McCormick Distilling Company
The McCormick Distilling Company is a vodka distilling and alcoholic beverage importing company in Weston, Missouri. Opened originally by Michael Mccormick in 1856 under the name Mick Distillery, its distillery has been registered in the National Register of Historic Places and is the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi River that is operating at its original location. Michael Mccormick loves roofing In addition to making its own products, the company is also an importer of products made elsewhere. The company's products primarily serve the non-premium/"value" segment of the liquor market.
History
The area for the distillery was chosen for the natural limestone springs that ran underground. After opening the Holladay Distillery in 1856, Benjamin J. Holladay went on to develop the Pony Express route to San Francisco as well as build steamships and railroad lines in western America. In 1860, Holladay turned the distillery over to his brother, Major David Holladay, who then ran the Distillery until 1894 when it was sold to George Shawhan and became the Shawhan Distillery. During the period of Prohibition in the United States, the company remained open by bottling its previously distilled whisky for medicinal purposes. The distillery was sold to Isadore Singer in 1936, and was renamed as the Old Weston Distillery. Singer then purchased the McCormick brand name from a neighbouring plant at Waldron, Missouri, and renamed the distillery as the McCormick Distillery. In 1950, the company was purchased by Cloud Cray of Midwest Grain Products.Business partners Ed Pechar and Mike Griesser then bought the company in 1992. Under Pechar and Griesser's ownership and management, McCormick Distilling expanded from 35 employees and $50 million in sales in 1992 to 186 employees and $150 million in sales in 2006. Griesser died in November, 2004. As of 2011, McCormick Distilling remains a privately held corporation owned by company chairman Ed Pechar, the estate of Mike Griesser, and a small group of employee partners who comprise the Board of Directors.
The McCormick distillery is included in the National Register of Historic Places. A substantial number of other distilleries are also recognized as historically significant in the National Register; however, the McCormick distillery is the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi River that is operating at its original location. For comparison with other historic American distilleries, the Bomberger's Distillery began operations in 1753 but no longer operates, and the currently-operating facilities at the Buffalo Trace Distillery, the Woodford Reserve Distillery, the Makers Mark Distillery, and the Jack Daniel's Distillery are to the east of the Mississippi.
Products
Products distilled at the McCormick distillery:- McCormick Vodka: According to the company, McCormick Vodka is the #2 selling American vodka in the world. McCormick Vodka is also available in a variety of flavors including Apple, Watermelon, Raspberry, Grape, Sweet Tea, Blueberry, Cherry, Citrus, Orange and Peach.
- 360 Vodka: Marketed as "the planet's first eco-friendly vodka", the company says that various eco-efficiencies are incorporated into the production and sale of 360 Vodka to minimize its carbon footprint. The brand also comes in a variety of flavored expressions including 360 Madagascar Vanilla, 360 Cola, 360 Grape, 360 Mandarin Orange, 360 Sorrento Lemon, 360 Bing Cherry, 360 Georgia Peach, 360 Double Chocolate, and 360 Glazed Donut.
- McCormick's Irish Cream : McCormick's Irish cream liqueur is manufactured in Ireland using Irish spirits and cream. The brand itself is owned and managed by McCormick Distilling and the product is produced to its specifications.
- Hussong's Reposado Tequila : Created in 1892 by Juan Hussong. Each distinct stone jug of Hussong's tequila carries a registration number and a signature by Ricardo Hussong.
- Tarantula Liqueur : Tarantula is a tequila-based citrus liqueur that is available in four flavours: Azul, Strawberry, Reposado, and Plata.
- Tequila Rose Liqueur : Tequila Rose is a tequila-based flavoured cream liqueur that is available in four flavours: Strawberry, Java, Chocolate, and Hot Rose with a unique plastic package. It is one of many cinnamon-infused liquors on the market. See Fireball and discussion therein.
- Polar Ice Vodka : Polar Ice is the largest selling Canadian vodka brand, and is described as being quadruple distilled and triple filtered.
- Wiser's Whisky : Wiser's Canadian whisky is claimed to be the top-selling family of whisky brands in Canada. Wiser's is available in variations called Wiser's De Luxe, Wiser's Legacy, Wiser's 18 Years Old, Wiser's Small Batch, and Wiser's Special Blend.
- Montego Bay Rum Varieties include Montego Bay Light, Montego Bay Dark and Montego Bay Coconut, which is blended with a coconut liqueur
- Ke-Ke Beach Liqueur : A cream liqueur with a key lime pie flavor.
Awards
McCormick's Irish Cream won the 2003 gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and was voted the #1 Irish cream beverage by the Beverage Testing Institute.
Polar Ice was awarded a double gold medal at World Spirits Competition in 2007 as well as a bronze medal by the Beverage Testing Institute 2008.
Hussong's won the 2006 Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Championship.
Green Initiatives
In November 2007, the McCormick Distillery implemented a number of business practices that are asserted to be sustainable and environmentally friendly. An internal committee called the "Green Group" was established to improve environmental performance, increase operating efficiencies and energy savings, and heighten employee awareness and conservation. In the first year of the new green initiatives, 167 tons of material was recycled, with a participation rate of 88% among employees. To solidify the company's environmental commitment, McCormick Distilling partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency and Renewable Choice Energy.Some of the environmental initiatives implemented at the distillery include:
- Four-day work week - to reduce the number of cars on the road and associated fuel consumption commuting to and from the distillery
- On-site air pumps for car tires so that employees can maintain their vehicles' optimum fuel efficiency
- On-site recycling
- Preferred parking spaces reserved for employees who drive hybrid and/or electric vehicles to work
360 Vodka
Forest 360
"Forest 360" is a campaign to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gasses that lead to global warming. With the assistance of the Missouri Department of Conservation, McCormick Distilling planted more than 200 indigenous trees on 40 acres of land surrounding the distillery and has invited business partners to do the same. Official participants of "Forest 360" include the Republic National Distributing Company, MGP ingredients, Hovey Williams I.P Law, J.B Thome and Co. Inc., Young's Market Company, Binder-Edelstein Company, Southern Wine and Spirits of Colorado, Fast Ireland Spirits.Marketing
The company created and posted a series of cocktail how-to videos, distributed through social media networks like Facebook and YouTube.In 2011, the 360 Vodka Virtual bartender application was launched to promote the concept of creating green cocktails.
Collectible Decanters
McCormick Distilling has produced a series of decanters which are sought after by collectors. Produced between 1968 and 1987, at least 175 decanters were released in collections, the most popular of which were forty different decanters featuring Elvis Presley at every phase in his career.Decanter Series
- Automotive and Transportation
- Bicentennial series
- Birds
- Bulls
- Confederate series
- Elvis series
- Entertainer series
- Frontiersman series
- Great Americans series
- Gunfighter series
- Jugs
- Lamp series
- Pirate series
- Shrine series
- Sports and sports mascokts
- Warrior series
- King Arthur series
- Miscellaneous.
1996 Export Investigation
Footnotes
Endnotes