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| Heat, by Bill Buford |
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The Still
June 10, 2004
A.H. Hirsch Reserve
No, it's not a distant relative of mine. Although, I will continue to search for a connection.
A.H. Hirsch is a name every whiskey drinker needs to know. It graces the label of America's only 5-star Whiskey. This magical Pot-Stilled Sour Mash, Straight Bourbon was distilled in the spring of 1974 at Michter's Distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania.
You might be saying to yourself, "Bourbon in Pennsylvania? Is that even possible?" Fair enough question, especially regarding that an unwritten prerequisite of fine Bourbon Whiskey is that it is distilled in the proper Bourbon County of Kentucky. There are quite a few other rules consisting of ingredients and aging that are more important here. A.H. Hirsch fulfills all of them.
Michter's Distillery was established in 1753. Until it's closing in 1992, it was the oldest operating distillery in America. Bourbon County wasn't even formed until 1785. At that time, it was still part of Virginia, and was named to honor the Royal French Family. The former Fayette County was a major "hub", as it were, for distilled spirits travelling on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. These barrels were stamped with the county name, thus coupling it with the lovely amber nectar. (Information via Straight Bourbon)
I do not believe the good people of Pennsylvania have a claim on one of the richest regions for American Whiskey, but I do believe this is the crown jewel of bourbons. Hirsch's namesake comes from Adolf Hirsch who bought a large stock of the aged whiskey. He bottled the 16 Year and the 20 Year Reserve at Hirsch Distillers in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky; right in the heart of Bourbon County. Crafted in the hills of rural Pennsylvania, distributed from the Bluegrass State, a pot-stilled American original.
The pot still method of distillation was considered an older way to make whiskey. Michter's championed this art by making the only post-Prohibition pot-stilled Whiskey. Other fine distilleries thought this way was "too expensive". Although, it did attract the attention of Charles Everett Beam, a direct decendant of Jacob Beam, who took the position of master distiller. More in depth history lesson at Winebow.
A.H. Hirsch came into our lives a few years ago at Rose Pistola, a fine italian establishment in the North Beach area of San Francisco. My dad was sitting at the bar waiting for a table. He looked up and saw our last name on a bottle in big block letters:
He asked the bartender for a closer look, and obviously a taste. We haven't looked back since. Dad, Ty, and I now make it a point to have a bottle around at all times. Which is going to get increasingly harder. Henry Preiss the preserver of the "Hirsch Selections" says there are only about 200 cases of the 20 Year Reserve and 5,000 cases of the 16 Year Reserve in existence. This does not include what is already in stores.
If you come across one of these treasures, don't let it get away. The 16 Year is a little easier to find and comes with the label like the one in the above picture, or a plain white label with "A.H. Hirsch" in black script.
I was in San Francisco last month and visited Rose Pistola with a whiskey loving friend of mine. There was still a bottle behind the bar...
I found a bottle of this today when cleaning out a cabinet here in my home.
I may have to open it and give it a try.
Steve Beard
Steve:
You won't regret it! It's a great bourbon, I hope you enjoy...
Posted by: Kyle at March 14, 2005 11:29 PMI am a big fan of Bourbon and always looking for special ones like A.H. Hirsch 16/20 year. I have come across two different labels for the 16 year. One that mentions it is from Lawrenceburg KY and another from Frankfort KY. Also one has a wax sealed top and the other doesn't. The one without the wax seal has the name of preissimports on the back. I understand that this company bought up the supply of this bourbon and changed the packaging slightly (no wax vs. wax, etc). What I don't understand is the different locations of the place of origin. (I understand it is from Pennsylvania orginally).
Thanks,
Marc
Hey Marc:
Thanks for stopping by the site. I found a link that might answer your question about Frankfort, KY.
http://www.sharp-tools.net/tasting/archives/000067.html
"The Michter's 1974 stock was not bottled in 1989, but was transferred from the barrels to stainless steel tanks, effectively ending aging. The initial bottling was in the early Nineties, with another following several years later. The final bottling did not take place until late last year (2003), when Julian Van Winkle (the grandson of Pappy Van Winkle) oversaw that job at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Ky."
