McCormick Distilling Company
Encyclopedia
The McCormick Distilling Company is an alcoholic beverage
distilling and importing company in Weston, Missouri
. Opened originally by Benjamin J. Holladay in 1856 under the name Holladay Distillery, its distillery has been registered in the National Register of Historic Places
and has been operating continuously at the same location longer than any other distillery in the United States
. In addition to making its own products, the company is also an importer of products made elsewhere.
After opening the Holladay Distillery in 1856, Benjamin J. Holladay went on to develop the Pony Express
route to San Francisco as well as build steamships and railroad lines in western America. In 1860, Holladay turned the distillery over to his brother, Major David Holladay, who then ran the Distillery until 1894 when it was sold to George Shawhan and became the Shawhan Distillery. During the period of Prohibition in the United States
, the distillery remained open by producing whisky for medicinal purposes. The distillery was sold to Isadore Singer in 1936, and was renamed as the Old Weston Distillery. Singer then purchased the McCormick brand name from a neighbouring plant at Waldon, Missouri, and renamed the distillery as the McCormick Distillery. In 1950, the company was purchased by Cloud Cray of Midwest Grain Products.
Business partners Ed Pechar and Mike Griesser then bought the company in 1992. Under Pechar and Griesser's ownership and management, McCormick Distilling expanded from 35 employees and $50 million in sales in 1992 to 186 employees and $150 million in sales in 2006. Griesser died in November, 2004. As of 2011, McCormick Distilling remains a privately held corporation owned by company chairman Ed Pechar, the estate of Mike Griesser, and a small group of employee partners who comprise the Board of Directors.
The McCormick distillery is included in the National Register of Historic Places
. A substantial number of other distilleries are also recognized as historically significant in the National Register; however, the McCormick distillery has been operating continuously at the same location longer than any other distillery in the United States. Some historic distilleries are older, but have not been operated continuously at the same location due to the prohibition
period or other reasons. For example, the Bomberger's Distillery
began operations in 1753 but no longer operates (most recently having been shut down in 1989), and the currently-operating facilities at the George T. Stagg distillery
, the Labrot & Graham's Old Oscar Pepper Distillery
, the Woodford Reserve Distillery
, the Burks' Distillery, and the Jack Daniel's Distillery
have all had some periods in history during which they ceased operations.
Products imported to the United States
(and, in some cases, bottled) by McCormick:
McCormick's Irish Cream won the 2003 gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and was voted the #1 Irish cream beverage by the Beverage Testing Institute .
Polar Ice (vodka)
was awarded a double gold medal at World Spirits Competition in 2007 as well as a bronze medal by the Beverage Testing Institute 2008.
Hussong's won the 2006 Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Championship.
savings, and heighten employee awareness and conservation
. In the first year of the new green initiatives, 167 tons of material was recycled, with a participation rate of 88% among employees. To solidify the company's environmental commitment, McCormick Distilling partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency and Renewable Choice Energy.
Some of the environmental initiatives implemented at the distillery include:
.
, McCormick Distilling planted more than 200 indigenous trees on 40 acres of land surrounding the distillery and has invited business partners to do the same. Official participants of "Forest 360" include the Republic National Distributing Company, MGP ingredients, Hovey Williams I.P Law, J.B Thome and Co. Inc., Young's Market Company, Binder-Edelstein Company, Southern Wine and Spirits of Colorado, Fast Ireland Spirits.
In 2011, the 360 Vodka Virtual bartender application was launched to promote the concept of creating green cocktails.
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
distilling and importing company in Weston, Missouri
Weston, Missouri
Weston is a city in Platte County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,631 at the 2000 census.-History:Lewis and Clark Expedition camped out near the location of today's city hall...
. Opened originally by Benjamin J. Holladay in 1856 under the name Holladay Distillery, its distillery has been registered in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and has been operating continuously at the same location longer than any other distillery in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In addition to making its own products, the company is also an importer of products made elsewhere.
