O-I whisky bottles raise $26,000 for charity

Owens Illinois (O-I) has donated two unique whiskies from the George Washington Distillery in Mount Vernon, raising $26,000 for educational and charitable organisations.

The whiskies are the first Scottish-style single malts crafted at the distillery since it began operating again in 2006, nearly 200 years after the original facility was damaged in a fire.

O-I's stately and elegant Pinch Grandeur bottle, from the company's Covet Classics collection, was chosen to present the distinguished whiskies (pictured), which were created through a partnership between George Washington Distillery, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), and the Scotch Whisky Association.

In 2012, the three organisations brought together a select team of Scottish and American distillers that included Dr. Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling for The Glenmorangie Co.; Andy Cant, Distillery Manager for Cardhu Single Malt Distillery, heart of Johnnie Walker blended Scotch Whisky; John Campbell, Distillery Manager for Laphroaig Distillery; Mount Vernon Master Distiller David Pickerell (former Maker's Mark Master Distiller), and Steve Bashore, Mount Vernon's Director of Historic Trades.

Together, the team came up with a recipe and a process that celebrated the heritage of the distillery, which Washington built in 1797 at the urging of his farm manager, a Scotsman named James Anderson.

Using 18th-century methods, the distilling team produced 10 gallons of whisky of such fine quality and proof that a second distillation was unnecessary.

This whisky was barreled immediately as Distillers' Reserve.

An additional 10 gallons, barreled as Limited Edition, was distilled twice.

The whiskies were aged at Mount Vernon for a total of three years in used Bourbon casks, re-coopered in Speyside, Scotland, and in the final months, aged in barrels that previously held Madeira wine, which was a favorite at Washington's table.

The whiskies were introduced at DISCUS' 14th annual ‘Spirit of Mount Vernon’ industry gala on October 13.

There, the first numbered bottles of the two varieties were auctioned off to raise money for Mount Vernon's educational programmes.

Sales of the remaining bottles will benefit charities such as the Wounded Warriors Family Support Programme.

"Contributing to this project was a real honor for O-I," said John Zanini, O-I North America's vice president of sales for the spirits category.

"In addition to supporting a number of worthy organisations, it also celebrates the rich history and future of the spirits industry in the United States."

O-I is a longstanding supporter of DISCUS and a supplier partner to George Washington Distillery, which uses the company's Kaleido bottle for their flagship offering, George Washington's Rye Whiskey.

O-I is also a key supplier to many leading global spirits brands as well as the growing craft spirits industry in the U.S.