Old Rams Head Pre Pro 14 Year - 1930

Distilled in 1916, this bourbon was protected in bond by the American Medicinal Spirits Company from the Prohibition Act of 1920, which made alcohol production and consumption illegal. The whiskey was produced at the Anderson Distillery distillery in 1916, then owned by the infamous Whiskey Trust. The Trust was accused of engaging in several illegal activities, including intimidation of distillery owners who did not want to sell up to them. They acquired Anderson by some means in 1905, but were forced to close it down with the enactment of Prohibition in 1920. The stocks from the distillery were transferred to the Wathen warehouses that year, and bottled by the American Medicinal Spirits Company. The American Medicinal Spirits Company was one of only around 30 distilling companies to survive Prohibition of the 434 that existed prior. Exploiting the medicinal loophole was the brainchild of Otto Wathen, an idea which continues to prove its value today in the persisting image of his still ever-popular portfolio, which eventually included Old Grand-dad, Old Taylor and Old Crow, among many others. The American Medicinal Spirits Company was eventually subsumed by National Distillers (the revived legitimate face of The Whiskey Trust), who along with Schenley, Hiram Walker and Seagram's, became the big 4 American whiskey companies following the eventual repeal of Prohibition. The National Distillers acquisition of the AMS Co meant the return for brands such as Old Ramshead, bottled here in 1930. Sadly, as with many others, the Anderson Distillery never returned, and was razed and never rebuilt following the repeal of Prohibition.