History
The area for the distillery was chosen for the natural limestone springs that ran underground.After opening the Holladay Distillery in 1856, Benjamin J. Holladay went on to develop the Pony Express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
route to San Francisco as well as build steamships and railroad lines in western America. In 1860, Holladay turned the distillery over to his brother, Major David Holladay, who then ran the Distillery until 1894 when it was sold to George Shawhan and became the Shawhan Distillery. During the period of Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States
Prohibition in the United States was a national ban on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol, in place from 1920 to 1933. The ban was mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and the Volstead Act set down the rules for enforcing the ban, as well as defining which...
, the distillery remained open by producing whisky for medicinal purposes. The distillery was sold to Isadore Singer in 1936, and was renamed as the Old Weston Distillery. Singer then purchased the McCormick brand name from a neighbouring plant at Waldon, Missouri, and renamed the distillery as the McCormick Distillery. In 1950, the company was purchased by Cloud Cray of Midwest Grain Products.
Business partners Ed Pechar and Mike Griesser then bought the company in 1992. Under Pechar and Griesser's ownership and management, McCormick Distilling expanded from 35 employees and $50 million in sales in 1992 to 186 employees and $150 million in sales in 2006. Griesser died in November, 2004. As of 2011, McCormick Distilling remains a privately held corporation owned by company chairman Ed Pechar, the estate of Mike Griesser, and a small group of employee partners who comprise the Board of Directors.
The McCormick distillery is included in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. A substantial number of other distilleries are also recognized as historically significant in the National Register; however, the McCormick distillery has been operating continuously at the same location longer than any other distillery in the United States. Some historic distilleries are older, but have not been operated continuously at the same location due to the prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
period or other reasons. For example, the Bomberger's Distillery
Bomberger's Distillery
Bomberger's Distillery, later known as Michter's Distillery, may at the time of its closing have been the oldest distillery in the United States. The complex, located near Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania represents the transformation of whiskey distilling from an agricultural enterprise into a...
began operations in 1753 but no longer operates (most recently having been shut down in 1989), and the currently-operating facilities at the George T. Stagg distillery
Buffalo Trace
Buffalo Trace may refer to:* Buffalo Trace legendary pioneer trail in southern Indiana* Buffalo Trace Distillery maker of bourbon whiskey* Buffalo Trace Council: a division of Boy Scouts of America based in southwestern Indiana...
, the Labrot & Graham's Old Oscar Pepper Distillery
Labrot & Graham's Old Oscar Pepper Distillery
Labrot & Graham Distillery, also known as Old Oscar Pepper Distillery, WD-01, is the former name of a historic whiskey distillery near Frankfort, Kentucky, now known as The Woodford Reserve Distillery. It makes Woodford Reserve, a brand of small batch bourbon whiskey.The distillery was declared a...
, the Woodford Reserve Distillery
Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve is a brand of premium small batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced by the Brown-Forman Corporation. It is distilled at the company's Woodford Reserve Distillery, and marketed under the former company name for the distillery, Labrot & Graham. The distillery is located in...
, the Burks' Distillery, and the Jack Daniel's Distillery
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...
have all had some periods in history during which they ceased operations.
Products
Products distilled at the McCormick distillery:- McCormick Vodka: McCormick Vodka is quadruple distilled vodka containing only American grains. According to the company, McCormick Vodka is the #2 selling American vodka in the world. McCormick Vodka is available in a variety of flavors including: Apple, Watermelon, Raspberry, Grape, Sweet Tea, Blueberry, Cherry, Citrus, Orange and Peach.
- 360 Vodka: As “the planet's first eco-friendly vodka”, various eco-efficiencies are incorporated into the production and sale of 360 Vodka to minimize its carbon footprint. Quadruple distilled and filtered five times for smoothness, 360 Vodka also comes in a variety of flavours: 360 Madagascar Vanilla, 360 Cola, 360 Grape, 360 Mandarin Orange, 360 Sorrento Lemon, 360 Bing Cherry, 360 Georgia Peach, and 360 Double Chocolate.
