Rittenhouse 20 year old

[AVB]

Apparently, the Rittenhouse 21 is not the first old Rittenhouse bottled. Here is a 20 yo bottled in 1974 if I’m reading it correctly.

Rittenhouse 20

[Gillman]

Nice find. The label is hard to read but one can make out Continental Distilling, this was a Philadelphia distillery which was part of Publicker, a group whose origins went back to Prohibition days. Continental might have distilled this or possibly even Michter's/Pennco. I am not sure when the original Rittenhouse, a brand associated with Philadelphia of course, ceased distilling if indeed it ever was a separate distillery as opposed to an established brand of a dealer or wholesaler. Anyway this would be a superb dram I am sure.

Gary

[AVB]

I can't tell you how great it is to have a resource such as yourself on this board. I learn something with almost your every post.

[Gillman]

Thanks for that, I am not the strongest here on history by far, but knowing a bit about it makes reading about whiskey more enjoyable I find!

Something to ponder: if, as has been suggested in other bourbon fora, Continental Distillers had some kind of link to the old Pennco Distillers in Schaefferstown, PA. and had some of its rye whiskey made there, maybe this Rittenhouse 20 year old was made at (what later became called) Michter's. I think it probably was or was made at another long-closed PA rye distillery which might have supplied Continental or been absorbed into it.

But let's say it was made in Schaefferstown.

In that case, it should taste pretty close to the Hirsch 20 year old.

Talk about vertical tastings.

That I will never participate in such a tasting doesn't matter: I enjoy thinking about it as much (almost ).

Gary

[Gillman]

In reading up, on other bourbon and whiskey sites, about Publicker, it seems Rittenhouse was their brand from at least the 1930's. The origins of the Publicker and Continental operations actually pre-date 1919. Publicker was heavily into industrial alcohol production during WW 1 and the Prohibition years. Its beverage distilling arm appears also to have started around WW 1 and was resuscitated and expanded after distilling for beverages became legal at the end of 1933. The firm expanded significantly after that and later went public. The industrial alcohol and solvents businesses were always the largest part of the operation but it made or sourced a wide range of blended and straight whiskeys as well as other types of spirits. By the late 1980's distilling of any kind had stopped and Publicker, while apparently it continues to this day under a different name, is in different businesses completely.

Gary

[cowdery]

I can't say when Heaven Hill acquired Rittenhouse, but they have had it for at least 20 years. Of course, it is possible they did not then and even do not now actually own the brand, even though they make, bottle, sell and distribute it.

Pikesville they obtained more recently. It was in the Glenmore portfolio and Heaven Hill got it during one of the big Diageo brand sell-offs.

[BourbonJoe]

I can't say when Heaven Hill acquired Rittenhouse, but they have had it for at least 20 years. Of course, it is possible they did not then and even do not now actually own the brand, even though they make, bottle, sell and distribute it.

Does that mean that HH would have to pay something to the brand owner to be able to market it?

Joe :usflag:

[nor02lei]

I can't say when Heaven Hill acquired Rittenhouse, but they have had it for at least 20 years. Of course, it is possible they did not then and even do not now actually own the brand, even though they make, bottle, sell and distribute it.

Pikesville they obtained more recently. It was in the Glenmore portfolio and Heaven Hill got it during one of the big Diageo brand sell-offs.

Chuck,

Didn’t Meadly in Owensboro produce Rittenhouse for several years after it left Pennsylvania and until they closed in the early 90-is? As I understand that Rittenhouse version is also the source for the van Winkle line and the Hirsch 13. I have seen this 20-year-old version several times on eBay and/or auctions and it use to be relatively expansive but not extremely. I did publish one on this forum http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5150.

I have also seen several 5 years old Rittenhouse also distilled in Pennsylvania. I haven’t bought nether the 20 nor the 5 though.

Leif

[cowdery]

I found a way to look it up and my memory was wrong. Exactly backwards, in fact. Pikesville has a long history at Heaven Hill. Rittenhouse was in the Medley portfolio when Medley was acquired by Glenmore, which was then acquired by Guinness. Rittenhouse was sold off around the time Diageo was formed.

This is what the package looked like in the early 1990s.

[AVB]

I remember seeing those bottles. Too bad I didn't hold on to a few.

[Gillman]

Great pictures. I recall seeing all these in large liquor stores in the early 80's and 70's.

The row of Mellow Mash is enticing.

Last taste I had is with Tim at Bettye Jo's party last year. It was courtesy Bobby Cox. Thanks Bobby (still got any left? ).

Gary

[cowdery]

It is in the nature of that project (and an earlier, similar project I did for Jim Beam) that I have photographs of just about every major (and some not so major) distilled spirits brand that was on the market in 1990, so if there is anything in particular that anyone would like to see, just ask.

Sadly, they're just pictures. Would that I could produce the actual bottles.