American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
brand of
blended whiskey
A blended whiskey (or blended whisky) is the product of blending different types of whiskeys and sometimes also neutral spirits, colorings, and flavorings. It is generally the product of mixing one or more higher-quality straight or single malt ...
started by Julius Kessler in 1888. It is known for the slogan, "Smooth as Silk". The brand is currently owned and produced by
Suntory Global Spirits
Suntory Global Spirits Inc., formerly known as Beam Suntory, Inc., is an American beverage company that is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings, a Japanese multinational beverage conglomerate. The company produces alcoholic beverages.
It is the th ...
.Beam Inc. whiskey brands page /ref> In 2012 the website of Beam, Inc. (now defunct) claimed it to be the number-two selling American blended whiskey.
Kessler started selling whiskey in
Leadville, Colorado
Leadville ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory city, statutory city that is the county seat, the most populous community, and the only List of municipalities in Colorado, incorporated municipality in Lake County, Colorado, Lak ...
, in the late 1870s. In the early days, Julius Kessler went from saloon to saloon selling the whiskey. Kessler's company quickly became profitable, in part due to the higher prices the whiskey commanded in remote areas. Kessler retired from the business in 1921 at the age of 65."Whiskey Names"
Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
, August 26, 1935
Around 1935, Kessler Whiskey was acquired by The Seagram Company. In 2000,
Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard () is a French company best known for its anise-flavoured pastis apéritifs Pernod Anise and Ricard Pastis (often referred to simply as ''Pernod'' or '' Ricard''). The world's second-largest wine and spirits seller, it also produ ...
acquired Kessler Whiskey, then eventually sold the brand to Jim Beam (then part of Fortune Brands) in 2005, which was then purchased by
Suntory Holdings
(commonly referred to as simply Suntory) is a Japanese multinational brewing and distilling company group. Established in 1899, it is one of the oldest companies in the distribution of alcoholic beverages in Japan, and makes Japanese whisky.
...