Schenley was a liquor company based out of New York, N.Y. with headquarters in the Empire State Building

Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...

 and a distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana

Lawrenceburg, Indiana

Lawrenceburg is a city in Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,042 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Dearborn County...

. It owned several brands of Bourbon whiskey

Bourbon whiskey

Bourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...

, including Schenley, The Old Quaker Company, Carstairs' White Seal, and possibly others; they also owned a controlling interest in Blatz

Valentin Blatz Brewing Company

The Valentin Blatz Brewing Company was an American brewery based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It produced Blatz Beer from 1851 until 1959 when the label was sold to Pabst Brewing Company.-History:...

 beer. They also made a Canadian whisky

Canadian whisky

Canadian whisky is a type of whisky produced in Canada. Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain liquors containing a large percentage of corn spirits, and are typically lighter and smoother than other whisky styles...

 called Black Velvet

Black Velvet (whisky)

Black Velvet Whisky is a Canadian whisky brand owned by Constellation Brands. It has a strong taste and is known for its black labeling. It is a 'whisky mix' meaning that it is a blend of various whiskies....

. Schenley's Black Velvet DeLuxe was the only liquor available to submarine

Submarine

A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...

 officers at Midway

Midway Atoll

Midway Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, about one-third of the way between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Tokyo, Japan. Unique among the Hawaiian islands, Midway observes UTC-11 , eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and one hour...

 in World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, where it was held in low regard and known as "Schenley's Black Death."

Schenley was acquired by the financier Meshulam Riklis in 1968. He sold the company to Guinness

Guinness

Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...

 in 1987. Schenley had formerly imported Guinness into the United States.

The company sponsored the Schenley Award in the Canadian Football League

Canadian Football League

The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....

for many decades. The trophy is still awarded for outstanding play, but the company does not sponsor the award.