# "Old Crow" Whiskey Ads

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-crow-whiskey-ads/134932>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 2, 2002, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-crow-whiskey-ads/134932 "2002-11-02T01:41:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-crow-whiskey-ads/134932/1 "2002-11-02T01:41:53Z")

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Many years ago, the Old Crow whiskey co. sponsored a series of ads, showing prominent Americans (like Gen. Robert E. Lee,President Grover Cleveland, etc.) enjoying a glass of “Old Crow” (it was a bourbon whiskey, as I recall). At the bottom of the ad, there was an offer, to the effect of:’" Old Crow Whiskey will reward evidence of prominent Americans drinking our whiskey, and will recognize you if the advertisment is published).  
For some reason, i remember these ads…(it was probably the $250.00 reward). But anyway, did branded whiskey even exist at the time of the Civil war? Or did americans buy their whiskey from a local farmer or distiller? What’s the oldest brand of whiskey-is it “Old Crow”?😕

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**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-crow-whiskey-ads/134932/2 "2002-11-02T01:51:18Z")

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[homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/aa073001a.htm:](http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/aa073001a.htm:)

> [@](#):
>
> Whiskey was used as currency during the American Revolutionary War. In 1794, Scottish and Irish immigrant farmers in Pennsylvania staged an uprising in response to a federal excise tax imposed on whiskey by Alexander Hamilton. The Whiskey Rebellion was successfully subdued by government militia under orders from President George Washington. We have whiskey in great part to blame for the origin of the Internal Revenue Service.

product.[http://www.awa.dk/whisky/beam/:](http://www.awa.dk/whisky/beam/:)  
Gives 1795 as the date Beam began distilling whiskey. N.B.: Old Crow appears to be produced by Beam.