Liberty Bell

 

Writing about the memory of my ancient tin of Prince Albert was really fun and enjoyable a few days ago (and yes, AC... I still have that beautiful (but now... sadly empty) tin on the bookshelf by my desk in my den).  When I wrote that, I just scribbled out (er, I guess.... tapped out) what I could as quickly as possible because I had a lot of work to do.  But, the memories of that experience, and the memories of the dozen or so bowlfuls of that ancient pipe tobacco leaf were delightful to reminisce about!!!! 

In that story, I remember highlighting in what I wrote that I think "aging" of products to "improve them" typically is rather silly. Again, I do know that wine aficionados say there is "tremendous" difference in an aged wine...... but I still basically say:  "Bah! If it is red wine, it will be good...... and if it is white or rose'... it will probably be unpleasant (to my palate anyway)." 

I do have to admit, however, that I DO have one "aged" item that I DOohold dearly.  I keep thinking about when/if I will open this aged item.  If I ever do, I suspect I will do so on July 4th, 2026.  

I knew about this now aged item back from the day the item was purchased because of its rather "uniqueness".  It relates to the U.S. Bicentennial (the Nation's 200th Anniversary) that occurred in 1976. 

Back during the Bicentennial (1976), my Mom was working at a delicatessen. It seems rather odd to me.... but in addition to selling sandwiches, potato salads, desserts and the like, this Deli also sold LIQUOR behind the counter. People could buy a turkey, ham and Swiss cheese sandwich, a dish of potato salad, a dish of macaroni salad, and a piece of pie or a cupcake for dessert...... AND a pint or a fifth of whisky to wash it down! The clientele was a diverse gambit of folks.... various professionals, various blue collar folks.... including a massive number of factory workers from a big factory about 3 blocks away.

My Mom loved working at this delicatessen and did so for many years.  Besides preparing many of the salads, sandwiches, desserts etc.  she also worked behind the counter much of the time.  As she was the Head Deli Person for many of those years, she also was responsible for choosing and placing, ingredients, foods and liquor orders for the little shop.  During her several years of tenure there, she ended up facilitating quite a bit of growth in the shop's business (much to the owner's delight).  She increased the number of customers in part because of her cooking, but also because of her prowess at ORDERING supplies.......  she would purposefully order food items and liquor that were not simply the "run-of-the mill" things you could easily purchase anywhere.  Instead.... she would pour over the order books to find items that were more unique, much less common, and also would order and try various ingredients that would help her make more UNUSUAL/UNCOMMON foods.  She enjoyed perusing the order books for more unique options to make more interesting sandwiches, more interesting salads, more festive desserts and she also ordered a much more diverse and interesting range of liquors as well.  

During the Bicentennial, she ended up ordering several fifths of brandy that were being offered in  special glass bottles that were shaped like the Liberty Bell.  She liked the shape of the bottle....and enjoyed its rather "kitchy" appearance.   She liked it so much that when they arrived, she ended up buying one of them herself and brought it home.  

Both my Mom and Dad were only the most modest of drinkers.  I think they would probably average perhaps 3-4 drinks a YEAR each.  And, they also tended to be very sentimental about things (Hmm... that sounds a bit familiar.).  So...   instead of drinking the brandy housed in this glass Liberty Bell.... once it became 1977, they took the bottle that had been displayed on a shelf in the kitchen, and hid it away in a cupboard. They never opened that Liberty Bell.  After my father passed away and before my elderly Mom came to live with my wife and I, she had given me the Liberty Bell bottle of brandy.  I still have it today.... unopened.  It had a brandy in it that a tag on the bottle proclaims that it was was "aged 12 years" when she bought it in 1976.  So, that means the whisky inside is now 58 years old! 

If I do someday open it, I suspect I will do so on July 4th, 2026, which will be the Semiquincentennial.... the 250th Anniversary of the U.S.  I relish the way my Mom thought it was such a fun and interesting thing to buy, and I love the whole back-story behind it. The image above is what it looks like.... yet the image I could find online.... was already empty.  So, imagine that bottle, filled with the beautiful, dark amber color of brandy.  Even the tax stamps on the bottle are fully intact and the company's information tag is still attached as well (unlike in the picture above, where it has only the string... not the tag itself. 

PipeTobacco