The White Whale of Bourbon

In this episode, prepare to delve into a legend that transcends whiskey itself - an elusive treasure whispered about only among the most dedicated collectors.  It's a tale of passion, pursuit, and the mysterious bottle that has captivated bourbon enthusiasts for decades.  In the 1990's, the world was gripped by a frenzy, but little did most know that far from the public eye, an even greater obsession was slowly brewing inside barrels in a dark, long-ago forgotten rickhouse. A few rare individuals embarked on a journey to uncover one of the most coveted spirits ever made - something so exclusive, it's nearly mythical.

This is a story of three men, drawn together by fate, whose paths would cross in a way that changed bourbon history forever.  The bottle they crafted is so rare, even among connoisseurs, it remains almost a secret.  Join me as we trace the footsteps of these men and unlock the mystery of the bourbon world's greatest hidden treasure.

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Thank you for listening to Bourbon: Legends from the Trail, where history meets flavor and every bottle has a story to tell.  Cheers to the stores and legends behind the Spirit! Please leave a rating and review as it will help me plan future episodes.

Transcript

Today’s LEGEND isn’t just a story—it’s a tale steeped in myth, passion, and an obsession that runs deeper than any mere love of whiskey. It’s about the chase—the relentless hunt that consumes collectors, whether they’re searching for rare cars, vintage comics, or something a bit more… drinkable. This is about the thrill of the chase and the unmatched satisfaction of finally holding something truly rare in your hands.

Now, let’s go back for a moment. Are you old enough to remember the frenzy that gripped the nation in the late 1990s? When fast food wasn’t just about burgers and fries, but about tiny, stuffed treasures that sent people into a collecting craze?

Back in the late 1990s, McDonald’s launched a promotion that would become legendary: miniature versions of Ty Beanie Babies, tucked into Happy Meals, sparking a craze like no other. These toys, already coveted by collectors, were suddenly in the hands of millions, both young and old, and they scrambled to complete their sets. From 1997 to 1999, McDonald’s stores across the nation were overrun with eager customers buying multiple Happy Meals, not for the food mind you, but for the chance to score one of those cherished Beanie Babies. Lines stretched out the doors, stores sold out, and a black market emerged, where these toys were resold for more than their weight in gold. I must confess, I too fell under the spell, visiting six different McDonald’s in a single day just to find that elusive Liberty Bear. The mania became a cultural phenomenon, embedding both McDonald’s and Ty Beanie Babies deep into ‘90s nostalgia.

Well today, we’re pushing the envelope a bit further. This isn’t about toys or fast food anymore. Today, we’re talking about bourbon, but not just any bourbon. Oh no, we’re diving into the story of one of the rarest, most elusive bottles ever created. For those in the know, it’s the Mount Everest of bourbons… a bottle so legendary that in my five years of guiding tours, no one has even dared to ask about it. Why? Because most people don’t even know it exists. It makes even the famed Pappy Van Winkle seem almost… ordinary. By the time we’re done, you’ll know the story of three men brought together by fate and a shared passion for bourbon and ends with the creation of what would become the Great White Whale of Bourbon.

So grab your favorite bottle, pop the cork, pour yourself a generous glass, and settle in to your favorite spot.

Welcome to Bourbon: Legends from the Trail, where history meets flavor, and every bottle has a story to tell.

Our story begins 50 years ago this year in the quiet town of Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, at the old Pennco Distillery. Now, Pennco wasn’t just any distillery—it was a contract distiller, making whiskey for different brands, one of which you may know, Michter’s. On what appeared to be an ordinary day, the final batch of bourbon ran through its copper stills, marking the end of an era as the distillery prepared to close its doors for good. Bourbon, you see, was entering a long, dark period of decline, and many distilleries were faced with a difficult choice: stay open and risk financial ruin or shut down and cut their losses.

