Monday, November 10, 2025

Z as in Zythum

 

Z as in Zythum

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Somehow, I wasn't terribly surprised when I pawed through a couple of hundred embossed, labeled and embossed, and label only western whiskies on my shelves, when searching for anything that started with a "Zonly to come up empty.

I was, however, rewarded when I thought to take a peek at the western pre-pro glasses in one of my display cabinets.

Sure enough, Z for Zythum.

John Sroufe tossed his hat into the western whiskey wholesale ring, going solo in 1893. His least successful brand was Zythum.

No, this is not a Nazi emblem! In Hinduism, the right-facing symbol (clockwise) () is called swastika, symbolizing surya ('sun'), prosperity and good luck.

Zythum was originally a malt beer made in ancient Egypt. Since whiskey is often made using malt as the base, the name seemed to be a natural.

Unlike his somewhat successful Slaters Premium Bourbon, the Zythum brand flopped, undoubtedly being paper labeled only since no embossed examples have ever surfaced.

There are less than a scant handful of these pre-pro shots documented to exist; best count is four in any condition. This one is dead mint.

Zythum

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