G&W Private Stock Kentucky Sour Mash Bourbon Whiskey
G&W Private Stock Kentucky Sour Mash Bourbon Whiskey is a classic 80 proof (40% ABV) 1L sour-mash bourbon from one of Kentucky's oldest continuing brands — the G&W trademark, short for Gooderham & Worts, dates to 1933, with the whiskey produced and bottled by Laird & Company in Scobeyville, New Jersey from Kentucky-distilled bourbon aged a minimum of three years. Built on a 72% corn mash bill with rye and malted barley in equal proportions, it pours the old-school sour-mash profile: baked apple pie and white pepper on the nose, butterscotch and creamy vanilla through the palate, and a warm vanilla-and-spice finish. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 80 proof (40% ABV) — 1L bottle
- Mash bill: 72% corn, rye and malted barley in equal proportions (sour mash)
- Producer: Laird & Company, Scobeyville, New Jersey (G&W = Gooderham & Worts, introduced 1933)
- Aging: producer ages a minimum of three years
- Profile: caramel, vanilla, toffee, oak spice, gentle white pepper
Good Whiskey Since 1933
The G&W name once belonged to Gooderham & Worts, the Canadian distillery owned by Hiram Walker — and its old taglines did the marketing themselves: "G&W means Good Whiskey / Goodbye Worries!" Laird & Company, America's oldest commercial distillery (est. 1698), purchased the trademark in the 1970s and has kept it alive ever since, buying barrel fillings from a well-established Kentucky distillery and bottling them under the G&W brand. It is one of the great survivors of American whiskey — a Depression-era label still pouring the same straightforward sour-mash style. Shop more bourbon whiskey or browse everything from G&W at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Trade-press consensus on the G&W profile: the nose opens with baked sweet apple pie, white pepper, cloves, and nutmeg; the palate is harmonious and rounded — butterscotch, creamy vanilla, sweet oak tannins; the finish is vanilla and baking spice, smooth at 80 proof. A malt-forward, easy-drinking bourbon that reads older than its age.
How to Enjoy
Neat or on a large cube for the full vanilla-spice profile, and it does honest work in a highball or an old fashioned — the gentle proof and caramel-forward character make it an easy mixer without losing itself in the glass.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does G&W stand for?
Gooderham & Worts, the historic Canadian distillery formerly owned by Hiram Walker. The trademark was purchased by Laird & Company in the 1970s; the whiskey itself is Kentucky bourbon.
What is the mash bill of G&W Private Stock?
72% corn with rye and malted barley in equal proportions, made with the sour-mash process for consistency.
Is G&W Private Stock a straight bourbon?
The producer describes it as Kentucky sour-mash bourbon aged a minimum of three years; this SKU is bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV).
A survivor of American whiskey history — order G&W Private Stock Kentucky Sour Mash Bourbon from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.