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Sunday, May 26, 2013
The Rational Way to Regard NDP Whiskeys
NDP is short for 'non-distiller producer.' The designation is self-explanatory. Some producers make what they sell, starting with the raw materials of grains, water, yeast, and charred oak barrels. They mill, cook, ferment, distill, age, and ultimately bottle the product, put one of their own names on it, and sell it through their own distribution channels.
Other producers buy aged whiskey in bulk from one of the distillers, either directly or indirectly through a broker. Then they bottle and market it. Those are NDPs.
You can't tell distillers from NDPs by reading the product label. You more-or-less have to know. This isn't as hard as it sounds because the number of distillers is small, especially if you exclude micro-distillers (who rarely sell in bulk). Virtually all of America's whiskey is made at 13 distilleries owned by eight companies. All of the NDP whiskey is made by those producers too.
Most distillers market their whiskey under multiple names. Some produce a handful of brands, others dozens, but they're not a secret. Some make a couple of different recipes and matching recipes to brands takes a little more research but that's not a secret either. The companies are usually upfront about it on their web sites.
The Maker's Mark Distillery, which is owned by Beam Inc., makes Maker's Mark bourbon and nothing else, no other brands. The Jack Daniel's, Woodford Reserve, and George Dickel distilleries likewise make only their namesake brands in a couple of different expressions. Everybody else makes multiple brands. Jim Beam, for example, makes Jim Beam bourbon and Jim Beam Rye, but also Knob Creek, Booker's, Baker's, Basil Hayden's, Old Grand-Dad, Old Crow, Old Overholt, and a couple more.
MGP of Indiana is included among the distiller producers, although they make no brands of their own. However, most of the NDPs who use MGP whiskey identify it as the source.
That brings us to the NDPs who keep the source or sources of their whiskey a deep, dark secret. Templeton Rye, for instance, would like you to think its product is made at a little distillery in Templeton, Iowa, when it's actually made at a great big distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
Templeton is not unique. Some other NDPs you may know are Michter's, KBD (Willett), Black Maple Hill, Whistle Pig, Jefferson's, Pogue, and Angel's Envy. They make nothing themselves. Because most of their products are quite good, there is always a lot of speculation about who made this or that expression.
You are of course free to buy whatever you want and equally free to speculate about the provenance but consider this: why do business with someone who makes you play stupid guessing games about the basic question of who made their product?
"Because I like it and don't care who made it," is a fair answer.
There used to be a lot of bulk whiskey around that was made by closed distilleries, but virtually all of that juice is gone. All of the NDP whiskey you get today was made at one of those 13 distilleries by one of those eight companies. With the exception of MGP, it was made by someone who also sells that same whiskey (more-or-less) under their own names. When a distillery makes a bulk whiskey sale, do you think they deliver their best whiskey? Of course not, their best whiskey goes into the products they put their name on.
NDPs are secretive because they want you to believe they made the product themselves and some go to great lengths to create that illusion. They rarely lie but will spin like dervishes. When pressed, they claim they're contractually prevented from revealing their sources. Maybe they are, or maybe that's just a convenient excuse to continue the deception.
Look at it this way. You can get plenty of good whiskey from companies that don't try to deceive you at every turn. Do business with them.
ADDED A FEW HOURS LATER: Here's a good example of how NDPs hurt themselves with their dissembling. After this went up, a poster in a discussion group where I linked to it took great offense at it. She felt I was insulting her friends who work for the companies I named. She got very upset with me and called me many names, but who do you think she'll be mad at if she eventually learns that everything I wrote is true and what they told her is a big load of crap? And she's a bar manager, their customer.
69 comments:
If anything you too kind. When a company purposefully sets out to lie and mislead they have it coming to them and should get what they deserve.
- May 27, 2013 at 12:31 AM
Perhaps the biggest smoke and mirrors is up north where there is increasing speculation about Forty Creek as an NDP, some have questioned how they can produce so much whiskey with so small capacity.
- May 27, 2013 at 8:18 AM
LOL! So by this post I take it you don't think much of the marketing wonder that is Pappy Van Winkle?
- May 27, 2013 at 8:26 AM
I like it and don't care who made it.
- May 27, 2013 at 9:09 AM
- Dan said...
You should add High West to the list, unless they really are now setting down their own stock. Also, Whistle Pig sources its rye from Canada, and not one of the major US distillers.
- May 27, 2013 at 9:54 AM
- Steffen said...
Some distillers are not very open about the source of their brands either. Rittenhouse, Woodford Reserve is just a couple of examples
Who knows where Heaven Hill products were made ? They had a change in distillery and a gap of a couple of years. End of the day, bourbon is focused more on brands than distilleries
Even my bottle of Elijah Craig 18yo says "Distilled and bottled by The Elijah Craig Distillery Co."
Very confusing. You can gain some knowledge by searching the internet, but bottle labels are not helping as a general rule
In Scotland distilleries often sell casks to brokers and other distilleries under the condition that it cannot be bottled with the distillery name on it. Brand protection they call it. So sometimes you see single malts bottled with "brand names" like Westport, Blairfindy, Ballindalloch etc.
Does bourbon producers sell barrels with the same conditions ?
Steffen - May 27, 2013 at 10:30 AM
In which discussion group did the bar manager take offense?
- May 27, 2013 at 12:51 PM
Personally Thinking......
I would like to have my own whiskey brand with tall tale about ancestors distilling and selling Frontier Bourbon !
MGP not far from me.
Who should I talk to ? - May 27, 2013 at 1:01 PM
Thought Willett and Pogue were now distilling too - I know those products aren't to market yet but does that garner an asterix or some other distinction as they would be a hybrid, since they are technically distilling, the NDP moniker wouldn't fit would it?
- May 27, 2013 at 1:07 PM
- Chuck Cowdery said...
Willet is distilling but nothing they've distilled is available. Pogue has introduced a rye they made, but it's only for sale at the distillery. High West is a distiller and sells its own-made products along with its NDP products. Smooth Ambler, Great Lakes, and several other micros sell both own-made and NDP products. You can sort them out, but you have to be diligent and set your BS detector on high.
- May 27, 2013 at 1:32 PM
- Alex said...
Since you mention 13 main distilleries with 8 companies, how about saving us some digging time? Is this list close:
George Dickel Distillery - Diageo
Four Roses Distillery - Kirin
Wild Turkey Distillery - Wild Turkey
Barton 1792 Distillery, Buffalo Trace Distillery, A. Smith Bowman Distillery - Sazerac
Heaven Hill Distillery - Heaven Hill
Brown-Forman Distillery, Woodford Reserve Distillery, jack Daniels Distillery - Brown-Forman
Booker Noe Distillery, Jim Beam Distillery, Makers Mark Distillery - Beam
Lexington Brewing & Distilling - Alltech
MGPI - doesnt sell under its own brands
- May 27, 2013 at 2:52 PM
- Chuck Cowdery said...
That's the list except I didn't count A. Smith Bowman, because they don't make anything from scratch, and would be considered a micro if they did. I also didn't count Alltech because they are a micro.
- May 27, 2013 at 3:42 PM
Isn't Wild Turkey is part of Campari Group?
- May 27, 2013 at 4:39 PM
- Chuck Cowdery said...
Yes, Wild Turkey is owned by Campari.
- May 27, 2013 at 4:45 PM
Drink the bourbon you like. Who gives a shit where it came from. Making a huge deal about it makes you seem elitist.
On a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle, it says it's produced by Old Rip Van Winkle distillery, which technically doesn't exist. Isn't that misleading? Who f-ing cares. Drink it and be merry. - May 27, 2013 at 7:53 PM
- Chuck Cowdery said...
Knowing who made something is the first step to knowing how it was made. If you only care about drinking and don't care about learning something about what you drink, why are you reading this?
- May 27, 2013 at 10:12 PM
- Unknown said...
Not caring, or worse not having the slightest interest in knowing who is taking your money for a product you might find from the true producer at a lower price makes you seem......
- May 27, 2013 at 10:51 PM
- Doctor Tarr said...
I think grocery stores should tell us where their store brands are made, too. "Packaged for Kroger, Cincinnati, Ohio" isn't useful information. They can change suppliers without notice and start selling a different product in the same package.
- May 27, 2013 at 11:04 PM
Even if someone doesn't care how their drink is made, knowing where it came from is an important part of keeping track of whether it continues to come from the same source.
And if the "craft" NDP you liked so much goes bankrupt, wouldn't it be nice to know where they got their whiskey so that maybe you can track down more of it from a different bottler?
Maybe U.S. producers should list who manufactures a product, regardless of the brand. It could be like the Norma Oficial Mexicana number on tequila bottles. If the whiskey is good, there's no reason subtle disclosure should detract from sales. - May 27, 2013 at 11:07 PM
To all the "who cares" people:
I have bought a lot of whiskey over the years, probably more than you, and probably mot as much as Chuck, and I can tell you that I don't like buying NDP products because they are generally a bad value, or not as good a value as a normal distillery product. In other words, the people that care are the people that don't want to waste their time and money. - May 28, 2013 at 6:11 AM
And you should disclose your relationships, conversations, and the earnings you have/had with the 13 distilleries owned by eight companies who've given you the mandate (and probably money) to market this 'issue'. Or would you have us speculate about the provenance of your reportage? And get back to us with some counter-arguments by going straight to the people and companies you allege are deceptive for feedback. Or, just continue selling the perversity of their deceptive standards... from undisclosed sources.
