American Still Life by F. Paul Pacult

Author:F. Paul Pacult
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2011-02-08T16:00:00+00:00

By 1940, the positive news of the availability of increased bourbon whiskey stocks was being overshadowed by talk of yet another world war looming across the Atlantic Ocean in Europe. Even if they weren’t breaking records, however, sales of straight bourbon whiskey were on a slow rise by the spring of 1941. Consolidation had, to some degree, worked in the favor of the whiskey business. The marshalling of resources had largely been successful in salvaging an industry on the brink. Unfortunately, a new, inferior breed of American whiskey, blended whiskey, or brown spirits that were comprised mainly of tasteless neutral grain spirits and a small percentage of good quality straight whiskey, was gaining in popularity. Consumer confusion over the fundamental difference between blended and straight whiskey muddied the water for the distillers of higher end whiskey. Yet the key importance of brand recognition held sway over the more discerning imbibers. Valued brand names of Jim Beam, I.W. Harper, Old Crow, Old Forester, Old Grand Dad, W.L. Weller, Old Charter, and others withstood the challenge from within their own industry . . . sometimes their own company.

The events that occurred at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on Sunday, December 7, 1941, would go a long way to excavate more pot holes, some gapingly deep ditches, in the winding road to recovery for Kentucky’s—and America’s—distilling industry.

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