Products imported to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(and, in some cases, bottled) by McCormick:
- McCormick's Irish Cream (imported from Ireland): McCormick's Irish cream liqueur is manufactured in Ireland (by third party agreement) using Irish spirits and cream. The brand itself is owned and managed by McCormick Distilling and the product is produced to its specifications.
- Hussong's Reposado Tequila (imported from Mexico): Created in 1892 by Juan Hussong. Each distinct stone jug of Hussong's tequila carries a registration number and a signature by Ricardo Hussong.
- Tarantula Liqueur (imported from Mexico): Tarantula is a tequilaTequilaTequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....
-based citrus liqueurLiqueurA liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry.The...
that is available in four flavours: Azul, Strawberry, Reposado, and Plata. - Tequila Rose Liqueur (imported from Mexico): Tequila Rose is a tequila-based flavoured cream liqueur that is available in four flavours: Strawberry, Java, Chocolate, and Hot Rose (the Hot Rose flavour being added in August, 2011).
- Polar Ice VodkaPolar Ice (vodka)Polar Ice is a Canadian vodka produced by Corby Distilleries Limited. Produced from 100% Canadian wheat, Polar Ice is notable for being quadruple distilled which rids the vodka of microscopic impurities....
(a Pernod RicardPernod RicardPernod Ricard is a French company that produces distilled beverages. The company's eponymous products, Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis, are both anise-flavoured liqueurs and are often referred to simply as Pernod or Ricard...
product imported from Canada): Polar Ice is the largest selling Canadian vodka brand, and is described as being quadruple distilled and triple filtered. - Wiser's WhiskyWiser's whiskyWiser's Whisky Distillery was established in Prescott, Ontario in 1857. In the early 1900s, Wiser's was the third largest distillery in Canada, producing high-quality whisky that supplied markets in Canada and the United States, China and the Philippine Islands. In 1911, the company employed over...
(a Pernod RicardPernod RicardPernod Ricard is a French company that produces distilled beverages. The company's eponymous products, Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis, are both anise-flavoured liqueurs and are often referred to simply as Pernod or Ricard...
product imported from Canada): Wiser's Canadian whisky is claimed to be the top-selling family of whisky brands in Canada. Wiser's is available in variations called Wiser's De Luxe, Wiser's Legacy, Wiser's 18 Years Old, Wiser's Small BatchSmall batchSmall batch whiskey is a term usually referring to bourbon or rye whiskey, and denotes a whiskey produced by mixing the contents of a relatively small number of selected barrels....
, and Wiser's Special Blend. - Montego Bay Rum (imported from the West Indies) Varieties include Montego Bay Light, Montego Bay Dark and Montego Bay Coconut, which is blended with a coconut liqueur
- Ke-Ke Beach Liqueur (imported from the Netherlands): A cream liqueur with a key lime pie flavor.
Awards
360 Vodka has received awards for taste and innovation including the 2009 gold medal and 2008 bronze medal for best vodka at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition; a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting institute (2010), gold medal from the Los Angeles Wine and Spirits competition (2009) and a platinum medal from the SIP awards (2010) for 360 Double Chocolate.McCormick's Irish Cream won the 2003 gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and was voted the #1 Irish cream beverage by the Beverage Testing Institute .
Polar Ice (vodka)
Polar Ice (vodka)
Polar Ice is a Canadian vodka produced by Corby Distilleries Limited. Produced from 100% Canadian wheat, Polar Ice is notable for being quadruple distilled which rids the vodka of microscopic impurities....
was awarded a double gold medal at World Spirits Competition in 2007 as well as a bronze medal by the Beverage Testing Institute 2008.
Hussong's won the 2006 Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Championship.
Green Initiatives
In November 2007, the McCormick Distillery implemented a number of business practices that are asserted to be sustainable and environmentally friendly. An internal committee called the "Green Group" was established to improve environmental performance, increase operating efficiencies and energyEnergy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
savings, and heighten employee awareness and conservation
Conservation
Conservation may refer to:* Conservation movement, to protect animals, fungi, plants and their habitats** Conservation biology, the science of the protection and management of biodiversity...