- May 28, 2013 at 8:00 AM
- Tuthilltown Sprits said...
Most of the producers I know accept the market fact of bulk whiskey production and brands which are only that, "Brands" and are not actually produced by the brand owner. But they all agree there must be some clarity and honesty on the label since that is exactly why labels are so thoroughly vetted, for truth. The absence of a clear indication if the brand is produced by others is necessary if the TTB is to live up to its mandate to police the inaccuracies and misleading statements on spirit labels. Chuck's suggestion is solid. It should be something required, who made it? where was it made? It's a reasonable expectation of the consumers and fair to those brand owners who actually make their spirit brands.
- May 28, 2013 at 10:56 AM
This is why I love your blog Chuck: You aren't afraid to stir up the shit and tell it like it is.
More to the point: Here's why I care. Templeton or Bulleit rye? Which do you choose? I now know that they both come from MGP, but Bulleit is bottled at a higher strength and is half the price. It seems like a no brainer to me. Also, for as much as huge companies get grief for their efforts to screw up your favorite spirit, one has to admire Diageo's transparency regarding Bulleit Rye. They have never tried to hide the fact that they source this whiskey from MGP.
Knowing more about your choices helps you to make a better decision.
- May 28, 2013 at 1:22 PM
- Kyle Henderson said...
What would you suggest would be the best way to identify the "where" its made requirement? Should NDPs have to put the DSP of the producer, or would a DBA at said distillery suffice? I think there would be way to many voices fighting this if it were ever proposed as a real idea, but conceivably would work.
- May 28, 2013 at 2:25 PM
- SmokyBeast said...
Normally I don't care. Independent bottling has been a valuable contribution to the single malt world for years. But this one really bothered me: http://widowjane.com/widowjane/
"As great whiskey distillers throughout the world — from Kentucky to Scotland — have long known, it takes sweet water from tough rock to make great whiskey. And, that's what Widow Jane Whiskey, distilled in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, is all about."
Actually it's NDP and says "Kentucky Bourbon" right on the bottle. http://www.drinkhacker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Widow-Jane-bourbon-whiskey-2.png
Why they'd put the lie on their website is beyond me. - May 28, 2013 at 2:57 PM
- Josh Feldman said...
To the Anonymous commenter who suggested that Chuck Cowdery should reveal his industry work - you should read his books. He does. Chuck is plenty tough on BS wherever he finds it. On this blog he regularly points out BS from distillers. The charge that he is industry biased holds no water. Meanwhile, his arguments about NDP whiskies are factually true. You cannot tell by reading a bottle label where the spirit inside was distilled. That's a shortfall in our labeling requirements. Companies that sell someone else's juice can legitimately add value. I just tasted Lincoln Henderson's new Angel's Envy Rye and can attest that the extra 18 months in rum cask meaningfully improve the palate of that 6 year old 95% rye mash LDI rye. I'll gladly pay for that extra barrel management. The same goes for Willett's - where I'm paying for some proven barrel selection and for some extra maturation in KBD's rick houses. But, as a whiskey geek, I want to know the source of my drinks. Sellers should be transparent about it. Independent bottlers of Scotch are (except in particular cases of teaspooned or "bastard" malts). The mystery games, lies, and BS that are rampant in the Bourbon world aren't healthy. The added mystery only misleads. We would all be better off with more transparency and information for consumers.
- May 28, 2013 at 3:10 PM
When I drink my High West Rye whiskey it tastes awesome. The fact that I'm not sure it came from XYZ distillery or some dude's bathtub does not change the way it tastes. Isn't that what matters?
I understand the argument about wanting to know where and how it's made, blah blah blah, but at the end of the day, the same question remains: Would the way it tastes on your palate going to change if you knew the source? What if some NDP produced something that was better than PVW 15 or 20? You would really not give them your business because of this issue alone?
- May 28, 2013 at 5:57 PM
The thing that drives me crazy are the NDP's that flat out lie with their marketing bullshit. They talk about family recipes and what they do in the still house when I know they don't have a distillery. Julian van Winkle saw the Bourbon shortage coming for his operation years ago. That is why he partnered with Buffalo Trace to start producing his Bourbon for him. He has always been up front and honest about his Bourbon source. As honest and trustworthy a person as there is in the business.
The people that make me cringe are the ones that call themselves master distillers that couldn't find the front door to a distillery, if they could find a distillery. They talk of family recipes when I know they are buying bourbon which they have no say in producing.
I don't know what the answer is to this question, but at least the companies that are not producing anything need to stop lying about their "family recipes" and the work they do in the distillery when they have neither.
Long time industry veterans like Julian van Winkle, who does have a family recipe and is working with a distillery, Buffalo Trace, that I think everyone will agree is producing a lot of great Bourbon, is a completely different animal from the companies buying on the bulk market from anyone who will sell them product. Consistency is important.
The Willett's and the Henderson's at Angel's Envy have already, or are about to make large investments in distillery operations to insure they have their own Bourbon for the future. They are to be commended.
I don't have a problem with NDP's if they can just resist the urge to tell flat out lies to sell their products. - May 28, 2013 at 6:33 PM
Remember when Bourbon used to be fun? Now everybody over analyzes it.
- May 28, 2013 at 6:40 PM
To me there is a marked difference between bottling and selling liquor distilled by someone else *without* presenting it as one's own product (a la High West), and flat-out pretending that you made the juice in question.
I don't have any problem with the former - being a fan-in-parallel of Scotch whisky, it's quite common. The latter is obnoxious and deceptive, however. - May 28, 2013 at 7:21 PM
- Chuck Cowdery said...
Great comments, everyone. Keep them coming.
- May 28, 2013 at 8:10 PM
Really bugs me when I see NDP using geographical brand names that obviously help bolster sales and are considered 'local'. Chattanooga Whiskey Company or Belle Meade bourbon (a Nashville neighborhood). Both Indiana juice. Anyone else seeing this?
- May 28, 2013 at 10:00 PM
I agree with you completely. It is common in the scotch business and you don't see the secondary market promoting marketing people as master distillers. I could name a couple of the most egregious culprits of this practice, but it is easy to spot them with a little research. James Bond reference.
To Anonymous who said people are over analyzing the business. This is all about telling the truth, or at least not telling blatant lies to sell your product. If I pay a Rolls Royce price for a bottle I want to make sure it wasn't manufactured by Yugo.
There is always going to be some omission of facts in sales. JUST DON'T LIE!
In reference to Chattanooga Whiskey and Belle Meade I must say that I don't have a problem with them. The reason is they have it in their label where the whiskey came from. It might be in small print and you have to look for it, but you can find it. I have seen two versions of Belle Meade. One labeled Lawrenceburg, IN and the other Bardstown, KY. There are three companies in Bardstown. Willett, Heaven Hill and Barton. Belle Meade's Bourbon with the Bardstown designation came from one of those three companies. Not 100% certain which one supplied their Bourbon but you at least have some suspects. I think it was Barton. Both of those companies want to build distilleries and make legitimate products. They are starting to build their brands and generate some cash flow without spewing marketing lies. I wish them good luck. - May 28, 2013 at 10:50 PM
In the interest of fairness, how about amending the title to "A Rational Way to Regard NDP Whiskeys," since I'm pretty sure this is not the ONLY way that one can regard them?
- May 28, 2013 at 11:05 PM
- Unknown said...
This is a great piece, and there are some very insightful comments posted in response.
In the final analysis, honesty is the best policy all the way down the line. I am pleased that the comments mentioning Angel's Envy seem to reflect that our consumers feel that we have adhered to this position. While it is true that we are contractually prohibited against disclosing our producers, in my opinion, this as non-issue, as our final product is result of our own craft.
To be more specific, there should be a line drawn between a NDP who releases a product that is distilled, blended, and bottled by a co-packer, and a NDP who applies their craft to the whiskey with their own specific finishing, blending, or whatever their craft may be.
In this discussion, if applied in the proper context, and to the appropriate NDP's, I would like to see more credit given to the art of blending, and the artistry demonstrated by a number of craft producers around the country.
At the end of the day, the market will dictate which products survive, and which ones don't. The market will also support or refute the value added by NDP's to the final product. Consumers are very educated, and are more than capable of peeling away the onion where something doesn't seem right.
Personally, I have more of a problem with the use of the Master Distiller designation than anything else, as was mentioned in one comment.....don't get me started on that one!
Once again, great dialogue, my friends.
Cheers! - May 29, 2013 at 8:03 AM
Is Breckenridge bourbon NDP?