The few people that were gathered there that day could not have imagined that this final run, this final batch of bourbon was destined for greatness. You see this wasn’t just any whiskey—it was liquid gold, and no one knew it yet. And behind this batch was a man named A.H. Hirsch, a former employee of the distillery back when it was known as Bomberger’s distillery. Hirsch was a German immigrant with whiskey in his blood, Hirsch had honed his skills at the legendary Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, where he worked for his uncle, I.W. Bernheim, and even ran the operation until it was sold to Schenley Industries. Hirsch had no grand designs for this last run of bourbon. He had ordered it as a favor to help out the old distillery, unaware that this failed attempt to save Pennco would birth one of the most coveted bourbons of all time. The 800 barrels that would soon be stashed away, barely given a second thought, held within them a treasure that would only reveal itself years later.

Now let's fast forward to the late 1980s. By this time, Pennco had closed, and briefly reopened as Michter’s Distillery, and then shut down again. However, the forgotten bourbon in the distillery rickhouses had been quietly aging for close to 16 years, resting in its barrels, developing into something extraordinary. Hirsch, now nearing 90 years old and living in Grand Rapids, Michigan, began to wonder what to do with these aging barrels. The whiskey market was in shambles; bourbon had fallen out of fashion, and the few distilleries still standing were operating at a loss. And no one was interested in bourbon, especially old bourbon? It was practically unsellable.

So Hirsch, at a crossroads, began making a few phone calls to some contacts in the spirits business, searching for advice on what to do with the bourbon. One of those calls went to Bob Gottesman, an old friend from his Schenley days and the owner of Paramount Distillers in Cleveland. And here, our story takes a sharp turn. Gottesman said he knew a man who might be interested in Hirsch’s trove of barrels. His name was Gordy Hue, and he was the king of rare spirits.

So, who was Gordy Hue? Gordy was no ordinary liquor store owner—he ran the prestigious Cork ‘N Bottle in Kentucky, a store famed for its high-end wines and rare spirits. Gordy had been part of the store since childhood, working alongside his father, the previous owner. Over the years, Gordy’s palate sharpened, and he developed an unrivaled talent for discovering the finest spirits in the world. Though he specialized in Cognacs and Armagnacs, Gordy had for years wondered why bourbon didn’t have the same luxurious appeal as the other spirits. 

So, back in the mid-1970s, with the American Bicentennial just around the corner, Gordy saw an opportunity. He heard about some old barrels aging away at the Willett Distillery in Bardstown, which had ceased production a few years earlier. He knew these barrels could be the key to creating something special, something patriotic. With excitement building across the nation, Gordy bottled these aged barrels under a new label: Bicentennial Bourbon. The timing was perfect, and the release was a smashing success.

But Gordy wasn’t satisfied. His success had only ignited his passion for hunting down more rare, aged bourbon. Enter Julian Van Winkle Jr., son of the legendary Pappy Van Winkle. By the time Gordy met Julian Jr., the iconic Stitzel-Weller Distillery had been sold, with bourbon’s popularity waning. But tucked away in the rickhouses were barrels of bourbon that still held the promise of greatness.

When Gordy asked Julian Jr. if he could buy some empty bottles that had been stored away for his next venture, the gruff Army vet agreed. This small favor would mark the beginning of a partnership that would shape the bourbon world.

As their friendship deepened, Gordy had an idea that was daring for its time. He wanted to bottle some of the Stitzel-Weller bourbon with the kind of luxurious packaging typically reserved for fine cognacs. He believed that if he could elevate bourbon’s image, it would finally get the recognition it deserved. Tragically, before the vision could be realized, Julian Jr. passed away, leaving Gordy’s dream in limbo.

A few years later, Gordy found the opportunity to revisit his idea. He approached Julian Jr.’s son, Julian Van Winkle III, who had inherited the family rickhouses, and pitched the concept once again. This time, the younger Van Winkle saw the potential. Together, they launched Van Winkle Family Reserve Bourbon. The elegant bottle and packaging along with the exceptional quality soon caught the attention of discerning drinkers, not just in the U.S., but across the globe.

