A.H. Hirsch 1974 Reserve 16 Year Old GOLD WAX (MINT WAX) Straight Bourbon

The last distillation and bottling release overseen by Julian Van Winkle III before the brand was purchased by Sazerac. Distilled spring 1974 at the Pennco/Michter's pot still distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania. America's first five-star spirits rating. A rare national artifact.

The A.H. Hirsch Reserve story is one of the great rescue narratives in American whiskey. In 1974, Adolf Hirsch commissioned a batch of bourbon at the small copper pot stills of Pennco Distillery (Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania) — a site tracing to the mid-1700s, listed as a National Historic Landmark. After the distillery was purchased in foreclosure and renamed Michter's, the barrels continued aging. By 1989, as Michter's faced another foreclosure, Hirsch acquired the remaining barrels — now 15 years old — and brought them to Kentucky for final aging and bottling.

Julian Van Winkle III, grandson of the legendary Pappy Van Winkle and one of the most respected palates in American bourbon, personally oversaw the selection and bottling of A.H. Hirsch Reserve. This gold wax bottling was among the last releases he supervised before the brand passed to Sazerac — making it a documented piece of Van Winkle family bourbon history beyond the Old Rip Van Winkle and Pappy labels. The 16-year expression received America's first-ever five-star spirits rating.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Rich sweetness — creamy vanilla and caramel followed by oak spice and the unmistakable complexity of pot still distillation.
• Palate: Smooth and complex layers — toffee, vanilla, and soft baking spices from 16 years in the wood.
• Finish: Dry and oaky with smoke, baking spices, and a touch of black pepper.

Specs

• Distilled: Spring 1974
• Distillery: Pennco Distillery (Michter's), Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania (est. c.1753)
• Distillation: Small copper pot stills
• Age: 16 years
• Bottling: Gold wax, overseen by Julian Van Winkle III (final pre-Sazerac release)
• Size: 750ml

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is Julian Van Winkle III's involvement significant? Julian Van Winkle III is the grandson of Pappy Van Winkle and one of American bourbon's most respected figures. His personal selection and oversight of A.H. Hirsch Reserve bottlings makes this a piece of Van Winkle family bourbon history beyond the Pappy label. The gold wax bottling was among the last he supervised before Sazerac acquired the brand.
• How does the gold wax differ from the gold foil humidor edition? The gold wax is a wax-sealed capsule variant of the standard 16-year. The gold foil humidor edition is the same liquid presented in a limited edition humidor box — a rarer and more elaborate presentation format. Both are from the 1974 Schaefferstown pot still production.
• What makes pot still bourbon different? Standard bourbon is distilled in column stills — a continuous process producing high-proof neutral spirit. Pot stills are batch distillation in round copper vessels, retaining more grain congeners and producing a richer, more complex distillate. Pot still bourbon is essentially extinct in American commercial production today.
• Is this the same as the current Michter's brand? No — the current Louisville Michter's acquired the name but has no production connection to the original Pennsylvania facility.