- May 29, 2013 at 12:49 PM
I believe Breckenridge bourbon is sourced. A careful reading of their marketing and label states that Colorado water is used for diluting barrel-strength bourbon when bottling. I don't believe this is what most people have in mind when the company states that its bourbon is "made with" Colorado water and at Colorado's elevation, when the bourbon is likely made in the midwest.
- May 29, 2013 at 2:16 PM
While the anorak in me would enjoy knowing the source distillery or distilleries for an NDP bottle, I don't believe we will ever see this level of disclosure. NDPs exist to make money. If I disclose on the bottle that my NDP whiskey is made at a Jim Beam distillery and it sells for $50 a bottle, might not more consumers take a crack at bottle of Knob Creek at $30 a bottle next time around? It seems this would really force the NDPs to differentiate their products by skillful blending, finishing, etc. (As stated, Angel's Envy is a good example of the type of producer that would enjoy continued success in a full-disclosure environment.) Simply filling bottles with standard juice and selling them at premium might not cut it.
The proliferation of NDPs shows that the big distilleries are making enough product for both themselves and the NDPs, so the big boys with significant bulk sales don't have an incentive to support more descriptive labeling either. To do so might risk losing some bulk sales; these could be partially offset by consumers switching to the same juice from the big distilleries' own brands, but I doubt the big distilleries would risk losing the sure thing of bulk sales. Certainly the ultimate market fallout among a distillery's own brands and NDP brands of the same distillery's whiskey, with source disclosure on the label, would be unpredictable at best.
It would be interesting to know approximately what percentage of the bulk market is serviced by MGP. I would think they have no incentive whatsoever to support label transparency. What advantage exists to having the consumer know that his three "different" ryes are in fact made by the same distillery to the same mashbill?
Perhaps the only ones who would benefit from disclosing the source of the whiskey on the label would be a limited number of interested consumers and any big distillery with little or no bulk sales (does such a beast exist?) that might hope to capture some of the consumers who would no longer pay a premium for an NDP "craft" brand if they found out it was actually distilled at one of the big producers. Bottom line, distillery disclosure on the label isn't likely to happen because too much money is stacked against it.
- May 29, 2013 at 2:31 PM
@Wes Henderson. All due respect, specific finishing and blending are skills, not craft. Whiskey is a business, not a guild. I'm tired of the industry conflating the two.
- May 29, 2013 at 3:42 PM
I want to say that I have been around Kyle and his family at several tastings and respect them for approaching the marketing of Angel's Envy in what I deem an honest and upfront manner. Their emphasis has always been on how they finish their whiskey in port casks, and plans on other types of finishes. While Lincoln Henderson is a true master distiller that trump card of "what I did in the stillhouse with this whiskey" has never been played in my presence. Once they get their distillery built and start producing he will certainly be able to say that. That will be a day I know that they look forward to.
I will restate my position that Kyle mentioned in his last post. People claiming to be master distillers when the extent of their involvement in distilling has been to walk through a distillery on a distillery visit cheapens the position. All you have to do is look at some of the recent inductees into the Bourbon Hall of Fame (Shame?) and realize they are nothing but marketing ploys that are laughable on the surface, and just flat out dishonest at the core. I don't know how these "Master Distillers" can look at themselves in the mirror knowing the only people they are fooling are the consumers they meet at trade shows.
It is a disservice to people like Jimmy Russell, Jim Rutledge, Lincoln Henderson, Booker Noe, Parker Beam, etc., etc., that have worked years in the Bourbon industry making great products having the term Master Distiller whored out to the lowest common denominator by marketing hacks. - May 29, 2013 at 3:48 PM
- lexpierce said...
Everyone keeps mentioning High West, but they are up-front about their status. Take their double rye, for instance. It is a blend of their own (too young to stand on its own) stuff and NBD stuff, and they are honest on the label. Some of these are just getting started, and it takes a few years to get product out the door.
Myself, I like to drink locally produced just to support economies of the places I visit, and that is the only reason I want to see labels. Pretty much all us potato-based vodka comes from eastern Idaho, but they only have a non-vodka spirit under their own name. If it actually came from brooklyn, it would be good to know. Or if they are upfront about the fact they are using someone to distill and age their own mash, that would be different too. - May 29, 2013 at 5:16 PM
If a company is trying to hide they are a NDP company, that's a reflection of the integrity of the owner, not the product. The practice of NDPs has been going on for a long time, it's just now that the general public is catching on. With that, the Feds should put forth a designation in the address information for distilleries that product a craft product - from grain to bottle, all under one roof. This should be per product, not per distillery.
Why do you ask? Let's say a company produces their own as well as source. Their entire operation shouldn't be "craft" but the products should be - for the ones that are grain to bottle under their own roof the entire time. This will remove anyone bringing in NGS or having anything in the process being done elsewhere. At the same time, keeping this type of operation in mind, they can produce sourced product, they just can't have the special designation in the address information but for those they do all in house, they can. To qualify, their annual output should be under a certain amount of pgs and they must have documented with the Feds their ability to produce from grain to bottle - this earns them the right to have the designation. When they submit COLA approval, they will have to provide production information and attest to the accuracy of the data.
Trying to get the Feds to come up with a class of craft distilleries will never happen. BUT, having a special designation for a product just might. It wouldn't be fair to classify a distillery as craft if they are sourcing their current products while they are making their own and allowing it to age.
Keep in mind, the business model of going with sourced products first instead of distilling is just that - a business model. Distilling from the start could put you in a situation where you have to release a product (whiskey) too early or use small barrels to speed up aging. Or, dare I say, produce a vodka, gin or white dog for cash flow. - May 29, 2013 at 6:01 PM
Lex pierce,
High west is indeed upfront about their products and origin. They are to be commended. This is not a black and white issue, but a thousand shades of gray. We go from full disclosure, to putting the source somewhere on the label, to no disclosure (with no marketing BS) to no disclosure with marketing BS, to no disclosure with flat out telling of lies about fake master distillers and "family recipes", to all points in between. I would like to start the clean up of this mess with those companies that are lying in their marketing efforts. If we just did that it would be a huge deal. - May 29, 2013 at 7:26 PM
The over riding factor in this issue is the fact that the bulk market has dried up to a certain extent. We are reading about shortages from Buffalo Trace, other distilleries ending private label contracts, etc., etc. There is a reason that Willett and Angel's Envy, Michter's are building distilleries. They are having a hard time finding aged product, or product of any kind. The market will adjust as it always does. This part of the business has always been around. In fact the largest companies in Louisville at the turn of the century were not distiller's, but rectifiers. Buy product, mingle it to suit a marketing taste profile, and sell it. Just don't tell lies about your family heritage, recipes and distillery when you have none.
- May 29, 2013 at 7:42 PM
Peach Street and Deerhammer are the only whiskey I drink out here in Colorado and I know exactly where it comes from. I don't even need to bother with that other BS with labeling.
- May 30, 2013 at 8:16 AM
- Mike Ryan said...
Coming in late to the party but I can say as someone in a purchasing role at a relatively high profile establishment the provenance of any spirit is something I question when tasting. Often I'm presented with very very young, roughly made spirits that are honestly distilled and represented by folks who are passionate about what they do, and it's tough to say no to that level of passion. Just as often I'm presented with a very serviceable fully matured bourbon or rye with a label I've never seen before, and all the rep has to talk about is some old family recipe, or a heartwarming tale about someone's dad or grand dad and their dog or something...with little to no information as to the distillery, mash bill, distillation proof, barrel program, etc. At the end of the day it's all about flavor, and if you like a particular label--go for it! Drink what you like! But deliberate obfuscation leaves a bad taste in my mouth, which is why I have a harder time with NDPs that dance around the truth.
- May 30, 2013 at 3:24 PM
Chuck, you said that, "Because I like it and don't care who made it," is a fair answer. It's more than "a fair answer", it's the ONLY acceptable answer for anyone whose taste is independent of media hype. Do you care where the corn is grown? Where the malt is imported from? These are vitally important to those who consider themselves well-educated in wines... and therefore distilled spirits such as brandy. Hennessy doesn't grow its own grapes. Neither does Corvousier. Do they do all their own fermenting or do they purchase what you would call "bulk wine"? For that matter, do they do ALL of their own distilling? Who cares? Well, distillers who don't grow their own grain are working with what you would term "bulk produce". Distillers who distill mash produced by others (brewers, for example) would seem to be considered by you as less than legitimate. And apparently, that category would also include marketers of bourbon who select and mix barreled and aged product from distillers that are not themselves (i.e., NDPs). Never mind that that's exactly what Hennessy and Corvoisier do, and have done for longer than there has BEEN a bourbon industry. Never mind that you've conveniently left out iconic "NDPs" whose reputation conflicts with your point, such as A. H. Hirsch and Julian Van Winkle. Even and Drew Kulsveen should be included here as well, IMHO, as should (truth be known) Parker Beam and Truman Cox.