. In the first year of the new green initiatives, 167 tons of material was recycled, with a participation rate of 88% among employees. To solidify the company's environmental commitment, McCormick Distilling partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency and Renewable Choice Energy.
Some of the environmental initiatives implemented at the distillery include:
- Four-day work week - to reduce the number of cars on the road and associated fuel consumption commuting to and from the distillery
- On-site air pumps for car tires so that employees can maintain their vehicles' optimum fuel efficiency
- On-site recycling
- Preferred parking spaces reserved for employees who drive hybrid and/or electric vehicles to work
360 Vodka
As part of the company's green initiative, 360 Vodka was marketed as "the Planet's first eco-friendly vodka". 360 Vodka is bottled using 85% recycled glass, 100% recycled paper and water-based UV inks. The grains used are grown less than 95 miles from the distillery to minimize the fossil-fuel consumption associated with transporting the grain. Consumers are allowed to return the bottle's swing-top closure to the company to be recycled, and for every top recycled, McCormick Distilling donates $1.00 to Global Green USAGlobal Green USA
Global Green USA is the U.S. arm of Green Cross International. It is one of 30 national offices with over 70 professional staff worldwide. Global Green USA is a national environmental organization.-References:*, Global Green USA Website...
.
Forest 360
"Forest 360" is a campaign to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gasses that lead to global warming. With the assistance of the Missouri Department of ConservationMissouri Department of Conservation
The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Conservation Commission were created by Article IV Sections 40-42 of the Missouri Constitution, which were adopted by the voters of the state in 1936 as Amendment 4 to the constitution...
, McCormick Distilling planted more than 200 indigenous trees on 40 acres of land surrounding the distillery and has invited business partners to do the same. Official participants of "Forest 360" include the Republic National Distributing Company, MGP ingredients, Hovey Williams I.P Law, J.B Thome and Co. Inc., Young's Market Company, Binder-Edelstein Company, Southern Wine and Spirits of Colorado, Fast Ireland Spirits.
Marketing
The company created and posted a series of cocktail how-to videos, distributed through social media networks like Facebook and YouTube.In 2011, the 360 Vodka Virtual bartender application was launched to promote the concept of creating green cocktails.
Collectible Decanters
McCormick Distilling has produced a series of decanters which are sought after by collectors. Produced between 1968 and 1987, at least 175 decanters were released in collections, the most popular of which were forty different decanters featuring Elvis Presley at every phase in his career.Decanter Series
- Automotive and Transportation
- Bicentennial series
- Birds
- Bulls
- Confederate series
- Elvis series
- Entertainer series
- Frontiersman series
- Great Americans series
- Gunfighter series
- Jugs
- Lamp series
- Pirate series
- Shrine series
- Sports and sports mascots
- Warrior series
- King Arthur series
- Miscellaneous.
1996 Export Investigation
From 1996 to 1999, the company sold nearly five million gallons of disguised grain alcohol to a freight forwarder operated by a Russian immigrant for eventual smuggling into Russia. The shipper was suspected of having ties to some of the most powerful mob clans in Russia. Other distillers, brokers, and shippers around the United States were also reported to have been under investigation by U.S. authorities. McCormick was charged and pled guilty to a misdemeanor count of making a false entry in regulatory documents, in which it identified the alcohol as non-drinkable products such as industrial cleaning solutions, and it agreed to pay $2 million in penalties and $1 million in reparations paid to the government of Ukraine, and accepted a one-week suspension of its license. According to a Ukrainian weekly news report, McCormick fully cooperated with US law enforcement officials and court documents state that the company never knowingly did business with organized crime.External links
- Official web site
- http://www.youtube.com/watch/v=c2v1nkqPQXo
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV7nd489kCk&feature=related
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDCLnhZr0so
- http://www.polarice.com/
- http://www.vodka360.com/
- http://www.wisers.ca/
- http://www.mccormickdistilling.com/tartequila/#
- http://www.tequilarose.com/