from the Doug Philips Dusty Collection, photographed and consumed it 2008.

It was very tasty. Good wintergreen flavor.

[StraightNoChaser]

well i bought the bottle today. the only other markings other than the labels is a small number "3" on the bottom. no idea if that indicates anything. either way, it's a nifty little "antique"

[VT Mike]

I came across one of these in my parents' basement a few years ago. I think the bottle that I have might be a bit older than the other ones pictured here since it has no metric sizing on the bottle - just "half pint" in raised letters on the back of the bottle. This one is 86 proof, looks like most of the others are 80 proof. It's interesting that this bottle says "distilled for and bottled by Frankfort Distilling Co", but doesn't say who it is distilled by. Some bottles that are newer (with metric sizing) say "Distilled by Frankfort Distilling Co".

I'd love to hear what some of the history experts here have to say about what I have.

[cowdery]

It was a Seagram's brand after 1943 but Seagram's had several Kentucky distilleries back then. Eventually Antique's home was Athertonville. This may have preceded that, or even preceded the sale to Seagram's, but I kind of doubt it. Probably from the 70s, maybe the 60s. Could have been 'made' in Athertonville but bottled in Louisville, where their biggest facility was. The Louisville (Shively actually) Seagram's plant closed in the early 80s, I think. Thereabouts.

[VT Mike]

Thanks cowdery. From what I read in one of the older threads about Antique, it should be pre-1980 due to the lack of metric labeling. My father was 25 in 1960, it's unlikely he was getting bottles of whiskey as gifts earlier than that. So, 60's or 70's seems to be the most likely era for this.

In addition to the Antique, I also found a commemorative bottle of George Dickel from 1964 - the first bottling of Dickel made in Tennessee after prohibition. That bottle is only 1/3 full, so I'm kind of scared to sample it.

I will taste the Antique one of these days. I'll post a report on it when I do.

Too bad there's no way to date these things by the numbers on their tax stamps.

[mozilla]

Too bad it is in plastic. That's is a very tasty 80 proofer as is most Owensboro from that time like Private Cellar and Ezra Brooks. Very distinct profile. I have found quite a bit of those throughout Dallas over the past couple of years. I have an Owensboro and an Athertonville I believe that are a year apart on bottle dates. Both excellent.

Don's right. Good whiskey for sure. The plastic doesn't really bother me. What's good about it...is...when the plastic sucks in like that...you can be certain that there is no air leaking into the bottle. I have consumed plenty of bottles that looked just like that and the juice was just fine.

My memory tells me...

Seagram owned the Four Roses Louisville(also called Frankfort Distillery), Seagram Distillery just up the road from Four Roses Louisville, and the JM Atherton Distillery(also called Frankfort Distilling Athertonville)....all at the same time(as well as some other sites around the country and ky).

The juice is labeled, sometimes, so that you can tell where it was distilled. Sometimes not. The juice coming from FR louisville and Athertonville usually had an age statement on them.

After Seagram sold the label to Medley....it moved to Owensboro. The juices from Seagram Ath. and Seagram Four Roses were similar but you could tell them apart. The juice from Medley is very recognizable as Medley juice(if you have tasted any before).

The profile on the two Seagram sites is very Seagram. Meaning it was full of flavor and still medium in weight. Smooth, soft and flavorful....which seems hard to do...when you think of it. The Medley juice has a bit more weight to it...and carries some flavors ranging in the green apples and deep barrel flavors. Medley version is deeper...and the Seagram versions are more complex and well balanced with nice smoothness/softness.

To the OP....if you have not tasted this whiskey previously...Why would you trade it?

[StraightNoChaser]

I bought three bottles and I plan on tasting it soon. If I like it, I'll trade off one bottle and keep two. If I don't like it I'll just trade off both of the unopened bottles.

[StraightNoChaser]

Well I must admit.. I'm a little surprised. For an old 80 proofer in a cheap plastic bottle, this whiskey is good stuff. I'm going to have to let a few friends try it now and get their opinions as well.