You know all this. And you don't even LIKE unaged white dog whiskey. So why do you keep railing at the bottlers of "whiskey that taste[s] like I want it to taste, regardless of who distilled it" as if the person producing the white dog was making some important contribution that the selector of aged barrels is not? - May 30, 2013 at 7:09 PM
- Chuck Cowdery said...
You know I love you, John, but who's talking about Cognac?
- May 30, 2013 at 7:42 PM
- Shane Baker said...
This is one of the main reasons we began our journey into distilling our own products. Not only to know who made it, whats actually in it, but to know what I'm really drinking!
We would support any movement to separate non-producers from producers. We are a small operation and we are offering handmade spirits from grinding our own grain to filling our own bottles in bond, we feel that is the way it should be, but that is just us. We dont want to wait 4-5 years for our Bourbon but we will, because we made it and our brand wont be ready until its ready.
Proudly Distilling in Kentucky!
Shane Baker
Wilderness Trace Distillery - May 30, 2013 at 9:00 PM
What about those "crafts" that just buy their grains and yeast? Shame on them. All they do is mill it, mash it and distill it. Some don't even mill it as I'm finding out. If your not working the dirt, your cheating. All their doing is turning on their "rainmaker". Some of their glass bottles are MADE IN CHINA! You call that American made Bourbon.
- May 31, 2013 at 1:21 AM
I find it humorous that you talk about taste independent of media hype when the only brands you mention are the most hyped by the media. You make a good point about the cognac business. Key difference is that you don't have cognac producers spouting marketing BS about family recipes and decisions they make Distilling when they don't own a still.
The problem I have with some, not all, NDP's is they are trading on reputations of brands that were made on products made for a very short period of time 30 years ago, and the current product is not even close to what it was. Michter's and Hirscch being two of the most prominent in the group. I am not saying that they are putting out bad product, but there is nothing in those bottles close to what it was.
Julian van Winkle always sourced his bourbon from Stitzel-Weller and then Bernheim after Stitzel-Weller was shut down because they used Pappy's wheated bourbon recipe. After Diageo gained ownership of those brands his source for wheated bourbon dried up. That is when he contracted with Buffalo Trace to start producing for him. Great distillery which I am sure uses his family recipe with him overseeing production to some extent. There is a common thread of consistency in the production of van Winkle bourbons. That is the main issue here as far as I am concerned. Consistent product time after time. That is Chuck's point in my opinion. Who really has a grip on where their product is coming from, and do they really care? As I said in an earlier post if I am paying a Rolls Royce price I want to make sure it is not coming from Yugo. I trust Julian van Winkle to provide a consistent product. Not so sure about Michter's and Willie Pratt, who managed barrel inventory at BF, but couldn't find the still house if his life depended on it.
Please give me the name of a brand that you drink that is independent of media hype. I have a sneaking suspicion that your taste is totally dependent on said hype. - June 1, 2013 at 3:20 AM
Oh, bold Mr. Anonymous, I beg to differ. The current Michter's Original Sour Mash tastes virtually identical to Michter's from the 1970s. I did a blind side-by-side tasting recently (with others) of the new, and a high-quality sample from the late 70s, and none of us could identify a substantial difference. I believe they did their homework.
Also, Michter's as a Pennsylvania-distilled brand was produced continually for more than 30 years. That's way more than "a very short period" where I come from.
And lest you think I have no qualifications in this regard, know that I visited the active Schaefferstown facility multiple times between 1979 and its closure in 1990, and may have the largest stash of original Michter's in the country.
As goes Willie Pratt, I do not know what his full background in this industry is, but, having spent the better part of a day with him last week in Louisville, and having had him review previously unseen blueprints from the 1940s of the only known commercial column/pot distillery built in this country after Prohibition (Dillinger, of Ruffs Dale PA), I was amazed at the intricate details that he identified in their various still designs without the slightest bit of hesitation.
I'm pretty sure Mr. Pratt could indeed find a still house, even if his life didn't depend on it..
Oh, and how about you identify yourself before you spout off next time? - June 1, 2013 at 1:53 PM
Well, it IS humorous, and that's my point. Unless you're into obscure craft whiskies, there ARE no brands that you've ever heard of that are independent of media hype. There never were.
You ask me to give you the name of a brand I drink that is independant of media hype. I could say "Collier & McKeel", or "Woodstone Creek", or "Delaware-Phoenix", but would you have ever heard of those, let alone tasted them? Of course not, because whatever media hype may eventually become attached to them hasn't reached you yet. And I'd be willing to bet some money that you've NEVER tasted a whiskey you hadn't read about beforehand, have you?
Well, don't feel alone; mostly I don't either. You just can't hardly escape media hype, and you really shouldn't pretend that it isn't an influence, because it is.
By the way, have you ever actually DRIVEN a Rolls Royce? How about a Yugo? Do you think I have? Then what made you think I'd know what you were talking about in your comparison? Of course I do know... and that's entirely because of media hype 'cause I've never driven either of them myself :-)
Oh, and Chuck... I used well-known Cognac dynasties as examples because they were the marketing forerunners of the bourbon whiskey industry and because their marketing hype didn't depend on fooling customers into believing that they personally grew, milled, fermented, and distilled every drop of their product, the way most of the successful post-Prohibition bourbon barons did. - June 1, 2013 at 4:19 PM
@Shane Baker. Interesting promotional post about your "distilling operations". Where can I purchase your products?
On one hand, in the post above you say, "We don't want to wait 4-5 years for our Bourbon but we will, because we made it and our brand wont be ready until its ready", yet in news releases, you say that there will be some releases after 4-5 months in "small barrels". So, which one is it? Haven't distilled a drop of spirits, yet already making conflicting claims just like the NDP's you are slamming?
Are you saying your "craft" is passing off "bourbon" aged in small barrels for 4-5 months as quality aged product?
Props for doing what you claim to be doing in Danville, and I am sure you will make some great product. It does seem kinda silly to throw rocks at other's because you don't view their craft the same way as you do yours, don't you think?
- June 3, 2013 at 2:11 PM
Typically NDP's don't have the overhead challenges that the true craft distiller may have.. they dont need all the equipment it must take to produce product and good product. But yet the price point has to be competitive. So these little guys and some not so little must work on low margin if doing it right.
- June 3, 2013 at 4:09 PM
I'd like to see some of the big Spirit Competitions take the lead on showing the industry that the awards given are given to the right people inclusive...Square One AND the DRI Vodka Plant of Rigby Idaho for example OR at least classify these guys in a Merchant Bottling Category. I cant imagine A.DIas Blue stepping up tho, way to much financially at stake for his empire... but hopefully others may take the step, show some leadership.
- June 3, 2013 at 4:20 PM
Hi Chuck. I'm writing because I don't understand the two-plus day delay in posting my comment (June 1, 1:53 p.m.), which was written in reply to an anonymous commenter who assailed the quality of a recent Michter's bottling and one of their staff.
EllenJ's comment appeared directly after the anonymous comment for those 50 or so hours, and it bugged me immensely, as I didn't feel that anything in my comment was out of line. I still do not, and neither must you, having finally put it up.
It bothered me so much, in fact, that I got out of bed tonight to comment again and ask why this would have happened. When I looked over the responses again, suddenly there I was, now buried in mid-thread.
I assume this was a simple oversight. I have no idea how blog comments are presented for display to the blogger, nor how they are assigned a place in the queue, but in many years of commenting, this has never happened to me before.
What has me a bit off kilter is that my defense of Michter's most recent release and the abilities of their master distiller never received the courtesy of being the last comment in the list, at least temporarily.
Please understand...I'm not accusing you of anything, I just find the circumstances a bit weird. Your thoughts? Thanks! - June 4, 2013 at 1:44 AM
- Chuck Cowdery said...
Blogger is supposed to send me an email for every pending comment. Sometimes it doesn't. I don't know why that is. I only see those comments when I log on. I know all the comments pending have been processed, but blogger says there are others. Then, when I approve those to post, they appear in the order they were received. I can't control that, even with my own comments. I can't, for example, put this right after your comment. So, it happens, I don't know why, but it doesn't mean anything, i.e., it's nothing I'm doing one way or another. - June 4, 2013 at 2:57 PM
- Chuck Cowdery said...
It happens that it did come right after your comment, but only because it was last in the queue. When I started blogging, I wrote my own HTML. My skills in that regard are very limited so in general Blogger is a boon, but it has its drawbacks.
- June 4, 2013 at 3:00 PM
Thanks...I appreciate the clarification.
- June 4, 2013 at 3:47 PM
I say just drink what you like. Who cares where it came from. If you like it you like it. Life is short, enjoy!
- June 11, 2013 at 5:34 PM
Wanted to check out the old Sam Dillinger and Sons Distillery in Ruffs Dale Pa this weekend, apparently it's less than an hour from my house south of pittsburgh, would you know of a physical address so I can GPS it?
- June 17, 2013 at 9:52 AM
Just go to Ruffs Dale and look for the smokestack...you can't miss it!
- July 6, 2013 at 12:34 AM
- ezweave said...
