The AKO Executive Committee has reason to believe that there are large liquor companies in the United States which may be owned in whole or part by Jews. The AKO is concerned that suc companies may not have arranged for the sale of their chometz before Pesach. These companies primarily manufacture bourbon, cordials, and American whiskey, and also deal in a small amount of Scotch and vodka.
Chometz-containing liquors owned, produced and/or aged by Jewish-owned companies over Pesach are forbidden as chometz she’avar alav haPesach.
Since many liquor products are aged for many years before they are sold to the public, it cannot be assumed that these beverages are acceptable for kosher use even if they are purchased a long time before or after Pesach.
Accordingly, the AKO recommends that kashrus agencies and consumers change their policies and only consume those alcoholic beverages which [are free of standard kosher concerns and] are known to (a) be produced by a non-Jewish company or a Jewish-owned company which arranged for the sale of their chometz, (b) not contain any chometz, including not having chometz secondary grains or malted barley (bourbon and cordials are examples of items that may have these forbidden items), and/or (c) were not aged over Pesach (e.g. vodka).
The following are some brands which the AKO believes to be subject to the above concern:
1792 Ridgemont
51 Ice
99 Schnapps
A. Smith Bowman
Absinthe
Ancient Age
Antique Collection
Barton
Blantons
Bowman
Buffalo Trace
Canadian Host
Canadian Hunter
Canadian LTD
Canadian Supreme
Colonel Lee
Dr McGillicuddy’s
Eagle Rare
Elmer T Lee
Experimental Collection
Fireball
Fleishmann’s
Hancock’s Presidents Reserve
Herbsaint
Highland Mist
House of Stuart
Imperial
Inver House
James Foxe
Kentucky Gentleman
Kentucky Tavern
Lauder’s
McAfee’s Benchmark
Mix 51
Mr. Boston
Northern Light
Old Charter
Old Thompson
Old Van Winkle
Pappy Van Winkle
Peychaud’s
Regan’s
Rich & Rare
Rock Hill Farms
Royal Canadian
Sazerac Rye
Ten High
Terra Brazilis
Tom Moore
Tyrconnell
Van Winkle
Very Old Barton
Virginia Gentleman
W L Weller
Consumers who already own one of these liquors are encouraged to ask their personal rov whether returning the bottles to the store is considered having hana’ah (benefit) from chometz she’avar alav haPesach.
Lastly, the AKO notes that this notification does not cover the serious question of the status of whiskey (or other chometz) owned on Pesach by a Jewish distributor who does or does not arrange for the sale of his chometz. Consumers are once again encouraged to discuss this question with their rov.
For updated information or questions regarding this notification, email AKO at [email protected].
{Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}
This is not the only problem with whiskey!
i’ll drink to that
not a fine bottle of wild turkey?
And who,pray tell, is the AKO? Are they a rabbinical organization? A kashrus organization?
Or perhaps an organization formed by whiskey distillers who are conveniently not on the list above?
Since this is the Age of the Scam, perhaps you could tell us a little more about this “group.”
To #4:
Look ’em up.
http://www.akokosher.com/