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Next Auction starts Friday 29 March. Bottle Deadline: 18 March.

Belle of Marion 1914 Bottled in Bond Whiskey Pint / Prohibition Era

Lot: 147387

Belle of Marion 1914 Bottled in Bond Whiskey Pint / Prohibition Era

Winning Bid: £1,150
(Reserve has been met) This lot currently has: 18 bids

Currency Estimate

Important: Currency exchange rates are constantly changing; this feature is to be used as a guide price only. All final transactions occur in British Pounds (£).
Lot:
Distillery: 
E.L. Miles
Age: 
N/A
Vintage: 
1914
Region: 
Kentucky, USA
Bottler: 
National Distillers
Cask Type: 
N/A
Bottled Strength: 
100 US Proof
Bottle Size: 
1 pint
Distillery Status: 
Closed
product Details

Belle of Marion 1914 Bottled in Bond Whiskey Pint / Prohibition Era

Distilled in 1914, this bourbon was protected in bond from Prohibition Act of 1920, which made alcohol production and consumption illegal. The Volstead Act was in place between 1920 and 1933, and during this period, some distillers were bale to continue to bottle their whiskey as a medicinal product. Only doctors could prescribe these 1 pint bottles, and bakers were also given a weekly ration of whiskey and rum to use in their cooking.

The Belle of Marion was a bourbon brand belonging to the William Tarr company, who were a powerful distilling organisation in the late 19th century. An ill-advised foray into the world of railroad building however, weakened Tarr's financial position and he was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1897. His distillery, bourbon and brands were acquired two years later by the Kentucky Distilling & Warehouse Co, better known as the infamous Whiskey Trust. Members of the trust included a certain E.H. Taylor Jr and his W.A. Gaines company. This whiskey was distilled at their E.L. Miles distillery in New Hope in 1914. It was bottled in bond in the 'fall' of 1927.

The Whiskey Trust was accused of engaging in several illegal activities, including intimidation of distillery owners who did not want to sell up to them. Although it had been far from at its height by the time Prohibition was enacted, it had never fully gone away, and quietly resurfaced in 1924, now manifest as the National Distillers Corporation (trusts were illegal by this point). This was likely one of their early bottlings. National Distillers continued to use the W.A. Gaines branding on bottles of Old Crow up until 1987 when they were purchased by Jim Beam.

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Please note: Due to the various ages of bottles and their seals, condition of liquid is at the buyer's discretion and no claim can be lodged against failure/leakage in transit.