This is a rather late reply, but (and perhaps I've missed it), what bothers me most about NDPs are that the small craft distillers that do make their own whiskey (Peach Street and Leopold's are big examples from Colorado that most definitely make their own) are compared to products made by the big boys.
That's as much of a sin as the lie on the label! It's unfair and rather shitty. You have people learning to make good whiskey and putting out their efforts and you have people merely bottling others' handiwork. To me that is far more fucked up than the "glory of the story" as it were. - July 9, 2013 at 6:11 PM
- Whiskey Minion said...
They should call themselves RECTIFIERS since that's all they do. rebottle, repackage, rectify and re-sell... Beware of Buffalo Distillery.. not Buffalo Trace...
- July 3, 2014 at 2:52 PM
Rather late for a comment...but...
"Blending" is what is being done, not re-packaging. If you were given three different barrels of bourbon and had to come up to a saleable product...that is not easy. (if it were, walmart would have done it). So buying various aged-spirits and concocting a blend that is enjoyable is the "art" of the business. Marketing the product to help you feel unique is simply psychology. That is no different than making you feel good when you give money to the red cross. Psychology.
Sip and enjoy... remember, if it needs a dash of water... don't use tap, for gawds sake. - October 6, 2016 at 6:12 PM
Pogue is selling their own white dog while other home made juice sleeps
- July 22, 2017 at 1:54 PM
- Chuck Cowdery said...
Yes. Pogue got out of the NDP business because they could no longer source whiskey that met their standards.
- July 22, 2017 at 3:36 PM
- Unknown said...
Chattanooga Whiskey is very upfront during tours that flagship Reserve is from Indiana until at least 2023.
- July 8, 2018 at 10:40 PM


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Today, on the Ed Morrissey Show (4 pm ET), Kevin McCullough joins us again to discuss the intersection of faith and politics. Kevin and I will talk about the collapse of Detroit, the royal baby watch, Dennis Farina passing away, my silent retreat, and much more!
We'll also talk about The Binge Thinker, Kevin and Stephen's exploding success in independent talk radio, as well as Kevin's new book, No He Can't: How Barack Obama Is Dismantling Hope and Change, being released this week! Don't forget about Kevin's previous book, The Kind of Man Every Man Should Be: Taking a Stand for True Masculinity, either.
The Ed Morrissey Show and its dynamic chatroom can be seen on the permanent TEMS page. Be sure to join us, and don't forget to keep up with the debate on my Facebook page, too!
Want to get away from it all? Why not join Duane "Generalissimo" Patterson and me on a seven-day cruise this summer to Alaska? Starting July 27th, we'll take the inside passage on Holland America's MS Zuiderdam:
Come cruise the Alaskan Inside Passage with Generalissimo Duane and Blogger Ed. There is no better place to travel, no better way to travel and no better folks to travel with. Alaska, the last frontier, see it as only Holland America can show it. Come with us as we cruise along miles of pristine coastlines, saddle right up to gigantic blue glaciers and wonder at the incredibly awesome waterfalls, fjords, and free flowing rivers. You will experience magnificent vistas as we sail through the straits of the Inland Passage encountering whales, porpoises, otters, eagles and all kinds of fabulous wildlife. Best of all you will do this while living in the luxury and comfort of the ms Zuiderdam, a premier Holland America ship.
Our Seven day itinerary includes stops along the way where you will have the opportunity to fly fish, pan for gold, partake in Native Alaskan culture, or just take a hike in some of the last virgin lands left in America.
Plus, Duane and I will do our TEMS show live on the ship, discussing politics and culture while traveling in the lap of luxury. Climb aboard!
Keep praying that Marizela Perez will be found, and peace brought to her family.


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How Can I Estimate My Future Social Security Benefits?
Estimating your future Social Security benefits used to be a difficult task, but not any longer. For an estimate of your projected benefits, go to www.ssa.gov/estimator. The retirement estimator gives estimates based on your actual Social Security earnings record.
The website form will ask you for a number of facts, including your name, Social Security number, date and place of birth, your mother's maiden name, additional information you provide about future earnings, and the age at which you expect to stop working.
Based on this information and your actual earnings history as maintained by the Social Security Administration, the Retirement Estimator generates an estimate of the amount you would receive if you were to retire at age 62 (the earliest date you can receive benefits), the amount if you waited until full retirement age (which currently ranges from 65 to 67, based on year of birth), and the larger benefit you would receive if you continued working until age 70 before claiming retirement benefits.
It's interesting to note that the 2023 Social Security Trustees Report includes a warning about the serious problems facing Social Security in the future. Without changes, the Social Security Trust Fund reserves will be depleted by 2033 and there will be enough money to pay only about 77 cents for each dollar of scheduled benefits at that time (based on the current formula).1 This is a reminder that taxpayers are ultimately responsible for funding their own retirements and that their future Social Security benefits may be lower than indicated by the Retirement Estimator.
Source: 1) Social Security Administration, 2023
The information in this newsletter is not intended as tax, legal, investment, or retirement advice or recommendations, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek guidance from an independent tax or legal professional. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. This material was written and prepared by Broadridge Advisor Solutions. © 2024 Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.


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Weekend storms on Australia's "sunshine coast" whipped up sea foam that covered the beach and roads. And when we say covered, we're talking about deep stuff.
Check out how close one car came to hitting some folks. We've found two views on YouTube.
-- Close.
-- Even closer.
If you want to hear what the adult word is that those videos "bleep," click here.
Now This News has more video of all that foam here.
Update at 12:45 p.m. ET, Jan. 29: Our apologies. The video we posted earlier showing a "close" view of the car has been removed from YouTube. We've replaced it with a BBC report that includes the same footage.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Weddings are one of those special occasions where the event just goes hand in hand with a luxury car.
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I know it may be hard to convince you, but let me try: Don't kill the next spider you see in your home.
Why? Because spiders are an important part of nature and our indoor ecosystem – as well as being fellow organisms in their own right.
People like to think of their dwellings as safely insulated from the outside world, but many types of spiders can be found inside. Some are accidentally trapped, while others are short-term visitors. Some species even enjoy the great indoors, where they happily live out their lives and make more spiders. These arachnids are usually secretive, and almost all you meet are neither aggressive nor dangerous. And they may be providing services like eating pests – some even eat other spiders.
My colleagues and I conducted a visual survey of 50 North Carolina homes to inventory just which arthropods live under our roofs. Every single house we visited was home to spiders. The most common species we encountered were cobweb spiders and cellar spiders.
Both build webs where they lie in wait for prey to get caught. Cellar spiders sometimes leave their webs to hunt other spiders on their turf, mimicking prey to catch their cousins for dinner.
Although they are generalist predators, apt to eat anything they can catch, spiders regularly capture nuisance pests and even disease-carrying insects – for example, mosquitoes. There's even a species of jumping spider that prefers to eat blood-filled mosquitoes in African homes. So killing a spider doesn't just cost the arachnid its life, it may take an important predator out of your home.
It's natural to fear spiders. They have lots of legs and almost all are venomous – though the majority of species have venom too weak to cause issues in humans, if their fangs can pierce our skin at all. Even entomologists themselves can fall prey to arachnophobia. I know a few spider researchers who overcame their fear by observing and working with these fascinating creatures. If they can do it, so can you!
Spiders are not out to get you and actually prefer to avoid humans; we are much more dangerous to them than vice versa. Bites from spiders are extremely rare. Although there are a few medically important species like widow spiders and recluses, even their bites are uncommon and rarely cause serious issues.
[Over 100,000 readers rely on The Conversation's newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.]
If you truly can't stand that spider in your house, apartment, garage, or wherever, instead of smashing it, try to capture it and release it outside. It'll find somewhere else to go, and both parties will be happier with the outcome.
But if you can stomach it, it's OK to have spiders in your home. In fact, it's normal. And frankly, even if you don't see them, they'll still be there. So consider a live-and-let-live approach to the next spider you encounter.


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Nevada Center for Reproductive Medicine
Reno Nevada
They never give up. They are an awesome group of people who really know what they are doing.
We went to two different repro docs in California and then we saw Dr.Foulk and he looked at the file… Read more
We could never find the words to express how grateful we are to all of you for making our biggest dr… Read more
We wanted to write and say thank you for your help in making our new family possible. But thanks j… Read more
I am so thankful for all of your kindness and efforts to help us finally become parents. You all w… Read more
We cannot thank you enough for your support during our months of going to your office. It was an ama… Read more
Can not say enough about how amazing the entire staff is. They never gave up on us, always had hope … Read more
I wanted to express my thanks for the wonderful care you gave me while "K" and I prepared for IVF. … Read more
I can not begin to imagine my life without the two children Dr. Foulk and his team were able to help… Read more


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The Getty Foundation's Online Scholarly Catalogue Initiative (OSCI) is a group of nine museums working together to develop models for the publication of scholarly collection catalogues in the online environment. The online catalogues, tools, and lessons that result from the OSCI collaboration are openly shared with the larger museum community. Generous support from the Getty Foundation enabled SAM to imaginatively implement this pilot project, assess every object and take new photographs, conduct in-depth research and travel to compare with like works elsewhere, and most importantly, commission essays from expert scholars, professors and curators.
