Old Portero

In March 1791, at the behest of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, President George Washington signed into the law the Whiskey Excise Act. The law levied taxes on spirits distilled within the United States and was the first tax ever levied by the federal government on a domestically-produced product.Farmers living west of the Appalachian Mountains the western frontier at the time were vehemently opposed to the tax. These farmers often operated small stills and distilled the excess grains they harvested from their farms into whiskey, which was easier to transport over the Appalachian Mountains as compared to cumbersome grains. When agents of the Treasury Department were forcibly prevented from collecting the whiskey tax by the farmers turned distillers, George Washington led a federalized militia of nearly 13,000 soldiers into western Pennsylvania in order to suppress the "Whiskey Rebellion." Without firing a shot, the rebellion collapsed, although many Pennsylvanian farmers continued to evade the tax.Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey is Anchor Distillings attempt to recreate the original whiskey of the United States. Made exclusively from rye malt, the grains are milled, mashed and fermented before being distilled through antique copper pot stills. Following distillation, the whiskey is matured in bespoke, lightly charred American oak casks. "In the 18th century, barrels were made by heating the staves over a fire of oak chips, allowing them to be bent and formed into a barrel shape," says master distiller Bruce Joseph. "During this process, the inside of the barrel would become toasted but not charred. For aging, we have chosen several uncharred oak barrels both new and used to achieve the balanced complexity that complements this whiskeys traditional heritage."Old Potrero 18th Century Style Whiskey has a slightly smoky aroma, with touches of molasses and chewy leather. The aroma gives way to notes of brown sugar, vanilla, and light tobacco on the palate, and leads to a sweet finish balanced by notes of rye, malt and spicy toast.Pick up a bottle today!