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Photo libraries, in ascending order by bottling year
Four Roses Paul Jones Co. ~1915
This bottle was verified by the Four Roses company to have been from 1915, when the brand was owned by the founder, Paul Jones.
Photos courtesy of Josh Frank
Mount Vernon Pure Rye Whiskey, Quart, Pre-Prohibition ~1915
Not to be confused with the whiskey made at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate starting in 1798, this Mount Vernon brand was started by Edwin A. Clabaugh and George U. Graff of Baltimore. They sold the brand to Henry S. Hannis of Philadelphia in 1873; it was later purchased by Cook and Bernheimer, a wholesaler from New York. There was also a “Mt. Vernon” rye competitor, causing confusion in the marketplace. It appears based on cursory label research that multiple distillers were contracted to produce the whiskey; this bottle was distilled by the Hannis Distilling Company of Pennsylvania. This bottle was likely filled around 1915; one can imagine that it was hoarded away before prohibition began in 1920, which kept it from being consumed and allowed it to survive over a decade intact. The foil enclosure with a twist-wire has proven to be an excellent seal over the century plus. Note there is no alcohol percentage listed on the bottle.
Old Taylor Bonded, 4/5qt, 1915-1919
This bottle is particularly interesting for its remarkable resemblance to the current bottles of Old Taylor, right down to the tube it was packaged in.
Old Overholt 13yr Bonded Rye, Medicinal Pint ~1920s
This bottle was in the National Distillers corporate museum until 1996, so it never had a tax strip applied.
Photos courtesy of Rod Nayfield.
O.F.C. Bonded Bourbon, Medicinal Pint, 1916-1925
This OFC is a pivotal bottle in bourbon history. The Geo T Stagg shows that the bourbon was made at the Frankfort distillery that is now Buffalo Trace; however, this seems to be the last year where the Albert Blanton name showed up on a tax strip. Reference the bottle posted here that is one year after this tax strip is introduced, showing 1926 and Geo T Stagg distillery.
This is a bottle that was likely originally packaged as a medicinal pint, but later was rebottled in regular bourbon garb. The giveaway is the do not refill warning on the glass, which didn’t begin until after prohibition.
Photos and commentary courtesy of Bourbon Benevolence.
O.F.C. Rebottled Medicinal, Bonded, 1916-1926
This is a bottle that was likely originally packaged as a medicinal pint, but later was rebottled in regular bourbon garb. The giveaway is the do not refill warning on the glass, which didn’t begin until after prohibition.
Middleton Golden Rye, Bonded, pint, 1917-1927
Distilled at the Van Hook Distillery, Harrison County, KY
Dougherty’s Private Stock Rye, Medicinal Pint, Bonded
The strip is gone from this bottle but it was likely filled ~1930.
Bourbon De Luxe Medicinal Bonded, pint, 1916-1932
This is a pint sold at a drug store during prohibition. These bottles came in cardboard boxes to make them more presentable at the pharmacy. Notice the very cool and unique “cap remover.”
American Medicinal Spirits Special Old Reserve, pint, 1917-1932
Posted in Miscellaneous
Tags: 1932, american medicinal spirits, bottled in bond, bourbon, prohibition
Tags: 1932, american medicinal spirits, bottled in bond, bourbon, prohibition
Old Taylor Medicinal Pint, Bonded 1916-1933
Photos courtesy of Glenn Riven
Posted in Old Taylor
Tags: 1933, american medicinal spirits, bottled in bond, bourbon, old taylor, prohibition
Tags: 1933, american medicinal spirits, bottled in bond, bourbon, old taylor, prohibition
Waterfill and Frazier 17yr Bonded Medicinal Pint – 1916-1933
Distilled by the Davis Co Distillery #2 in the 2nd District of Kentucky.
A. Ph. Stitzel distributed this brand. The assumption would be that Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr would have been a sales rep for the brand because it was produced before Van Winkle, Alex Farmsley, and Arthur Stitzel opened Stitzel Weller distillery in 1935.
