bourbonv Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 I talked with one of the guards at Stitzel-Weller yesterday. He had a question about an old jug so he called me to find out more information. He told me that things are looking up for the warehouses and the employees. Maker's Mark is going to warehouse bourbon there and U. D. is actually going to start warehousing barrels there again - I presume for I W Harper, James E Pepper and Rx bourbons. He said they are down to 15,000 barrels of the old whiskey but are looking at 120,000 new barrels going into the site.Mike Veach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendaj Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Mike, Thanks for the tidbit. I'm so happy to hear that. I've been afraid they were going to tear them down and do subdivisions. Thank goodness that part of Louisville isn't exactly a 'growth area' Bj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoopsie Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 Do they still make Rx Bourbon?Howie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted March 15, 2004 Share Posted March 15, 2004 Diageo could very well be making its bourbons (Harper, Rx, Pepper) at the reopened Dickel plant. I think that is more likely than that they are buying bulk whiskey from Heaven Hill. They did have an agreement with Heaven Hill to purchase new made whiskey for their needs while they were not actively distilling, but now that they have an active U.S. distillery, I can't imagine why they wouldn't make their bourbons there.The only reason would be if they feel the need to have "Kentucky" on their bourbon labels, which certainly is a possibility.You know, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that Diageo could one day reopen Stitzel-Weller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbonv Posted March 15, 2004 Author Share Posted March 15, 2004 Howie,U.D. Does not "make" any bourbon but does make Dickel. I would guess that Heaven Hill is making the whiskey for U.D. now, including the Rx. The interesting point is that the glut of U.D. whiskey is drying up quickly and the only other contract whiskey producer is Heaven Hill. That is going to have an impact on a lot of these smaller brands (Jefferson Reserve, Sam Houston, Corner Creek, etc..). Mike Veach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbonv Posted March 15, 2004 Author Share Posted March 15, 2004 Chuck,Stitzel-Weller would cost a fortune just to remove the asbestos from the distillery building. I don't see them investing that type of money on a non-scotch distillery to support brands that are probably dying of neglect. I W Harper has fallen on hard times in Japan to where I hear that their market share is about half of what it was in the 90's. Even so I think they will want it made at the Bernheim distillery.Mike Veach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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