Aged whiskey in a barrel, bottle, and glass

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Whiskey and age go hand in hand, whether it's the legacy of the distillery bottling the spirit or, in rarer cases, the actual age of the liquid inside the bottle. While sampling the world's oldest whiskey is a pipe dream for nearly everyone, some of the world's oldest distilleries are still in business and carry forward the legacy established by their founders centuries ago. In the U.S., several brands compete in this regard, with the likes of Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam, and Maker's Mark often in the spotlight as some of the oldest American liquor brands. Another contender, Old Overholt, not only helped popularize rye-based spirits but also holds the title of the country's longest continuously maintained whiskey brand — and remains one of the best rye whiskies around.

Now part of the James B. Beam Distilling Company, Old Overholt's history dates back to 1810, when the rye whiskey was first distilled by the Overholt family in West Overton, Pennsylvania. The company was acquired by the National Distillers Company in 1935, and later by its current owner, Beam Inc., following the latter's takeover of National Distillers in the late 1980s. 

Throughout its tumultuous history, Old Overholt has remained closely tied to key moments in American whiskey history. It was an early adopter of the Bottled in Bond Act, which helped distinguish legitimate spirits from counterfeits and is widely considered America's first federal consumer protection law. Today, Old Overholt is still available in several formats, including straight rye whiskey, a bottled-in-bond version, and an aged 12-year cask-strength bottle.

Old Overholt is America's longest-maintained whiskey brand

Vintage bottle of Old Overholt whiskey

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Liquor brands often highlight their rich heritage to help differentiate themselves in a crowded market. As such, things can get a little murky when trying to decipher what "oldest" actually means, often coming down to how a spirit chooses to measure its legacy. For example, Buffalo Trace, established in 1870, is often cited for having the longest-running distillery, which still operates in Frankfort, Kentucky. By comparison, Old Overholt shifted production sites multiple times over the years. So, when measured purely by distillery age, Buffalo Trace is technically older. 

However, it's worth noting that the current Buffalo Trace distillery changed names multiple times over the years before reverting to its original name in 1999. Old Overholt, on the other hand, kept production under the same name despite the company changing hands, which is why it describes itself as "the longest standing American whiskey brand in U.S. history — maintained continuously since 1810" (via James B. Beam Distilling). The word "continuously" is key here: while some older whiskey brands — like Jim Beam, founded in 1795 — were forced to halt production during Prohibition, Old Overholt remained in legal production throughout the period, preserving its uninterrupted legacy.

Old Overholt's legacy therefore lies in its brand, which has remained in continuous use for over two centuries. As the company notes on its website, the brand even predates branding as mainstream marketing concept — and it continues to this day.