Mad Men Mondays: On the Rocks

Appointment television began again for me last night with the return of Mad Men, and of course, Mad Men Mondays! If you’re new to the blog, I try to fill you in a little bit on whatever our favorite ad men had to drink on the most recent episode. Sometimes they disappoint me, and I never catch a name or a label. Sometimes, it’s an amazing selection of potential bottles and cocktails.

Last night fell somewhere in the middle. Everyone was drinking something on the rocks, but it was primarily Don. In the past, he’s definitely been a bourbon and whiskey guy. Last night, they very purposely let us see the bottle of Canadian Club. (Think, for a moment, how liquor brands must be lining up to get their label on this show …)

When I think of Canadian Club, I think of my Grandma. She always had some sitting around (although she was more of a bourbon girl – I take after Grandma). But Canadian Club has been around forever. It was originally created in 1858 in Detroit by distiller Hiram Walker. But even in the 1850s, the winds of Prohibition were beginning to blow. Hiram moved his distillery across the border to Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Walker aged his whiskey in oak barrels for a minimum of five years, which was revolutionary at the time. By doing this, he was able to pitch his whiskey as a premium drink. It became quite the rage in Gentlemen’s Clubs across the US and Canada, thus becoming Club whiskey. American distillers insisted that the word “Canadian” be included on the label, in hopes to deter people (buy American!). It didn’t work out quite as planned, however, and Canadian Club became an exclusive and sought after beverage. During Prohibition, one of Walker’s biggest clients was Al Capone, who made a fortune smuggling Canadian Club into Chicago from Windsor.

I suppose it’s only appropriate that Don has a bottle of Canadian Club on his office bar.

Roger, on the other hand, is a vodka drinker. Last season he was pretty excited over a bottle of Stoli vodka, another bit of alcohol that’s been around a while. There is, of course, some Stoli on Don’s office bar, apparently just for Roger.

Stoli (or rather, Stolichnaya) was introduced to the world sometime in the mid-1940s, although the actual date is under debate. Produced in Russia, it is fermented with wheat and rye grains, as well as artesian water from the Kaliningrad area. Once fermentation is complete, the spirit is distilled four times before being diluted with more fancy water.

Stoli was pretty hard to get in the 1960s, so when Roger scored his bottle or so last season, it was quite a coup. It wasn’t until the early 1970s that Pepsi struck a bargain with the Russian government to export Stoli to the west on a regular basis.

On a final note about the show, am I the only one really creeped out by little Sally?

13 Responses to “Mad Men Mondays: On the Rocks”

1. DailyWineNews says:

   July 26, 2010 at 8:03 am

   Mad Men Mondays: On the Rocks: Appointment television began again for me last night with the return of Mad Men, an… http://bit.ly/ag5h2v

   This comment was originally posted on Twitter
2. writetechnology says:

   July 26, 2010 at 8:03 am

   New on Wine-Girl: Mad Men Mondays: On the Rocks http://dlvr.it/32SzN

   This comment was originally posted on Twitter
3. Dick Carlson says:

   July 26, 2010 at 8:18 am

   Thanks for the spirit reading. I haven’t watched the show yet, but I’ll look forward to the bar bits.

   Mom and Dad drank CC when I was younger. When I started drinking (about 16) I tried it, but couldn’t stand the taste. I ended up drinking scotch (I was a Chivas man) into my 20′s, and then switched to gin.

   I’d like to see Sally squashed by a bus. She looks evil.
4. techherding says:

   July 26, 2010 at 8:19 am

   What’s that they’re drinking on “Mad Men”? RT @writetechnology: New on Wine-Girl: Mad Men Mondays: On the Rocks http://dlvr.it/32SzN

   This comment was originally posted on Twitter
5. CinWomenBlogger says:

   July 26, 2010 at 8:25 am

   RT @michellelentz: New on Wine-Girl: Mad Men Mondays: On the Rocks http://dlvr.it/32SzP

   This comment was originally posted on Twitter
6. Cocktails4Evry1 says:

   July 26, 2010 at 8:31 am

   Stoli & CC featured in last night’s Mad Men Mondays: On the Rocks http://bit.ly/9udm76 #cocktails #madmen #vodka @mad_men

   This comment was originally posted on Twitter
7. sterlingcutglas says:

   July 26, 2010 at 8:49 am

   RT @CinWomenBlogger: RT @michellelentz: New on Wine-Girl: Mad Men Mondays: On the Rocks http://dlvr.it/32SzP

   This comment was originally posted on Twitter
8. MyWineryGuides says:

   July 26, 2010 at 7:04 pm

   Mad Men Mondays: On the Rocks http://dld.bz/nP4M

   This comment was originally posted on Twitter
9. Jenny says:

   July 27, 2010 at 10:44 am

   Oh yes the age of vodka tonics. It brings back many family parties. I love the comments on the subliminal efforts to bring people’s labels to light. Definitely a show I must watch.

   http://www.blog.onxwine.com
10. Dave says:

    July 27, 2010 at 4:00 pm

    Don’t forget the bottle of Jameson in Peggy’s office.
11. Michelle says:

    July 27, 2010 at 4:34 pm

    Dave, I so missed that! Thanks for pointing it out!
12. Mikinzie says:

    July 27, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    More ink (erm, pixels) for client Canadian Club from Mad Men premier! http://bit.ly/dhoGsJ

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter
13. nycwinedeals says:

    July 28, 2010 at 7:20 pm

    Mad Men Mondays: On the Rocks: Love this look at what Mad Men is drinking on set, I know I always look! http://bit.ly/ag5h2v

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter