Old Charter

Old Charter Bourbon whiskey

Old Charter
Type	Bourbon whiskey
Manufacturer	Sazerac Company
Country of origin	Kentucky, United States
Introduced	1874
Alcohol by volume	43.00%
Proof	86
Related products	Buffalo Trace

Old Charter is a brand of bourbon whiskey distilled in Frankfort, Kentucky at the Buffalo Trace Distillery, which is part of the Sazerac Company.^[1][2]

Early History

The "Old Charter" brand was established in 1874 by A B Chapeze, who was operating this distillery on the Bardstown branch of the L&N Railroad.^[3] However, it was Ben Chapeze who traveled and pushed the brand and made it well known. Eventually sales were assigned under contract to Wright & Taylor, a Louisville wholesale house operated by John J. Wright and Marion E. Taylor.

After prohibition

In 1933 the Bernheim distillery acquires the Old Charter Brand and all stock of its bourbon from Wright and Taylor, but do not start selling the brand until it was fully aged for bond in 1937.^[4] Wright and Taylor are allowed to use the name for their remaining pre-prohibition stocks. In 1937 the two majority owners of Bernheim (and Old Charter); Gerngross and Schwarzhaupt sell to Schenley Distileries, Inc. Other brands sold at that time include Old Charter, Cascade, and Echo Springs.^[5] In 1974 the 1,000,000th barrel of Old Charter bottled and a case was given by the Governor of Kentucky (Wendell Ford) and to the Governor of Texas (Dolph Briscoe) as a gift.^[6] In 1987, United Distillers acquires Schenley. In 1999 the Old Charter brand was purchased by the Sazerac Company from Diageo.^[7][8]

Current Expressions

• Old Charter 8 year - an 8 year old bourbon bottled at 80 proof.
• Old Charter 10 Year - a 10 year old bourbon bottled at 86 proof.
• Old Charter 101 - No age statement and bottled at 101 proof.

References

1. ^ Buffalo Trace official web site.
2. ^ "Great Bourbon" web site of the Sazerac Company
3. ^ Liquor Store Magazine, February, 1970.
4. ^ Bourbon Information Bureau Booklet.
5. ^ U D Archives, Uncataloged Item, compiled by Michael Veach.
6. ^ What's New at Schenley, November 1973.
7. ^ "Sazerac Completes Acquisition of Weller and Charter Brands." (Press release). PRNewswire. April 28, 1999. http://www.thefreelibrary.com/-a054502139. Retrieved August 2, 2010. 
8. ^ Sazerac Company official web site