There isn’t a lot of information online about the S.P. Lancaster Medicinal Pint or the distillery it came from so I don’t actually have a lot to say up here. In-fact the only information I have is that the Lancaster distillery was built in 1881 near Bardstown, KY and was never re-opened after prohibition. A mysterious whiskey from a not-very-well-known distillery.
However, like the Special Old Reserve it was put out by the American Medicinal Spirits Company and there’s plenty online about them. Such as how the American Medicinal Spirits Company was formed to consolidate, bottle and distribute whiskey from distilleries shuttered by prohibition.
Because warehouses were so remote, and thus easy to break into, the government decided that all whiskey be consolidated into warehouses in / near major cities. This is when the American Medicinal Spirits Company formed to service that need. They consolidated, bottled and distributed “medicinal” whiskey. Whiskey like this S.P. Lancaster Medicinal Pint.
S.P. Lancaster Medicinal Pint Info
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: S.P. Lancaster
Bottler: American Medicinal Spirits Company
Mashbill: At least 51% corn
Cask: New-Charred Oak
Age: 16 Years (1917 – 1932)
ABV: 50%
Price: NA – Auction, private seller or specialty store
S.P. Lancaster Medicinal Pint Review
EYE
Caramel
NOSE
Cherry heavy dark fruit, spice, pine, caramel, stale vanilla, mint and a weird grappa like character.
PALATE
Caramel, dark fruit, spice, wood, cocoa and mint.
FINISH
Medium fade of dried potpourri-like citrus peels, oak and dark fruit.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Ok balance, medium body and a warm relaxed feel.
OVERALL
Not bad… not bad at all. The S.P. Lancaster Medicinal Pint is actually quite decent, definitely among the better medicinal pints I’ve tried. I would add this one to my “Medicinal Pints I would drink if I was lucky enough to have a job during this time” list. There’s a bit of a grappa-like character to it, but outside of that there’s nothing about it that’s overly or dramatically different from a lot of today’s bourbons and that might be why I like it so much.
Many of the medicinal pints I’ve tried have been perfumy, filled with “stale notes”, or had a lot of weird “non-traditional” bourbon notes to them. However, the S.P. Lancaster Medicinal Pint seemed to be a bit fresher, and carries more of those “traditional notes” of oak, caramel, vanilla and spice. Back in the day, it’s quite possible I would have been a Lancaster fan… er I mean patient… user… you know what I mean.
SCORE: 83-86/100 (B, not consumed at home)
