A. H. Hirsch 1974 Finest Reserve 20 Year Old Straight Bourbon MINT WAX

The rarest expression of A.H. Hirsch Reserve. Distilled spring 1974 at the Pennco Distillery (Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania) — later renamed Michter's. Extended barrel aging to 20 years, bottled between late 1994 and early 1995 at 91.6 proof. Red wax. Mint condition. Widely considered one of the greatest bourbons ever produced.

The full story: In 1974, Adolf Hirsch commissioned a batch of bourbon to be distilled at the small copper pot stills of the Pennco Distillery in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania. The distillery — which traces its origins to the mid-1700s and is listed as a National Historic Landmark — was purchased in foreclosure not long after and renamed Michter's. In 1989, as the distillery faced foreclosure again, Hirsch sold the whiskey to the Hue Family in Kentucky. Most of the stock was transferred into stainless steel tanks, which halted the aging at 16 years. But some remained in barrels and was allowed to continue aging, eventually bottled at 18, 19, and 20 years old.

The 20-year expression — released between late 1994 and early 1995 — is the rarest and most mature bottling from the 1974 Hirsch parcel. Filled from new charred American oak at 91.6 proof (45.8%), it received America's first five-star rating from the spirit's most demanding critics. The pot still distillation method, the Pennsylvania provenance, the small copper stills, and the 20 years of aging produce a spirit fundamentally unlike anything in modern American bourbon production. This specific 20-year red wax bottling is in mint condition — "Unicorn" status among American whiskey collectors.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Deep, rich amber with the extraordinary concentration of pot still bourbon at 20 years.
• Nose: Rich sweetness — creamy vanilla and caramel, followed by oak spice and the distinctive pot still grain character that column stills cannot replicate.
• Palate: Smooth and layered — soft notes of toffee and vanilla with the profound complexity that only pot still distillation and two decades in wood produces.
• Finish: A dry oaky finish with smoke, baking spices, and a touch of black pepper — one of the longest finishes in American bourbon history.

Specs

• Distilled: Spring 1974
• Distillery: Pennco Distillery (later Michter's), Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania (est. c.1753)
• Distillation method: Small copper pot stills (extinct in American commercial bourbon)
• Age: 20 years
• Proof: 91.6 (45.8% ABV)
• Bottled: Late 1994 – early 1995
• Presentation: Red wax, mint condition
• Size: 750ml

Browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is the 20-year considered the rarest Hirsch expression? Most of the 1974 Hirsch parcel was transferred to stainless steel tanks in 1990, halting aging at 16 years. Only a small portion remained in barrel for continued aging. The 18, 19, and 20-year bottlings came from this small remaining stock. The 20-year is the oldest expression and the last to be bottled — making it the rarest and most mature of the series.
• What does "mint red wax" mean? The 20-year Hirsch was sealed with red wax — a different presentation from the gold foil and standard capsule variants of the 16-year. Mint condition means the wax seal, label, and capsule are in perfect original state — critical for collector value.
• Is this the same as the current Michter's brand? No. The current Michter's brand in Louisville acquired the name but has zero production or ownership connection to the original Schaefferstown facility. The A.H. Hirsch bourbon was literally distilled at the original Pennsylvania Michter's — a completely different company, equipment, and provenance.
• Can this ever be reproduced? No. The Pennco/Michter's Schaefferstown distillery closed permanently in 1990. The 1974 grain crop, the copper pot stills, the Pennsylvania terroir, and 20 years of aging cannot be recreated under any circumstances.