Old Grand-Dad Whiskey

Old Grand-Dad

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Old Grand-Dad is a bourbon whiskey distilled at the Booker Noe Plant in Boston, Kentucky. The

company was created by Raymond B. Hayden and named after his grandfather Basil Hayden, Sr.,

a well known distiller during his lifetime who is depicted on the front of each bottle.

Today, it is a Jim Beam brand.

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. In 1987, National

Distillers Group sold the spirits business to the James B. Beam Distilling Company.

Today, Old Grand-Dad is one of the ten best selling straight whiskies coming in three different

bottling proofs: 86 proof, 100 proof "Bonded," and 114 'Barrel Proof' in a short height but finely

designed bottle, often found at holidays in a gift box package.

Old Grand-Dad is featured prominently in the opening scenes of "Bad Santa", and in the Nick

Stefanos novels by George P. Pelecanos, as well as in John Hawkes's classic novel Second Skin.

It is also legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno's favorite drink, and he has one on

the rocks after each game.^[1] The fictional character Morgan Kane, from the book series of the

same name, always drank Old Grand-Dad if it was available, and took a bottle or 3 with him

most of the times he had to venture too far from from a liquor store or a bar too his liking.^{[citation needed]}

It is also thought that George Thorogood referenced Old Grand-Dad whiskey in his hit song

"I Drink Alone", when he sang "...the only one who will hang out with me is my dear Old Grand-Dad..."