Pictures and commentary courtesy of Bourbon Benevolence
Old Stagg Special Reserve, 19yr Bonded Medicinal Pint, 1914-1933
This bottle was the flagship label for the Geo T Stagg distillery In Frankfort Kentucky that is now Buffalo Trace. This bottle is nearly identical to the 18 year Old Stagg posted here except it was barreled one year earlier. These bottles are prime examples of how much whiskey had to sit in barrels for long periods of time and how distilleries must have really struggled during Prohibition.
Also the embossed Stagg and corn inlays are very unique with these Prohibition and Pre-Pro Staggs.
Pictures and commentary courtesy of Bourbon Benevolence
Old Taylor Medicinal Bonded, pint, 1917-1933
This is a pint sold at a drug store during prohibition. These bottles came in cardboard boxes to make them more presentable at the pharmacy.
Seagram’s Pedigree Straight Bourbon, Canada, 8yr 100pf, 1934
Today bourbon is required to be produced in USA to be called bourbon, but it wasn’t always so.
Photos courtesy of Glenn Riven
Old Grand Dad Bonded Medicinal Pint, 1917-1934
Distilled in Louisville by Richard E. Wathen.
Photos courtesy of Ted Doggett.
Taylor Springs 5yr Bonded, Pint, 1935-1940
Distilled at Glencoe in Louisville.
Photos courtesy of Dave Kording.
Churchill Bourbon, Bonded 5yr Pint, 1936-1941
Interesting text on the rear label regarding an Old Grand Dad connection.
Posted in Miscellaneous, Old Grand Dad
Tags: 1941, bottled in bond, bourbon, churchill, old grand dad
Tags: 1941, bottled in bond, bourbon, churchill, old grand dad
Glenmore Stoneware Jug, 4/5qt ~1941
Photos courtesy of James Hensley. This bottle is interesting in that no ABV is indicated; assumedly it was affixed on a hanging tag or some other means.
Old Eastwood Bonded 7yr, 1 Quart, 1936-1943
This bottle is interesting in that it was distilled at Heaven Hill and bottled at Stitzel-Weller.
Old Eastwood was a private label brand for Taylor drug stores in Louisville
Kentucky (Taylor Drug stores sold all of their stores to Rite Aid in 1996).
Photos and information courtesy of Spencer Holcomb.
Posted in Heaven Hill Brands, Miscellaneous
Tags: 1943, bottled in bond, bourbon, old eastwood, stitzel weller
Tags: 1943, bottled in bond, bourbon, old eastwood, stitzel weller
Old WL Weller Special Reserve 7 year Bonded, 1936-1944
This bottle was very likely distilled during the very first year (or 1.5 years) after Stitzel Weller opened on Derby Day, May 5, 1935. It does not have a foil wrapper under the tax strip similar to most of the early Stitzel Weller bottlings. This bottle is taller and thinner than the years that came after. It is an Extremely Rare bottle, and thought to be one of less than 10 still in existence. This bottle is a beautiful marker of history when Julian Van Winkle Sr, Alex Farnsley, and A. Ph Stitzel joined forces to resurrect and build a brand that would change the bourbon world by producing it at a new world class facility.
Photos and commentary courtesy of Bourbon Benevolence.
Masterpiece Bonded 7 1/2yr, 4/5qt, 1936-1944
A private-label Stitzel-Weller bourbon bottled for a grocer in Kansas City.
Posted in Miscellaneous, Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1944, bottled in bond, bourbon, masterpiece, stitzel weller
Tags: 1944, bottled in bond, bourbon, masterpiece, stitzel weller
Stuart’s Rare Old Brand Bonded Whiskey, 1939-1947
Note that this bottle, while bottled-in-bond, is a whiskey and not specifically a bourbon. The label notes “Colored and Flavored with Wood Chips” and “This whiskey stored 8 years in used cooperage.”
