Penwick Whiskey - Cheswick Distillery

04/30/2026

Just added to the collection this month of April 2026 is this One Quart brown glass Penwick Pure Rye Whiskey bottle. I estimate this bottle to have been from the mid to late 1890's. Notice in the little circular label "Blockdale, Allegheny CO."
Prior to 1902 when Cheswick Borough, PA (Community) was named, Elias Block, the founder of Elias Block and Sons, The maker of Penwick Pure Rye Whiskey referred to the area where the distillery was as Blockdale. Although the Penwick Whiskey - Cheswick Distillery is long gone, there is still reference to Elias Block today in Cheswick. The street that goes back to where what is left of the barrel warehouses are is called Blockdale Street.
This bottle came to me from Sac City, Iowa. It goes well with my other Full Pint Penwick Bottles with similiar labels. It has been some time since i have found any Penwick related items, hopefully I will fins some more sooner than later!

11/28/2025

This sales quote which includes the pricing for Penwick Whiskey was just added to the collection this month of November 2025 and came all the way from Great Falls, Montana. Dated January 26, 1905 from Gilmore & Mead of Lousville, Kentucky and addressed to Bateman and Switzer of Great Falls, Montana.
Gilmore and Mead was a whiskey merchant located 125 West Main Street in Louisville, Kentucky, in the heart of "Whiskey Row." Bateman and Switzer was a wholesaler of wines, liquors, ci**rs and bar glasses in Great Falls, Montana.
The Whiskey Row district was once the center for bourbon and to***co industries and has since been revitalized with modern attractions, including bars, restaurants, and hotels. The area features several historic distilleries offering tours and tastings, such as Kentucky Peerless Distilling, Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery, and the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Gilmore and Mead was actually located about 2 doors from the Old Forester Distillery.
This is my 3rd piece of ephemera acquired from Great Falls, Montana that had reference to the Penwick brand ranging from 1905 - 1911. It is amazing that the piece of paper that is almost 121 years old has lasted this long!

If you would like to read more about Gimore and Mead of Lousville, Kentucky follow this link: https://pre-prowhiskeymen.blogspot.com/2018/11/thomas-gilmore-and-common-sense-on.html?m=1

If you would like to read more about Bateman and Switzer of Great Falls, Montana follow this link: https://share.google/w8kkvMAaEF14RkmyH

10/13/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/17Qyx1zAJH/

⚾ Celebrate Pittsburgh baseball history with a legend! 🥃

Join Wigle Whiskey and Fine Wine & Good Spirits for a special tasting and autograph signing with Pittsburgh Pirates great Steve Blass on Friday, October 17. The very date he pitched a complete-game victory to clinch the 1971 World Series for the Pirates!

🥃 Tasting: 4–6 PM
✍️ Autograph Signing: 5–7 PM
📍
2001 Smallman St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Sample Wigle favorites like Gin, Wigle Reserve Straight Bourbon, Wigle Reserve Rye and Coffee Liqueur.
Plus, enjoy Wigle baseball-themed rocks glasses and Steve Blass autographed merchandise with purchase.

Raise a glass to local spirits and Pittsburgh sports history!

09/22/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EX2Fs1E7V/

Hot dog! The famous Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is coming to West Overton Village! Relish the chance to see this iconic piece of Americana during our Fall Makers Market on Sunday, September 28, from 1 - 5 p.m.

"Meat" the Hotdoggers team, pose for pictures, and take home fun collectibles like stickers, postcards, and wiener whistles!

Ketchup with all the activities planned for Fall Makers Market: https://www.westovertonvillage.org/events/fall-makers-market-2025

Fall Makers Market is generously sponsored by Brad Appleby State Farm

02/13/2025

Just added to the collection this month of February 2025 from Dayton, Ohio is this Bill of Lading dated January 28, 1916! It is a bill and packing list from S. Rosenbloom & Co. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to The C. Hossfeld & Son Co. of Hamilton, Ohio.

This relates to Penwick Whiskey - Cheswick Distillery because there is a picture of S. Rosenbloom & Co leading sellers, of which Old Father Pitt is pictured in the top corner. Old Father Pitt Pure Rye Whiskey was Distilled, Bottled and sold in Cheswick, Pennsylvania while the distillery was called The East Penn Distillery. The Penwick Distillery was renamed to The East Penn Distillery after the ownership changed hands from Elias Block & Sons of Cincinnati, Ohio in 1914 and until before prohibition in 1920.