I'm guessing you may have picked up one of those bottles from Buffalo Trace.
- Kyle
Posted by: Kyle at March 30, 2005 11:36 PMHi, Can anyone tell me where I can purchase a bottle of A.H. Hirsch 20 year reserve. I really would like to try it. thanks .........
Posted by: Hirsch at July 31, 2005 11:39 PMI came accross a bottle of 20 yr Reserve /wax seal yesterday on my way home from a bad day at the casinos . My day did ,however ,turn out great!!! It was by far THE BEST straight whisky that I have ever had the pleasure of putting to my lips ! wish I knew were to get some more !!!
Posted by: r carr at September 13, 2005 10:01 AMDoes anyone know what could be a current value of a 20 year old bottle? And If they could be found in a store?
Posted by: Chris at November 26, 2005 07:42 AMDoes anyone know what could be a current value of a 20 year old bottle? And If they could be found in a store?
Posted by: Chris at November 26, 2005 07:43 AMHey i want you to know that i am spoiled now. I tried the 16 yr AH and it is unbelievable. The price jumped in the last month from 63.00 to 74.00.
I also had to try out Van Winkle 20 yr it is gret too but the flavors and appeal of the AH is much better. But I will never again, unless forced to, will drinl a lesser brand of bourbon.
I also would like the opportunity to try the AH 20 yr and if not too expensive check it out.
Knowing that the population is dwindling, I will be buying 2-3 bottles of AH 16 yr a month till no longer available. I am not a driunk but I can not bare it being unavailable in the future.
Later!!!!
Posted by: George at December 27, 2005 08:00 PMGeorge:
I'm not sure of the availability of the 20 year Hirsch. I remember hearing awhile back that they were running about $200/bottle. Not horrible, but fairly pricey.
I'm hoping to stock up on some 16 year like you. As you said, the price does seem to be sneaking up under our noses. Get it while you can!
Thanks for coming by the site.
Posted by: Kyle at January 3, 2006 05:15 PMProbably should keep the secret to myself, but Binny's in the Chicago area is still selling Hirsch 16 for $49.99. I bought two more bottles last week.
Posted by: Greg at February 25, 2006 07:03 PMI have a bottle of Michter's bourbon in the King Tut gold plated bottle. Does anyone know anything about the collector decanters that were part of the Michter's Collector s Club
Posted by: JACK ROWE at September 12, 2006 05:44 PMI HAVE TWO FULL SEALED CROCK CONTAINERS OF MITCHTERS WHISKEY PURCHESED WHEN WE WERE AT THE DISTILLERY AROUND 1980 I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE VALUE WOULD BE TODAY IALSO HAVE A COPPER STILL SHAPED EMTY CONTAINER IN WHICH WE PURCHESED AT THE SAME TIME
Posted by: george at April 6, 2007 11:13 AMI will say this. I have had both the 16 year old and the 20 year old. I also had two separate bottlings of the 16 year old (the family kept the bourbon in stainless steel tanks and bottled it over time.) The first bottle of the 16 year old was definitely, by far, the best bourbon I have ever had. That was in the late 1990s. The 20 year old was good, but not better than, the 16 year old. About a year or two later I acquired another bottle of the 16 year old, but it had a different looking label, or something was different about the bottle. It also cost about twice as much. The second 16 year old bottle I had was not as fabulous as the first -- rumors circulate that the bourbon remaining in the tanks acquired a metallic taste, which I think may be true, certainly it wasn't the same Nirvana of taste. Also, the family sold the rights to the remaining batches -- they probably knew something. So if you haven't had it yet, you may already have missed the boat -- the original bottling was far superior.
Posted by: Catch Prothro at May 15, 2007 01:12 PM