A whiskey glut was happening in America as sales began to decline at the end of the 60s and continued through the 80s and 90s. Distilleries did not slow down production, assuming the glut was only temporary, but as they realized it wasn't, they had to come up with creative ways to move product. Many distilleries partnered with Non Distiller Producers, to bottle their whiskey under a different brand and export it overseas. This is a 20 year rye distilled in the 80s, most likely by Michter's at their location in Pennsylvania at that time, bottled under a different brand and exported to the Japanese market. It's a wonderful expression of aged pennsylvania rye, the same distillate as the Rye Royal 20year, but in a totally different and more rare bottling brand.