The Seattle Art Museum's Collection
The Seattle Art Museum is home to a premier collection of Chinese art in North America, which was formed largely in the twentieth century during the directorship of museum founder Dr. Richard E. Fuller (director 1933-73). Although Seattle's Chinese collection is best known for its jades, ceramics, and later Buddhist sculpture, during the directorship of Mimi Gardner Gates (director 1994–2009) and shaped by successive curators Jay Xu, Hsueh-man Shen and Josh Yiu, the collection of Chinese painting and calligraphy grew substantially, adding important works of the Ming and Qing dynasties as well as the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
While varied in quality and modest in size, Seattle's collection of 152 Chinese painting and calligraphy has never been studied in depth and is heretofore largely unpublished. For the first time, it is being introduced and made universally accessible through this newly developed online catalogue, which features thoughtful and provocative essays about major works by renowned scholars, with high-resolution, zoom-able images of the works of art, and thorough documentation—including transcriptions and translations of inscriptions and colophons, and seals which are transcribed, identified and located.
The Seattle Art Museum's Approach
This online catalogue is designed to facilitate scholarly dialogue. Readers are encouraged to post comments about the works of art and the accompanying essays, as well as to formulate answers to questions that we put forward under the section "Questions for Thought."
The open-ended nature of the online catalogue represents a significant departure from the standard printed catalogue. In contrast to printed catalogues, which reflect a specific fixed moment in time, the Seattle Art Museum considers the online catalogue an adaptable document that will continue to evolve as the collection of Chinese painting and calligraphy grows. Moreover, in the future we hope other aspects of the Seattle Art Museum collection will be researched, documented and entered online to complement this groundbreaking catalogue.
After examining each painting and calligraphy with an eye to connoisseurship and authenticity, we organized the works into four groups, each of which offers different levels of information. The groups are defined as follows:
- Group 1: 18 representative paintings and calligraphy from Song dynasty to modern China, each with an in-depth essay (3000-5000 words) by recognized scholars, professors or curators.
- Group 2: 32 works, each with short essays (300-1000 words) written by promising young scholars.
- Group 3: 62 works, many of which are new acquisitions and deserve in-depth study and analyses. Essay submissions are encouraged. Thoughtful contributions will be published, and, depending on the depth of argument and quality of the work of art, the entry will be re-classified to either Group 1 or Group 2.
- Group 4: 40 works of lesser interest and questionable authenticity which we include in order to be comprehensive.
Chinese Romanization
Pinyin is the preferred romanization of Chinese characters, except individuals' names which are commonly known to be romanized in other systems—for example Wade Giles for Chang Ch'ung-ho. Exceptions also apply to terms that have become popular in the English language (per the Oxford English Dictionary), such as Taoism.
Chinese characters for names are provided only when initially mentioned in the essay. When Chinese artists' zi (courtesy name) or hao (poetic name) is cited in quoted texts, their translations will also include the artists' commonly known names.
Contributors to the content of the catalogue
Mimi Gates and Josh Yiu are the General Editors.
The following scholars wrote essays for the Group 1 objects: Qianshen Bai (Boston University), Richard Barnhart (Yale University), James Cahill (University of California, Berkeley), Mimi Gates, Zaixin Hong (University of Puget Sound), Yu-chih Lai (Academia Sinica), Lizhong Ling (Shanghai Museum), Heping Liu (Wellesley College), Michele Matteini (Reed College), Yao-ting Wang (National Palace Museum, Taipei), and Josh Yiu. Phil Chan (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Sonja Kelley (Maryland Institute College of Art), and Josh Yiu wrote short essays for Group 2 artworks.
Mimi Gates, Jan Hwang (former Seattle Art Museum librarian), Mark Pitner (Elmira College), Dongfeng Xu (Emory University), Pat Yao (Seattle Art Museum member), and Josh Yiu translated the colophons and inscriptions, unless otherwise noted.
Peer reviewers Joseph Chang (Asian Art Museum of San Francisco), Jan Stuart (The British Museum), and Marc Wilson (Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art) provided constructive criticisms and invaluable suggestions.
Interns Eunice Cheung, Xiaolin Duan, Cindy Huang, Gengwu Wang, Fan Zhe and Cheng Zhou offered ample research support and double-checked Chinese characters.
People who made this catalogue possible
Project directors Mimi Gates and Josh Yiu led a cross-departmental team in the Seattle Art Museum to conceive new ways to present and disseminate scholarly information about the permanent collection of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy. Registrar and museum database specialist Michele Miller oversaw photography and IT needs and was the key liaison to Gallery System Web Atelier. Former Digital Media Manager Debbie Fynn gave us a crash course on web technology and played a major role in defining the scope of work. Grants Officer Carol Mabbot diligently disciplined the team to keep on track and on budget. Copy Editor Sheryl Ball substantially improved the texts and tombstone information. Graduate intern Xiaolin Duan was involved with every aspect of the catalogue—from research to data entry. Elizabeth Mann photographed many works and stitched them seamlessly. Lowell Bassett, former Rights and Reproduction Administrator and Matt Empson prepared the images for publication. Curatorial Assistant Amber Khoury and her predecessor Tina Lee kept track of paperwork and contracts. Senior staff at the Seattle Art Museum who ensured the success of this museum-wide effort included Chief Curator Chiyo Ishikawa, Chief Conservator Nicholas Dorman, Director of Information Technology John Kent, and Director of Museum Services Lauren Mellon.
All staff at Web Atelier of Gallery Systems worked dynamically to create the usability prototype and continued patiently to modify the first online scholarly catalogue using TMS and eMuseum, anticipating that medium and small-sized museums will benefit from their efforts in the future. Special thanks are due to Project Manager Robb Detlefs, Lead UI/UX Designer Polina Soshkina, Web Developers Alex Hoffman and Jason Hornbuckle, eMuseum Developer Kevin Arista, Programmer Simon Zeng, and Web Designers Roman Sharf and Margaret Li.
Joan Weinstein, Nik Honeysett, Anne Helmreich, Maureen Whalen and Hilary Walter of the The Getty Foundation have provided sustained support, strong encouragement, and visionary guidance throughout the process.
Video Tutorial
Want to learn how to use the site? Watch our video tutorial.


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1.1 What these terms cover. These are the terms and conditions on which you may access and use our website.
1.2 Other terms that apply. The following terms also apply in the following circumstances:
1.3 Why you should read them. Please read these terms carefully before you submit your order to us. These terms tell you who we are, how we will provide products to you, how you and we may change or end the contract, what to do if there is a problem and other important information.
2.1 Who we are. We are Independent Vetcare Limited, trading under the business name below.
2.2 Our company details. Our company details are as follows:
2.3 How to contact us. You can contact us directly at the details published on our website
We may update or change our website from time to time to reflect changes to our products, our services, our users' needs and our business priorities. We will try to give you reasonable notice of any major changes that we make.
5.1 Our website is made available free of charge.
5.2 We do not guarantee that our website, or any content on it, will always be available or be uninterrupted. We may suspend or withdraw or restrict the availability of all or any part of our website for business and operational reasons. We will try to give you reasonable notice of any suspension or withdrawal.
5.3 You are responsible for ensuring that all persons who access our website through your internet connection are aware of these terms of use and other applicable terms and conditions, and that they comply with them.
We may transfer our rights and obligations under these terms to another organisation. We will always tell you in writing if this happens and we will ensure that the transfer will not affect your rights under these terms.
Our website is directed to people residing in the United Kingdom. We do not represent that content available on or through our website is appropriate for use or available in other locations.
8.1 If you choose, or you are provided with, a user identification code, password or any other piece of information as part of our security procedures, you must treat that information as confidential. You must not disclose that information to any third party. You will be responsible for any use of that information unless resulting from something that we have done or our failure to do something that we should have done.
8.2 We have the right to disable any user identification code or password, whether chosen by you or allocated by us, at any time, if in our reasonable opinion you have failed to comply with any of the provisions of these terms of use.
8.3 If you know or suspect that anyone other than you knows your user identification code or password, you must promptly notify us at the practice telephone or email address above.
9.1 We are the owner or the licensee of all intellectual property rights in our website, and in the material published on it. Those works are protected by copyright laws and treaties around the world. All such rights are reserved.
9.2 You may print off one copy, and may download extracts, of any page(s) from our website for your personal use and you may draw the attention of others within your organisation to content posted on our website.
9.3 You must not modify the paper or digital copies of any materials you have printed off or downloaded in any way, and you must not use any illustrations, photographs, video or audio sequences or any graphics separately from any accompanying text.
9.4 Our status (and that of any identified contributors) as the authors of content on our website must always be acknowledged.
9.5 You must not use any part of the content on our website for commercial purposes without obtaining a licence to do so from us or our licensors.
9.6 If you print off, copy or download any part of our website in breach of these terms of use, your right to use our website will cease immediately and you must, at our option, return or destroy any copies of the materials you have made.
