Photo libraries, in ascending order by bottling year

This is the earliest Very Old Fitzgerald I’ve seen. I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has seen an earlier one.

This is essentially a 13yr Very Old Fitzgerald bottled by Stitzel Weller for Hotel Muehlebach in Kansas City, MO.

Photos courtesy of Ted Doggett.

Photos courtesy of Ted Doggett.

Photos courtesy of Brian Lovejoy

Photos courtesy of Ted Doggett.

The 10-year old version was called Very Xtra Old Fitzgerald. This one came in the nice gift box, which stained the label red over the decades. I’ve been told the gift boxes were a separate purchase from the bottle, which is it seems random as to why some bottles have them and others don’t.

Photos courtesy of Ted Doggett.

This is one of the rare Very Very Old Fitzgeralds that’s older than 12 years. I’ve seen some 14, 15, and 18 year bottles, but they were usually bottles done for special clients. A few of them were even bottled at 121 proof, although this one is a 100 proof bonded version.

This Very Very Old Fitzgerald was bottled in 1975. Notice that the distillery is listed as “Old Fitzgerald” instead of Stitzel-Weller. This change came along in 1972 after the sale of the company by the Van Winkle family. Also, this bottle has a screw cap instead of a cork.

Photos courtesy of Eli Spitzner

This bottle shows the plastic box that the Very Old Fitzgeralds were sold in starting in the 1970s.
Photos courtesy of Steve Pendergast.