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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 1997-12 > 0883504593


From: "Robert T. Hilliard" <>
Subject: RE: Charley Read 's PA Whisky
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 12:56:33 -0500


Glenn,
and here's a tip o' the hat to the Read's and others who've kept the
tradition alive.
Sadly, the Reads and all other distillers in western PA are no longer keeping
the tradition alive. I don't know when Charly Read went under, but the last
of many large distillers in this area to go under was Schenley, which departed
in the early 1980s, if memory serves. It joined Old Overholt (which was originated
by the grandfather of coal magnate and Andrew Carnegie associate, Henry
Clay Frick), Imperial (half, along with Iron City Beer, of the locally famous and
lethal drink Imp 'n 'Ahrn [Pittsburgh pronunciation], which is a boilermaker),
and a few others who were worldwide whiskey distributors here in the early
part of this century.
I don't know much about the economics of that industry, but I suppose it's
much like the beer industry in America, with the Buschs and Coors of the
world crushing the competition like....well, like empty beer cans. My hope is
that like in the beer industry, we may start to see small, local specialty distillers,
analogous to microbreweries, spring up and become fashionable. Any
entrepreneurs listening out there?
In the meantime, keep the faith and keep a bottle in the cabinet.
Regards,
Rob

----------
From: Glenn Dixon
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 1997 9:50 AM
To: Scotch-Irish Mail List
Subject: Re: Charley Read 's PA Whisky

and here's a tip o' the hat to the Read's and others who've kept the
tradition alive.

I just had my very first (that I recall) sip o' pure-dee Scotch whisky
(and a whisky
toddy to boot) and slept quite soundly. I feel much more Scottish now.
:o)

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