Every time I walk into my boss Vic Mankarian’s office, I look at this photo of his father hanging above his desk: Zohrab Mankarian, the original founder of Mission, who started the store as a tobacco and cigar specialist before branching out into wine and spirits.

As someone who takes pride in working for a family-run business, especially one with more than forty years of history (Mission opened in 1979—the year I was born), I often ask Vic about what the store was like when he first started, and what his father might have thought about our success today.

That’s when Vic began showing me old images of the store, pulling out boxes of photos from Pasadena’s past.

When I sat down with Pablo Moix from Rare Character earlier this year to select label images for our two new single cask whiskies, he showed me a selection of Pasadena-themed photos like the Rose Bowl and the Huntington Library. The Rare Character selections usually showcase local iconography based on the retailer’s location, so a San Francisco-based retailer might have a cable car on its label, whereas a New York retailer might have the Statue of Liberty.

While local pride is a wonderful thing, I wanted something more meaningful for Mission’s labels. Something more personal.

That’s when I remembered that old box of photos in Vic’s desk.

The first of two single barrel cask strength MGP Bourbons celebrating the evolution of our Pasadena flagship location, this 59.79% 5 year old label reminisces back to the 1980s when we were still known as Mission Tobacco! The store was still located in what is now our warehouse, and the original “Tobacco” sign was still painted white.

Bold and powerful on the palate, this is the type of Bourbon that Zohrab Mankarian—our original founder—would have paired with a fine cigar. Loaded with spice, vanilla sweetness across the palate, and plenty of oak from front to back, it's our first homage to Pasadena and the history of Mission Wine & Spirits.

Stay tuned for barrel number two!

-David Driscoll