Type Bourbon whiskey Introduced 1840 Proof (US) 80, 86, 100, 114 | Manufacturer Beam Suntory Alcohol by volume 40%, 43%, 50%, 57% | |
Country of origin Kentucky, United States | ||
Old Grand-Dad is a brand of bourbon whiskey distilled at the Jim Beam Plant in Clermont, Kentucky. The brand was created by Raymond B. Hayden and named after his grandfather Basil Hayden, Sr., who was a well known distiller during his lifetime. A fanciful portrait of Hayden Sr. is depicted on the front of each bottle. Today, it is owned and produced by Beam Suntory.
Contents
As of December 2015, Old Grand-Dad and Old Overholt – both of which are Beam Suntory brands – are marketed together as "The Olds".
History
The Hayden family's first commercial distillery was created in 1840, and the whiskey has been in production since that time despite several changes of ownership. In 1899, Old Grand-Dad was sold to the Wathen family, whose broad interests in the whiskey business later formed the American Medicinal Spirits Company and the foundations of National Distillers Group. During prohibition, the company produced "medicinal whiskey" for sick, blind, and lame patients. National Distillers had facilities in Cincinnati, Ohio and Frankfort, Kentucky, and also produced Old Crow, Old Overholt and Old Taylor. In 1987, National Distillers Group sold the spirits business to the Fortune Brands holding company, which became Beam Inc.
Today, Old Grand-Dad is one of the ten best-selling straight whiskeys. It comes in three different bottling proofs: 80 proof, 100 proof Bottled In Bond, and 114 Barrel Proof in a short-height bottle gift box package. In 2013 the lower proof offering went from 86 proof to 80 proof.
Since 1992 Beam has also marketed another brand of Kentucky bourbon, Basil Hayden's, named after the same person.
Reviews
Food critic Morgan Murphy said "The sweet corn of this whiskey is hot on the lips but has a mild finish of vanilla and baking spices."