The Joseph Magnus story began in the middle of the 19th century when he was informed that his father had been killed during the Civil War. His late father had been a merchant, and Magnus followed in his footsteps, becoming a liquor wholesaler and building a liquor empire out of Cincinnati, Ohio.
In 1892, Joseph developed his own whiskey brand, and his most distinguished product was the Murray Hill Club Whiskey. He introduced this whiskey for discriminating customers to the leading bars, hotels, and cafes of his hometown.
Bourbon whiskey was recognized in 1964 by the U.S. Congress as a “distinctive product of the United States.” Bourbon branded whiskey sold in the U.S. must be produced within the country’s borders from at least 51% corn and stored in new barrels of charred oak.
There is a common fallacy that bourbon can only be distilled in Kentucky. Actually, it can be made anywhere in the country, though bourbon is strongly associated with the southern states in general and with Kentucky in particular.
One more bourbon product detail is that aging in a charred oak barrel is one of the legal requirements for it. Charring opens the wood up, making it easier for the spirit to extract a distinct flavor. It also produces chemical changes that are essential to give bourbon its nose.
Vanilla, coconut, toffee, and caramel aromas are created from the wood sugars in the presence of intense heat. Higher charring generally results in a darker color as well. And that’s what makes bourbon delicious.
Fast forward to the 21st century. In 2014, Magnus’ great grandson discovered a few carefully preserved bottles of 122-year-old Murray Hill Club Whiskey among the family’s “treasures.” The bottle shown below belonged to Julian Magnus, the younger of Magnus’ two grandchildren. It was opened and tasted in Louisville, Kentucky in June 2014.
In 2015, the Jos. A. Magnus Co. was reestablished in Washington, DC. Using the same blending and finishing techniques that Joseph Magnus employed more than 100 years ago, the company’s Master Blender created a 12-year-old bourbon in a triple cask finish using charred casks that previously contained Oloroso Sherry, Pedro Ximénez, and Cognac.
In 2020, Jos. A. Magnus Co. relocated to Holland, Michigan and reconnected the brand to the legacy of Joseph A. Magnus, who had spent his last years in Oden, overlooking Lake Michigan.
Actually, there are three Magnus whiskey variants currently on the market. The Joseph Magnus Bourbon, triple cask finished, is straight bourbon whiskey. The Murray Hill Club blends 18- and 11-year-old spirits with a lighter 9-year-old whiskey. The Cigar Blend Bourbon is blended to enhance the enjoyment of a fine cigar.
I now have a Joseph Magnus Bourbon bottle, triple cask finished, and my evaluation is based on the tasting of only that particular version. Yes, it can be used in cocktails, and many recipes appear on the website and promotions for that triple cask-finished tipple.
However, in my opinion, this very fine whiskey has to be treated with the same respect that a single malt Scottish Islay dram is treated. This bourbon should be enjoyed straight, da solo, meaning by itself, perhaps with just a single ice cube or just a splash of water to fully bring out the fine aroma and the body’s flavor. At least that’s what I did to enjoy my first glass!
Manos Angelakis is one of the founders, the former Managing Editor for 25 years, the current Managing Editor Emeritus, and Senior Food & Wine Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. He is an accomplished travel writer, photographer, and food and wine critic based in Hackensack, New Jersey. As a travel writer, he has written extensively about numerous cities and countries. Manos has also been certified as a Tuscan Wine Master and has traveled to wine-producing areas in order to evaluate firsthand the product of top-rated vineyards. In the past year, he has visited and written multiple articles about Morocco, Turkey, Quebec City, Switzerland, Antarctica, and most recently the South of France. Articles in other publications include Vision Times and Epoch Times.
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