10.1 The content on our website (including any advice about pet health, care, diagnosis or treatment) is provided for general information only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely. You must obtain professional or specialist advice from a qualified veterinary surgeon before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content or guidance on our website.
10.2 Although we make reasonable efforts to update the information on our website, we make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content on our website is accurate, complete or up to date.
10.3 We do not accept any liability whatsoever for the pet advice on our website, or for any assumed pet care, diagnosis or treatment made from the information.
11.1 Where our website contains links to other websites and resources provided by third parties, these links are provided for your information only. Such links should not be interpreted as approval by us of those linked websites or information you may obtain from them.
11.2 We have no control over the contents of those sites or resources.
12.1 All users
(a) Our website may include links to goods or services provided by us through our other websites or by third parties. Your purchase and use of those goods or services are subject to the terms and conditions on those websites or of those third parties. We do not accept any liability in respect of any of them.
(b) We do not exclude or limit in any way our liability to you where it would be unlawful to do so. This includes liability for death or personal injury caused to a human being by our negligence or the negligence of our employees, agents or subcontractors and for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
(c) Different limitations and exclusions of liability will apply to liability arising as a result of the supply of any products to you, which will be set out in our Terms of Sale.
12.2 If you are a consumer user
(a) Please note that we only provide our website for domestic and private use. You agree not to use our website for any commercial or business purposes, and we have no liability to you for any loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption, or loss of business opportunity.
12.3 If you are a business user
(a) We exclude all implied conditions, warranties, representations or other terms that may apply to our website or any content on it.
(b) We will not be liable to you for any loss or damage, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, even if foreseeable, arising under or in connection with:
(i) use of, or inability to use, our website; or
(ii) use of or reliance on any content displayed on our website.
(c) In particular, we will not be liable for:
(i) loss of profits, sales, business, or revenue;
(ii) business interruption;
(iii) loss of anticipated savings;
(iv) loss of business opportunity, goodwill or reputation; or
(v) any indirect or consequential loss or damage.
When you use our website or the services that it provides we may collect personal data about you. We will only use your personal information as set out in our Privacy Policy (a link to which is included above).
14.1 We do not guarantee that our website will be secure or free from bugs or viruses.
14.2 You are responsible for configuring your information technology, computer programmes and platform to access our website. You should use your own virus protection software.
14.3 You must not misuse our website by knowingly introducing viruses, trojans, worms, logic bombs or other material that is malicious or technologically harmful. You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to our website, the server on which our website is stored or any server, computer or database connected to our website. You must not attack our website via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of service attack. By breaching this provision, you would commit a criminal offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990. We will report any such breach to the relevant law enforcement authorities and we will co-operate with those authorities by disclosing your identity to them. In the event of such a breach, your right to use our website will cease immediately.
15.1 You may link to our home page, provided you do so in a way that is fair, legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it. The website in which you are linking must comply with reasonable socially acceptable standards.
15.2 You must not:
(a) Establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval or endorsement on our part where none exists;
(b) Establish a link to our website in any website that is not owned by you;
(c) Frame our website on any other website; or
(d) Create a link to any part of our website other than the homepage.
15.3 We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice.
15.4 You may use our website only for lawful purposes. You may not use our website:
(a) In a way that is unlawful or fraudulent or has any unlawful or fraudulent purpose or effect;
(b) For the purpose of harming or attempting to harm others in any way;
(c) To bully, insult, offend, intimidate, humiliate or discrimination against any person;
(d) To send, knowingly receive, upload, download, use or re-use any material which does not comply with these terms and conditions;
(e) To infringe any copyright, database right or trademark of any other person;
(f) To transmit, or procure the sending of, any unsolicited or unauthorised advertising or promotional material or any other form of similar solicitation (spam); or
(g) To knowingly transmit any data, send or upload any material that contains viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time-bombs, keystroke loggers, spyware, adware or any other harmful programs or similar computer code designed to adversely affect the operation of any computer software of hardware.
15.5 You also agree:
(a) Not to reproduce, duplicate, copy or re-sell any part of our website in contravention of these terms of use; and
(b) Not to access without authority, interfere with, damage of disrupt any part of our website, any equipment or network to which our website is stored, any software used in the provision of our sit or any equipment or network or software owned or used by any third party.
15.6 If you wish to link to or make any use of content on our website other than that set out above, please contact us at the practice address, telephone or email address above.
16.1 If you are a consumer user
(a) If you are a consumer, please note that these terms, their subject matter and their formation, are governed by English law. You and we both agree that the courts of England and Wales will have exclusive jurisdiction except that if you are a resident of Northern Ireland you may also bring proceedings in Northern Ireland, and if you are resident of Scotland, you may also bring proceedings in Scotland.
16.2 If you are a business user
(a) If you are a business, these terms of use, their subject matter and their formation (and any non-contractual disputes or claims) are governed by English law. We both agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
All of our own company or brand logos that are displayed on our website are UK registered trade marks of Independent Vetcare Limited. You are not permitted to use them without our approval, unless they are part of material you are using as permitted under Section 10 (How you may use material on our website).
18.1 We may amend these terms from time to time. We recommend that you check them each time you use our website to make sure that you are aware and understand the terms that apply at that time.
18.2 These terms were most recently updated on 1 February 2022.
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Our website uses cookies to distinguish you from other users of our website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browser our website and also allows us to improve our website. See our cookie policy.
We use 3 different types of cookies on our website. You can say which ones you're happy for us to use below.
These cookies do things like keep the website secure. They always need to be on.


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This year, we've had not one, but two movies about the sixteenth president of the United States. This spring, "Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter" slashed its way into theaters. This week, a more historically accurate Lincoln shows up onscreen.
Kenneth Turan has this review.
KENNETH TURAN, BYLINE: Daniel Day-Lewis is a two-time Oscar-winning actor, but he surpasses himself and makes us see a celebrated figure in unanticipated ways in Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln."
"Lincoln" unfolds during the final four months of the president's life as he focuses on a dramatic, if little-known struggle: his determination to get Congress to pass the 13th Amendment outlawing slavery, despite fierce opposition.
TURAN: This film explores the drama inherent in the battle of ideas over the amendment, which Lincoln pushed forward even over the objections of his Cabinet.
TURAN: Even moviegoers who've seen Day-Lewis disappear seamlessly into roles will be startled by the marvelously relaxed way this consummate actor morphs into this character and simply becomes Lincoln.
Orchestrating all of this is "Lincoln's" celebrated director. But there is nothing showy or overly emotional about Spielberg's efforts here. He's working in service of the script and the acting, to enhance the spoken word, not burnish his reputation.
Screenwriter Tony Kushner, a Pulitzer Prize-winner for "Angels in America," has always been adept at illuminating the interplay of the personal and the political. Kushner has said that he wrote "Lincoln" because he wanted to tell a story that shows that you can achieve great things through the democratic process. It's a lesson that couldn't be more timely or more thoroughly dramatic.
MONTAGNE: Kenneth Turan reviews movies for MORNING EDITION and the Los Angeles Times.
MONTAGNE: You're listening to MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Compact and lightweight, ABUS' high-security Granit Plus 640 U-Lock is capable of locking around reinforced parking meters. The 640 features a 12mm special hardened-steel round shackle that retains its flexibly to offer great protection again crowbar attacks. The upgraded locking mechanism bolts 4 times into the lock body (2 times per shackle side) to provide excellent protection against twisting/torsion/cutting attacks, while still offering great feel and comfort when locking.
- Excellent corrosion resistance
- Shackle double bolts in lock body
- Shackle, case and supporting elements of the locking mechanism are made of special hardened steel
- Very intensive use of special weight-optimized alloy and light materials
- Soft-touch coating feels good in the hand and protects paint job from damage
- ABUS Plus cylinder offers high protection against picking
- ABUS Code Card provided for easy key replacement, re-ordering
- Mechanism Type: Key
- Diameter: 12 mm
- Shackle Shape: Round
- Shackle Height: 230 mm
- Shackle Width Inner: 8.3 cm
- 2 keys are supplied with the lock
- 1 LED-lighted key are supplied with the lock
Part Numbers
Option | UPC | MPN | Store SKU |
Black | 4003318397035 | 397035 | ABU32856069K |


text: Best Selling Handguns that have sold the most over the past year. This list is updated daily. If you are looking for the best handgun to buy this year, you may want to keep this page bookmarked. The best concealed carry guns have been gaining in popularity over the past two years, and continue to dominate the list.


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If you want your car to be in top shape, you have to a good care of its transmission system. Therefore, when your transmission begins to fail, you must get it repaired as quickly as possible. At our auto repair shop, we specialize in providing repairs for all types of transmissions, including automatic, semi-automatic and manual models.
The main goal of our auto repair shop is to provide customers with affordable and reliable transmission repair service they deserve. Our certified technicians pledge to work as long as needed to get your transmission running once more, regardless of how damaged it might be. Moreover, if our technicians determine that your transmission cannot be fixed, they'll replace it with a new one in a timely manner. No job is too big or too small for our auto repair shop. We take every job seriously and we won't stop until we've fixed the issue that have caused you concern.
