Hotaling & Co., the San Francisco importer and distiller formerly known as Anchor Distilling Co., introduces a reincarnation of a whiskey from the mid-1800s – J.H. Cutter Whisky (using the spirit’s spelling of the day).
This blend of American whiskies, bottled at 48% ABV and is offered for $50 SRP. Back in the mid- to late-1800s when A.P. Hotaling’s liquor warehouse was the talk of San Francisco, the most celebrated whiskey in his stock was known as J.H. Cutter, an American whiskey that commanded the premium price of the day – an estimated $5 per bottle.
Today’s version brings together 73% sourced bourbon from Kentucky Bourbon Distillers aged 3.5 years, 17% Old Potrero 18th Century Style Rye Whiskey aged a minimum of 2.5 years, and 10% Old Potrero Port Finish Rye Whiskey aged 2.5 to 3 years to achieve maximum complexity.
Hotaling & Co.’s J.H. Cutter packaging, which includes an amber glass bottle, takes inspiration from the original J.H. Cutter Whisky. In the 1800s, A.P. Hotaling & Co. began embossing its bottles to prove their products’ authenticity and quality over imitators. The bottle top is a nod to the porcelain tops of the time with an antique silver-colored capsule that is reminiscent of the metal that once adorned the tops of whiskey bottles.