Photos courtesy of Randall Borkus
Old WL Weller Special Reserve 7 year Bonded, 1940-1948
Very similar bottle used by Stitzel Weller for the WL Weller SR line for 20+ years. Since Stitzel Weller opened in 1935, this was whiskey from only their fifth year of production making it very rare. Much of the popularity of Stitzel Weller seems to have come from the Old Fitzgerald brands that didn’t start until 1941 (and didn’t gain mass popularity until several years later). Anything bottled in these first six or seven years of production is extremely rare.
Photos and commentary courtesy of Bourbon Benevolence.
Very Old Fitzgerald 8yr, 1941-1949
This is the earliest Very Old Fitzgerald I’ve seen. I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has seen an earlier one.
Posted in Very Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1949, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Tags: 1949, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Rare Old Fitzgerald, 1950
Posted in Old Fitzgerald, Very Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1950, bottled in bond, old fitzgerald, stitzel weller
Tags: 1950, bottled in bond, old fitzgerald, stitzel weller
Old Grand Dad Bonded, w/Gift Box, 1948-1952
Posted in Old Grand Dad
Tags: 1952, bottled in bond, bourbon, gift box, national distillers, old grand dad
Tags: 1952, bottled in bond, bourbon, gift box, national distillers, old grand dad
Old Fitzgerald Diamond Decanter, 4/5qt, Bonded, 1953
Posted in Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1953, bottled in bond, bourbon, decanter, old fitzgerald, stitzel weller
Tags: 1953, bottled in bond, bourbon, decanter, old fitzgerald, stitzel weller
Club Bourbon 7yr, 93pf, Stitzel Weller, 4/5qt, 1954
Bottled for the Pacific-Union Club on Nob Hill in San Franciso.
Photos courtesy of Thomas Oakes
Cherry Circle Private Stock, Bonded, 4/5qt, 1947-1954
Bottled for the Chicago Athletic Association by Stitzel-Weller, and bearing the Cubs logo.
Masterpiece Bonded 8yr, 4/5qt, 1947-1955
A private-label Stitzel-Weller bourbon bottled for a grocer in Kansas City.
Posted in Miscellaneous, Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1955, bottled in bond, bourbon, masterpiece, stitzel weller
Tags: 1955, bottled in bond, bourbon, masterpiece, stitzel weller
Hotel Muehlebach 13 Year Bourbon, 13yr 100pf, ~1955
This is essentially a 13yr Very Old Fitzgerald bottled by Stitzel Weller for Hotel Muehlebach in Kansas City, MO.
Posted in Very Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1955, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Tags: 1955, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Wild Turkey 100th Anniversary Decanter, 4/5qt, 101pf, 1955
This bottle featured a hand-blown crystal decanter (possibly hand-painted also?) made by Hovmantorp, Sweden. It was made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Austin Nichols grocery wholesale company.
Photos courtesy of Terry Traw
Old W.L. Weller Special Reserve Bonded, Pint, 1947-1955
Posted in Weller
Tags: 1955, bottled in bond, bourbon, old weller, stitzel weller, weller, wl weller
Tags: 1955, bottled in bond, bourbon, old weller, stitzel weller, weller, wl weller
Four Roses Blend of Straight Bourbons, 1956
The reason this is called a “blend of straight bourbon whiskeys” is that Seagrams had multiple distilleries, in different states. If it was all distilled in one state it could simply be labeled straight bourbon whiskey, but I imagine this had some bourbon distilled in Kentucky and also some distilled in Indiana, so by regulation it had to be called a blend of straights.
Wild Turkey 8yr, 4/5qt, Brooklyn, 1957
Wild Turkey 8 year, 101 proof was the staple of the line for decades. Unlike many brands, Wild Turkey kept the age statement and higher proof for a long time, which led to its perception of high quality. The ages started to drop in the 1990s, and the proofs have only recently started to go down.
Shortly after this bottling, the label changed from stating “Brooklyn – New York” to “New York, NY.”