Sipping on History! 🥃 Turn back time with us on this Friday as we dive into a fascinating bottle-to-bottle showdown: 1978 Vintage Kessler Blended Whiskey vs. Modern 2026 Kessler!
We scored an incredible piece of whiskey history from our friends at Revival Vintage Spirits in Covington, Kentucky—a pristine, full-sized 1978 bottle of Kessler complete with its original ATF federal tax stamp and gorgeous diamond-molded glass. Back in ’78, this American blended whiskey was produced by Seagram at the historic Lawrenceburg, Indiana plant (now MGP). Today, the brand belongs to Suntory Global Spirits and is distilled at the Jim Beam Distillery in Kentucky.
Astonishingly, both expressions maintain the exact same blend ratio: 27.5% straight whiskey and 72.5% grain neutral spirits. But do they taste the same?
We break down the nose, palate, and finish of both eras. From the old Indiana distillate’s wood-sugar concentration, butterscotch, and popping baking spices, to the modern Jim Beam low-rye mashbill’s sweet corn notes and effortless drinkability, this comparison completely blew us away. No ethanol burn, surprising legs, and a perfect candidate for a summer patio drink (Kessler and ginger ale, anyone?).
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The Vintage “Then” Bottle (1978)
- Classification: American Blended Whiskey
- Company: Julius Kessler Company (A subsidiary of Seagram at the time)
- Distillery: Julius Kessler Co. Plant, Lawrenceburg, IN (Now MGP), with blending/bottling line support out of Dundalk, MD and So. San Francisco, CA.
- Mash Bill: Undisclosed. (The straight whiskey portion used a traditional bourbon/corn-heavy recipe; the neutral spirits were distilled at or above 190 proof from corn and rye).
- Blend: 27.5% Straight Whiskies, 72.5% Grain Neutral Spirits.
- Age: NAS (Non-Age Stated). By law, the straight whiskey component had to be at least 2 years old.
- Proof: 80 Proof
- MSRP: Approx. $4.50-$5.50 in 1978 dollars.
- Released: 1978 (Confirmed by the “78” glass mold stamp on the base).
- Other: Features a paper federal tax strip issued by the Bureau of ATF (mandated post-1977). Bottled in a custom geometric diamond-molded glass bottle.
The Modern “Now” Bottle (2026)
- Classification: American Blended Whiskey
- Company: Suntory Global Spirits (formerly Beam Suntory)
- Distillery: Jim Beam Distillery, Clermont / Frankfort, KY.
- Mash Bill: Undisclosed. (The straight whiskey component utilizes Beam’s standard low-rye bourbon mash bill; the grain neutral spirit base is derived from industrial corn mashes).
- Blend: 27.5% Straight Whiskies, 72.5% Grain Neutral Spirits.
- Age: NAS (Non-Age Stated). The back label explicitly verifies the straight whiskey portion is “2 years or more old.”
- Proof: 80 Proof
- MSRP: $5.99 for the 375 mL flask size.
- Released: Modern Production (circa 2024–2026).
- Other: Labeled with state deposit refunds (ME, VT, IA) and CA CRV. Features the modern “Lightweight Traveler” plastic bottle format and contains a standard federal health warning.
❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌
🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨
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NOTE: The spirit in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
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