Old Hermitage Medicinal Pint comes from the Hermitage distillery, which was also the Old Crow distillery and was the source of whiskey for both the Hermitage and OC brands. The distillery was built in 1868 and was at one point the biggest distiller of “sour mash whiskey” in the USA which also meant it was the largest in the world.
Before prohibition the Old Crow Distillery and Hermitage whiskey had a sizable reputation for quality and was a highly regarded brand. However the is fame wasn’t able to keep it alive after prohibition and it become another victim of the “Noble Experiment”. With this reputation in mind, let’s see how the Old Hermitage Medicinal Pint stacks up today.
Old Hermitage Medicinal Pint Info
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: W.A. Gaines, Old Crow Distillery
Mashbill: At least 51% corn
Cask: New-Charred Oak
Age: 10 Years (1916 – 1926)
ABV: 50%
Price: NA – Auction, private seller or specialty store
Old Hermitage Medicinal Pint Review
EYE
Caramel
NOSE
Musty oak, caramel, dried citrus peels, mint, butterscotchy dark sweets and an herbal “cologne”. Really makes me wonder what it was like fresh.
PALATE
The palate mimics the nose with notes of musty oak, caramel, dried citrus peels, mint, butterscotchy dark sweets and more of that herbal “cologne”. The major difference is that here the herbal cologne nature takes on a bit more of bergamot character.
FINISH
Medium fade of oak, mint, dark sweets and bergamot spice.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Not well balanced, thin body and an oddly hot feel.
OVERALL
The Old Hermitage Medicinal Pint wasn’t bad, it wasn’t good, but it was incredibly interesting. I’ve had a lot of perfumy whiskies over the years, but this was the first one I could really call “cologne-like”. Like a lot of older whiskey there was a deep butterscotch essence to it and a bit of an herbal bite to both the aroma and the flavor which is something that most current whiskies don’t have. A fun taste of whiskey from a dead distillery.
SCORE: 80-82/100 (B-, not consumed at home)