If you've noticed, as of late, that there might be something wrong with your transmission, don't waste any more time, just pay us a visit. We can help you with that and any other auto repair problem, you might have. Our technicians will repair your transmission before the damage gets even worse.
Call us today and schedule your appointment for a transmission repair service, performed by one of our transmission specialists.


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Randy Boyd is the founder and Executive Chairman of Radio Systems Corporation which he started in 1991. Radio Systems is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee and has over 630 associates worldwide with offices in seven countries. The company produces over 4,600 pet products under brand names such as Invisible Fence, PetSafe®, and SportDOG®.
Mr. Boyd serves on numerous boards.
Corporate Boards
Community non-profit boards
Education-related boards
In addition, Mr. Boyd and Radio Systems have contributed significantly to improving animal welfare. The company has provided the funds to create seven public dog parks in the Knoxville area and has spear headed a collaborative effort to make Knoxville the most pet friendly community in America. As a part of this effort, Mr. Boyd has supported the development of a new Animal Adoption Center in Knoxville that will more than double the number of spay and neuter procedures that can be performed annually in Knoxville. In early 2010, the company provided funding for the Blount County Animal Center as well as funded the PetSafe Chair of companion animal behavior within the Small Animal Clinical Sciences department of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee. Invisible Fence Brand has donated over 10,000 dog oxygen masks to Fire Departments around the United States as part of its "Project Breathe".
Mr. Boyd has received several awards including:
In 2013, he took a year leave of absence from his company to serve Governor Bill Haslam in a volunteer role as his Special Advisor on Higher Education assisting in the development of the Drive to 55 initiatives and the Tennessee Promise. The Tennessee Promise will provide free tuition and fees to community college to approximately 25,000 Tennesseans per year, all matched with a trained, volunteer mentor.
He received a degree from The University of Tennessee in Industrial Management in 1979 and a Masters in Liberal Studies from Oklahoma University in 1988. He has two sons, Harrison and Thomas, two dogs, Spanky and Oscar, two cats, Sebastian and Wolfgang, and one wife, Jenny, who he has been married to for 30 years.
Willie became associated with Radio Systems in 1995 as a contract sales agent calling on the pet trade. He joined the company in September, 1999 as Vice President of Sales moving his family from Colorado to Knoxville to assume the role.
Mr. Wallace has held a number of positions in the fifteen years he has worked in the Knoxville office including leading the sales and marketing teams, and new product development. He has help author and implement significant restructuring of the company to build for scalability to allow RSC to reach its aggressive growth targets.
He has been a key leader/coach in guiding Radio Systems to significant growth. His duties have included responsibility for directing new product conceptualization and development teams, marketing and brand, and sales on a global basis. He has also collaborated as a member of the company's Senior Staff to develop and implement strategic direction for the company including acquisition and integration of over fifteen companies. He has also played in key positions in operations. Under his direction the company has launched hundreds of new products, initiated new profitable brands, significantly increased distribution of product globally.
Prior to joining Radio Systems, Willie cut his teeth in sales and marketing with both large corporate environments including Nabisco and Fort Howard paper as well as young startup companies such as CLA, a Manufacturers' Representative organization that grew ten-fold during his four year service.
Wallace, a Colorado native, holds degrees from Hastings College (BA) where he was active in Student Government and a member of the football and debate teams and the University of Colorado (MBA). Willie lives in Maryville, Tennessee with his wife of 25 years, Brenda. He has twin eighteen-year-old sons, Teague and Taylor attending college in Washington state and Arizona. He stays active in that community in youth baseball and community service and enjoys fly fishing, running, and training and hunting his Labrador Retrievers, Jagger and Karlie.
Fun Fact: Randy and Willie ran with the Bulls in Pamplona Spain.
-Ism: Have fun at work! You spend most of your waking hours working. If you don't REALLY enjoy it…change it!
Todd G. Birdwell has served as a director of the Company since January 1994. He has served on the Audit and Finance Committee of the Board of Directors since July 1994. Mr. Birdwell currently is a Senior Vice President and Partner of Investment and Retirement Services Group. From June 1998 to December 2003 he served as Vice President and Financial Consultant with Hilliard Lyons. From July 1992 to June 1998 he was an investment broker with Morgan Keegan. Prior to this, Mr. Birdwell served as Vice President of Corporate Banking with First Tennessee Bank.
M. Hadley ("Hadley") Mullin is a Managing Director and Partner at TSG Consumer Partners ("TSG"). TSG is a leading middle-market private equity firm focused exclusively on the branded consumer sector. Hadley's responsibilities at TSG include originating new investment opportunities, structuring transactions, diligencing prospective investments and working with portfolio companies to accelerate growth. Prior to joining TSG, Hadley was with Bain & Company where she worked in a variety of practice areas, including consumer products, retail, and healthcare. Her Bain experience includes business unit strategy, sales and marketing optimization, and new product development. Hadley also worked in Bain's private equity practice, where she conducted strategic and operational due diligence for private equity clients. Hadley received a BA, with top honors, in Government from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where she was an Arjay Miller Scholar. Hadley lives in Marin County, California with her husband, two children and Maine Coon cat, Bill.
Glenn Novotny is a Venture Partner at Telegraph Hill Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm investing in life science, medical device, and healthcare companies. Prior to joining Telegraph Hill, Glenn worked at Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ – CENT) for 17 years, as President and COO from 1990 to 2003 and CEO from 2003 through 2007. Glenn was instrumental in taking Central public in 1993 and growing it from sales of $200 million to $1.7 billion through organic growth and over 40 acquisitions to create the largest pet supply and second largest garden supply company in the U.S. He also worked at Weyerhaeuser Corporation from 1970 to 1990 in a variety of operating, strategic planning, sales, and executive management roles. He served as CEO of Weyerhaeuser Garden Supply from 1988 to 1990.
Glenn has served on both public and private boards of directors and has significant entrepreneurial experience. Currently, Glenn is a director of Ditan Corp., Freedom Innovations, Nexus Biosystems, Pet Food Express, Reeb Millwork, and VeriTainer Corp., and an advisor to Trupanion Pet Health Insurance, Inc. Additionally, Glenn is the founder and CEO of Glennhawk Vineyards, Inc. Glenn received a BA from Chadron State College in Nebraska and graduated from the Harvard Business School Program for Executive Management Development. He is a member of the Chadron State College Board of Trustees and National Leadership Council. Glenn resides in Danville, California.
Michael Mars is the founding principal of mTerra Ventures, LLC , an early stage venture capital practice focused on catalyzing the development of a sustainable economy. He serves on the board of Radio Systems Corporation, Rexorce Thermionics, and Hawaiian Oceanic Technologies, and advises other companies in the portfolio. He is involved in a variety of philanthropic interests primarily in the area of conservation of nature, education, and healthcare. He serves on the board of two non-profit organizations, the Bhutan Foundation and The School for Field Studies. Prior to founding mTerra Ventures in 2007, Michael managed various business units for Mars Incorporated in Asia and North America. He is a graduate of Duke University. Michael has two children, and a dog and a cat, each adopted from animal shelters.
Amy Miles was named as the Chief Executive Officer of Regal Entertainment Group June, 2009. Prior to serving in her new role, Ms. Miles served as the company's Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer since March, 2002. Ms. Miles also served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Regal Cinemas, Inc. from January, 2000 to March, 2002. Prior thereto, Ms. Miles served as Senior Vice President of Finance from April, 1999 to January, 2000. Prior to joining Regal, Ms. Miles was a Senior Manager with Deloitte & Touche from 1998 to 1999 and served in various capacities with PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLC from 1989 to 1998.
Ms. Miles currently serves as a director and Vice Chair for the National Association of Theatre Owners. She also serves as a director on the boards of Regal Entertainment Group, Open Road Films, National CineMedia, Variety of Eastern Tennessee, the Regal Foundation, Radio Systems, Norfolk Southern and Townsquare Media. Ms. Miles is ranked #44 in the Women in Entertainment Power 100 list.
Todd Brown is the retired Vice Chairman of ShoreBank Corporation with a track record of success in multiple senior management positions, combined with significant corporate and nonprofit board experiences. He championed development and launch of a major new online savings business while at ShoreBank. He led three different business divisions at Kraft Foods including the company's e-commerce, foodservice and desserts divisions. In addition to serving on the board of Radio Sytems Corporation, Mr. Brown serves on the board of Horizon BCBSNJ, a $10 billion healthcare company where he serves on the compensation and governance committees.
Previously he served on the boards of Diversey Inc. and ADVO Inc. He is currently on the board of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and chairs the governance committee. Mr. Brown is a member of the executive committee of the board of the Metropolitan Planning Council in Chicago and is a trustee emeritus of Colgate University. Brown earned his M.B.A. at Wharton, holds a master's degree in college administration from Columbia University, and a bachelor's degree from Colgate University.
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