A few weeks ago, Alie and I dropped into a local liquor store in Washington, D.C.. We picked up a couple of options to enjoy in our hotel while visiting the area. I wanted to try something that I don’t typically find on the shelf at home. I decided to try a bottle of Old Overholt 114 Rye Whiskey.
I’ve seen Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey available from time to time. However, it is always the standard 86-proof offering, not the 114-proof. Plus, Old Overholt 114 was on sale for $19.99, so I felt like it was a good bargain.
Old Overholt 114 Rye Whiskey
Old Overholt 114 Rye whiskey is a special edition from the James B. Beam Distilling Co. It appears that the 114-proof Old Overholt started appearing in stores in 2020. Beam Suntory released the 114-proof version alongside an 11 year Old Overholt Rye. Despite scouring the James B. Beam website, there is no mention of the 114-Proof or 11-Year expressions.
Although the Old Overholt Brand is now owned and produced by Beam Suntory, you can trace the roots of the brand back to 1810. Like many frontiersmen, German immigrant Henry Overholt set up a farm in Western Pennsylvania and began distilling whiskey. His son Abraham recognized the value of whiskey and turned the family’s home distillery into a full-time business in 1810.
Old Overholt Origins
Abraham became the mastermind of the Overholt Distilling Co. success. By the 1840s, Overholt’s “Old Rye” whiskey was a brand name recognized by consumers at a time when most whiskeys were produced by local farmers in small batches. By the late 1850s, Abraham expanded the production of Overholt’s “Old Rye” into a larger warehouse. It was estimated that the new Overholt Distillery could produce nearly 900 gallons of whiskey per day, making it one of the largest whiskey producers in the country.
In 1881, the company came under the control of Henry Frick. Frick was an American businessman, who many affectionately called a “Robber Baron.” He was also the grandson of Abraham Overholt and inherited the business when Abraham died. Frick made his fortune through coal mines and the manufacturing of coke used in steel production. His partnership with American steel mogul Andrew Carnegie made both of them extremely wealthy. Frick also became infamous for his role in a large labor dispute called the Homestead Strike.
Whiskey and History?
Frick is best known for the role he played in the Homestead Strike of 1892. Frick, like most businessmen, was vehemently anti-union. When workers at the Homestead Steel Factory he managed asked for a raise, Frick countered by offering the workers a 22% wage decrease and refusing to recognize their union. No agreement could be made between the two sides before the workers’ contract expired, so Frick locked the workers out of the plant and moved to replace them with scabs.
In order to gain an advantage in contract negotiations, the striking workers prevented company men from entering the factory. This led Frick to hire men from the Pinkerton Detective Agency to provide security to the company men and protect the company assets from the strikers. During a raid by the Pinkertons to gain access to the plant, a gunfight ensued and several men were killed or injured. Frick was condemned by many Americans for his role in the escalation and violence during the Homestead Strike, but it proved to be a temporary condemnation.
Frick was successful in breaking the Homestead Strike, but only due to his personal misfortune. While the Homestead Strike was still in progress, Frick survived an assassination attempt by an anarchist, Alexander Berkman. Although Berkman was not associated with the strikers, his assassination attempt on Frick led to the collapse of the strike. Most of the 2,500 striking workers lost their jobs. Those who stayed saw a 50% reduction in their salaries, making the Homestead Strike one of the greatest failures for workers and a major setback for unions in the late 19th century.
20th Century Challenges
When Henry Frick died in 1919, it ended the era of ownership by the Overholt family. After Frick’s death, Old Overholt was transferred to his business partner, Andrew Mellon. Shortly after Mellon took ownership, prohibition went into effect.
Despite prohibition, Old Overholt endured, at least for a time. Overholt Distilling Co. was one of only a handful of whiskey brands that were able to obtain a medicinal permit and continue their operation during prohibition. At the time Mellon was the acting U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under Warren G. Harding. This has led some to speculate that Mellon may have used his position to obtain a medicinal permit.
If true, Mellon using his position for personal gain would have been only a drop (of whiskey) in the bucket, compared to the other numerous scandals that plagued the Harding Administration. By 1925, Mellon was forced to sell Old Overholt to a grocer after being pressured by prominent prohibitionists. Old Overholt would be sold again in 1932 to National Distillers Products, an early conglomerate that owned over 200 brands of alcohol.
The sales of whiskey, particularly rye whiskey, would continue to decline in the post-WWII era. The growing preference in the U.S. gravitated towards clear spirits, such as vodka. Old Overholt was the only nationally distributed brand of rye whiskey by the 1960s. In 1987, James B. Beam purchased the Old Overholt brand and moved production from Pennslyvania to Kentucky, which marked an end to its Pennsylvania rye roots.
Old Overholt Today
Today, Old Overholt is marketed by Jim Beam/ Suntory as one of “The Olds” alongside Old Gran-Dad. There are three expressions under the Old Overholt label. First is the core 86-proof straight rye whiskey. There is also the 114-proof straight rye whiskey we are reviewing here. Finally, there is an 11-year Old Overholt, which was released in 2020 to rave reviews. Although Old Overholt 114 was billed as a special release, it is unclear if that remains true. As of this writing, it is available for purchase through numerous liquor websites and seems to be a staple of many local liquor stores, according to some of the messages I received on Instagram.
Tasting Notes
My first impression of Old Overholt 114 was notes of honey and baking spices on the nose. Alie initially found the ethanol to be overpowering. After letting it sit for a bit, she picked out the scent of nuts and a toffee-like sweetness.
I thought the Old Overholt was somewhat dry and I picked up hints of leather and oak before opting to add a few drops of water to my glass. The water opened up the flavor profile significantly. I noticed Old Overholt became much sweeter and picked up more of the standard rye spice I expect from rye whiskey.
Alie picked up a dry, nut flavor that reminded her of walnuts. She also noted that Old Overholt was a dry whiskey. She also agreed that Old Overholt benefits from a splash of water if you are choosing to drink it straight up.
Our Ratings
Drinkability: 4; with a splash of water
Personal Preference: Alie 2.8; Summer 3.9 We’ll call it a 3.4 and split the difference
Intensity: 3.5
Beginner Friendly: 2
Availability: 3
Overall: 3.8
Final Thoughts
Old Overholt 114 proved to be a challenging bottle for us to review. Typically, Alie and I feel similarly about most bottles, but we had very different opinions about this one. I tended to enjoy it much more than Alie did. Alie noted that she preferred Russell’s Reserve 6-Year Rye, while I would choose Old Overholt over Russell’s.
This is a whiskey we recommend you enjoy with a few drops of added water or over ice to get the best flavors. It really opens up once you dilute it. We also enjoyed Old Overholt 114 in a cocktail. My personal favorite was as the base in The Boulevardier. You can find the recipe here.
Old Overholt 114 will definitely blow you out of the water with its price. It is hard to beat a $20 bottle of whiskey that’s solid straight up, albeit with a splash of water and makes a great cocktail. We recommend adding it to your collection.
Happy Exploring!