"The S. Rosenbloom & Co. was a wholesale liquor operation on Federal Street in the old Allegheny City started by Sol Rosenbloom’s brother Mayer Rosenbloom who was a president of Congregation Beth Israel of the North Side. His sister Ida Rosenbloom married Louis Jay Stein, who managed the Pittsburgh branch of the G. L. Miller & Company Bank. Their son Abraham C. Stein was a local politician and member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives."
https://rauhjewisharchives.org/entry/rosenbloom-family/

The C. Hossfeld & Son Co of Hamilton, Ohio was founded in 1865 by Charles Hossfeld. They were dealers in foreign & domestic wines, liquors, brandies, cordial and etc. until 1918.

The timeline and correlation of this paper is pretty neat:

- Cheswick Whiskey made and sold prior to 1916 to Pittsburgh wholesale company noted on paper.

- Pittsburgh company Bol sent to Hamilton, Ohio in 1916 with reference to cheswick whiskey.

- Hamilton, Ohio is about 35 miles from Cincinnati, Ohio where The Elias Block headquarters were, the original owners of The Penwick Distillery

- Somehow this paper survived the past 109 years and made it's way to Dayton, Ohio which is about 43 miles from Hamilton and 53 miles from Cincinnati

- 2025 paper makes it way to Cheswick, Pennsylvania, were the distillery was and about 15 miles from were the paper was originally sent from.

02/04/2025

I added this correspondence to my collection at the end of January 2025 from Great Falls, Montana. Originally sent from the executive offices of Elias Block & Sons in Cincinnati, Ohio to Bateman Switzer Company in Great Falls Montana. It is dated March 13, 1911. During that time Sidney A. Loab an agent for Elias Block & Sons was to visit and promote The Penwick and Eastbourne whiskey brands for sale and distribution in Great Falls, Montana. It is interesting to think that almost 114 years ago they wrote and sent a letter to a business to let them know someone would be making a visit instead of just calling, emailing or texting, different times!

09/11/2024

Excited to share this One Pint bottle that was just acquired this month, September 2024 from Alma, Kansas. This bottle dates prior to 1914. Note the "The Penwick Distillery" on the bottom of the label. After 1914 the label was changed to "The East Penn Dist'l'ry when ownership of the distillery changed from Elias Block and Sons. As seen on the other bottle labels in the second and third pictures the "East Penn" wording on the labels.

This bottle was graciousluly sent from fellow whiskey historian/collector, Paul Gronquist. Paul focuses his great collection to the St. Joseph and Kansas City Missouri areas. If you have any items from these areas or have any leads please let me know to help his collection grow!

04/29/2024

Just added to the collection this month of April 2024. One Quart Penwick Straight Whiskey bottle. Distilled and bottled by A. Overholt & Co. Inc. in Broadford, Pennsylvania. At the time when controlled by National Distillers Corporation. I estimate this bottle to have been from the mid 1930's. This bottle came to me from Canandaigua, New York via Rushville, New York. It goes well with my other 1/10 Pint and Full Pint Penwick Bottles from Overholt in Broadford.

11/08/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100054169163994/posts/858356222646675/?mibextid=K8Wfd2

Pittsburgh has long been known as a shot-and-a-beer town. And for more than 160 years, much of the beer consumed here was made by Pittsburgh Brewing Co. Now the iconic company is making the shots to go with its beer. After years of sitting in oak barrels until just the

11/05/2023

I did not get a chance to take a tour of the new distillery but I did get to visit the brand new first day open gift shop for the distillery at Iron City Beer. I sampled the 6 Year Rye and the Bourbon. I was able to take home bottle 126 of 736 from Batch 1 of the 6 year rye. Although not yet distilled in Creighton, PA where the new brewery and distillery is located, it has been bottled in Creighton, PA a mere 3.5 miles up river from where the Penwick Whiskey - Cheswick Distillery was located! I was also able to take home an Iron City Distilling Rocks and Snifter glass. While at the brewery gift shop I was also able to pickup a couple of tin signs to add to the gameroom! Can't wait to schedule a tour of this amazing facility.