Japan, in particular, had developed a deep appreciation for well-aged bourbon as they had been blending well-aged Scotch for years, and they fell in love with this Winkle Family Reserve, quickly making it one of the most sought-after bourbons in the world.

But, as all good things must, the partnership came to an end. Julian III informed Gordy that the last of the Stitzel-Weller bourbon had been bottled, signaling the end of an era. However, Gordy wasn’t ready to give up. His search for rare bourbon continued as he reached out to his extensive network, but each lead fell just short. That is, until fate stepped in once again.

This is where Gordy’s good friend Bob Gottesman reenters the story. Bob, ever the bourbon enthusiast, told Gordy about an old Pennsylvania distillery—Pennco—that had long since closed but still held a treasure trove of bourbon. At first, Gordy was skeptical. Pennsylvania bourbon? Everyone knew the best bourbon came from Kentucky. But when Gordy tasted the whiskey, he was floored. It wasn’t just good; it was exceptional—on par with the finest Stitzel-Weller bourbon.

S0 Gordy traveled to Grand Rapids to meet with A.H. Hirsch, the man behind the bourbon. They struck a deal for the nearly 800 barrels, but there was one problem: Gordy didn’t have the space to store them all. That’s when Julian III stepped in once more, offering to house a third of the barrels in his rickhouses in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. But that still left the majority of the barrels without a home. Now Bob Gottesman comes back into the story. Bob offered to store the remaining bourbon at Paramount Distillers in Cleveland, but there was a catch. He, also, did not have room in his rickhouses, but the barrels could be emptied into his large steel vats, halting the aging process. In exchange, Bob would keep the barrels themselves, …which he intended to use for aging his sherry. It was a win-win: Gordy got a place to store the bourbon, and Bob got the bourbon barrels for his own purposes, without having to pay a cent.

In 1990, after 16 years of patiently aging, the bourbon was transferred into those steel vats at Paramount Distillers, effectively freezing it in time. Gordy now had everything in place—except for one thing: he needed a name. And he knew exactly who to honor.

He chose to name the bourbon after the man who had made it all possible: A.H. Hirsch. Thus, A.H. Hirsch Reserve was born. The first release of the bourbon was bottled at 16 years old, capturing the spirit that had been carefully preserved in those vats. But the story didn’t end there. The barrels that had been stored at Julian Van Winkle III’s rickhouses in Lawrenceburg were still aging, gaining complexity with each passing year.

Over the next few years, additional vintages of A.H. Hirsch Reserve were released—17-year, 18-year, and even the highly coveted 19-year-old editions. But the ultimate prize, the rarest of them all, The White Whale, was the final release: the 20-year-old… A.H. Hirsch Reserve. It became the stuff of legend, whispered about in bourbon circles and sought after by collectors worldwide.

As the years went by, bottles of A.H. Hirsch Reserve became harder and harder to find. Those lucky enough to have one tucked away knew they were holding more than just bourbon—they were holding a piece of history, a symbol of a time when bourbon’s future was uncertain, but its spirit endured.

And so, the legend of A.H. Hirsch Reserve lives on, its place cemented in the annals of bourbon lore. Maybe, just maybe, if fortune smiles upon you, you’ll stumble across a bottle in the wild. And if you do, remember: you’re not just holding a drink—you’re not just holding a legacy, you are holding a LEGEND

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Thanks for joining me on this flavorful journey through time and taste....Cheers to the stories behind the spirit.

I am your host, writer, and producer...Travis Hounshell and THIS is Bourbon: Legends from the Trail.

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1. https://whiskyauctioneer.com/news/american-icons/american-icons-legendary-ah-hirsch-reserve

2. https://www.bourbonbanter.com/gordy-hue-and-the-greatest-bourbon-story-youve-never-heard/amp/

3. Music provided by Pixabay.com