This Rye Whiskey Has Long Been Linked To American West Legends Like Doc Holliday

Drinking like an American outlaw doesn't just mean brewing a cup of cowboy coffee. In Tombstone, Arizona, gunslingers like John Henry "Doc" Holliday and Wyatt Earp were ordering whiskey — specifically Old Overholt Straight Rye. Modern imbibers may recognize Old Overholt from the bottom shelf at the liquor store; it is one of the lowest-priced rye whiskeys made in America. But, this whiskey offers a taste of American history that shouldn't be overlooked.

America's oldest whiskey brand, Old Overholt rye hails from West Overton, Pennsylvania. Its story begins when the Overholt family (originally Oberholtzer) immigrated to the U.S. during the mid-1700s. As was common during the era, these German Mennonite farmers brewed an old farm whiskey for medicinal purposes. But, when Grandpa Overholt passed his recipe on to Abe Overholt (born in 1784), the scale boomed. 

In 1810, Abe began commercially producing rye whiskey in a log stillhouse on the farmstead property. Henry Clay Frick, industrial tycoon and Abe's grandson, took over the business in 1881 — the same time Earp rose to prominence in Tombstone and befriended Holliday. Per the lore, Old Overholt was the favorite whiskey brand of Earp and Holliday. Some historians dispute this, maintaining that Earp was a teetotale; some film depictions even show him ordering coffee or cigars during bar scenes instead of a drink. But, Old Overholt would have been the most commonly-served whiskey in Tombstone during the frontiersmen's time. Whether or not he himself partook, Earp was known to sell Old Overholt at the saloon he ran during his retirement.

As the brand's popularity grew, Old Overholt's distillery found itself well-equipped to produce large volumes of whiskey. Pennsylvania was a naturally conducive climate for growing a luscious rye crop, and the state's proximity to the booming railroad industry enabled expansion and transportation. In 1880, the distillery was making over 3,000 gallons of whiskey per day (a massive operation) and the product exploded across the American West. By 1900, Old Overholt rye had amassed a sprawling fanbase from Wild West frontier towns to the metropolitan centers of the East Coast. The brand even received a special federal permit to continue production during Prohibition, cranking out hundreds of thousands of gallons as other whiskeys were outlawed.

Over the years, Old Overholt's reputation has evolved as bourbon became the more popular American whiskey post-Prohibition. Still, this centuries-old spirit has remained popular. It was the go-to whiskey of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, which reflects its prominence during the early 1960s. This rye delivers pepper, fruit, and vanilla on the nose, followed by a rich, full-bodied palate of baking spice and dark fruits. Old Overholt is aged for at least four years and clocks in at a slightly overproof 43% ABV. Today, the longstanding brand remains an especially popular offering among the residents of Tombstone where it is widely carried in local bars for a taste of the gunslinging days of the O.K. Corral. Here at Tasting Table, we're singing the praises of this Old Overholt cocktail perfect for rye lovers.