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Photo libraries, in ascending order by bottling year
Elmer T. Lee 107pf, 750ml, 1990
This bottle was dubbed by the whiskey community as the “Butt Ugly Bottle” or BUB.
Maker’s Mark Limited Edition Gold Label 101pf, ~1990
Gold wax, gold label, gold box. Maker’s offered this domestically from around 1983 until 1993, then they made it an export only product to the Far East thereafter. It, like Maker’s Select, was discontinued around the year 2000.
Wild Turkey 12yr Gold Foil Label, 750ml, 1990
The 12 year is many people’s favorite in the Wild Turkey lineup. It started with the “Beyond Duplication” bottles in the early 1980s, which was replaced by the “cheesy gold foil” label bottle in the mid-80s, then the split-label in the mid-90s. The export market got the Beyond Duplication and gold foil labels longer than the US market. Finally, the export-only version persisted in a few markets. All are top quality pours.
Old Rip Van Winkle 15yr 750ml Lawrenceburg, ~1990
This is a very early Old Rip 15, from one of the first years it existed. Notice the faux tax strip and lack of government warning.
A.H. Hirsch 15yr 95.6pf, Script Label
This version of the 15yr was bottled after the Van Winkle style 15 yr label. It was technically bottled after it had turned 16 yrs. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
A.H. Hirsch 16yr, 91.6pf, Blue Wax Script Label
This was the first bottling of the AH Hirsch 16. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
Boone’s Knoll 16yr, 91.6pf
This was one of three brands the Michter’s distillate was bottled under, along with A.H. Hirsch and Van Winkle Lot H. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
A.H. Hirsch 16yr, 95.6pf, Squat Gold Wax
This was the last bottling of the Hirsch 16 at the higher 95.6 proof. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
A.H. Hirsch 16yr, 91.6pf, Squat Black Wax
This was the first version of the Hirsch 16 that was bottled at the lower 91.6 proof. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
Van Winkle 16yr 90pf, Gold Wax, 1990
The Van Winkle Family Reserve 16 & 17 year were reportedly bottled using whiskey from the Boone distillery, which was also used for the first bottles of Pappy 20.
Photos courtesy of ‘The Old Barrelhouse’ Australia.
Van Winkle Family Selection “Lot H” 16yr, 95.6pf
The Lot H bottles were likely bottled using whiskey from the Michter’s distillery, which was also used for the famous A.H. Hirsch bourbons. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
A.H. Hirsch 16yr, 91.6pf, Gold Wax Tall Bottle
This is the second to last original bottling of the Hirsch 16, prior to the recent humidor bottle. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
A.H. Hirsch 16yr, 91.6pf, Gold Foil Top
The gold foil was the final original bottling of the Hirsch 16, prior to the recent humidor bottle. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
Van Winkle Special Reserve 12yr Lot A, 1991
Lot A was a one-time release, which was followed by the Lot B, which has been produced since.
Van Winkle Family Selection “Lot H” 17yr, 95.6pf
The Lot H bottles were likely bottled using whiskey from the Michter’s distillery, which was also used for the famous A.H. Hirsch bourbons. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
A.H. Hirsch 17yr, 95.6pf, Gold Wax Script Bottle
The gold wax A.H. hirsch 17 is essentially the same whiskey bottled as the Van Winkle Lot H 17 year. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
A.H. Hirsch 18yr, 93pf, 1992
AH Hirsch 18 yr is the rarest of all of the AH Hirsch releases. There were only 37 cases (444) bottles released. Speculation was that it was the remaining inventory of the bourbon that was tanked and released as a 17 year old (Some say it didn’t actually meet the requirements for an 18 year label). It is the only Hirsch offering that wasn’t either 91.6 or 95.6 proof (it was 93 proof). It is possible that was because that particular dilution made for an even number of cases. The bottle pictured here represents one of only 24 bottles that were sold domestically. Gordon Hue, who owned all of the Hirsch stock, released the rest of them overseas.
Wild Turkey Rye Green Label Rye, 750ml, 1992
Wild Turkey Rye debuted in the mid-1970s. It had the green label until the 90s, when it switched to a label more consistent with its bourbon color scheme. It was discontinued in 2012, and brought back on a limited basis in 2014.
Maker’s Mark Select 95pf “Black Label” ~1992
Maker’s Mark Select 95 proof, circa 1992 with black wax, label, and box. This was an export-only offering sent to the Far East and Europe. Note it was the only time in Maker’s history that they emblazoned both the box and bottle with “BOURBON” in all caps. They wanted to be sure the foreign buyers knew exactly what was in the bottle. The Select was discontinued around the year 2000.
Old Fitzgerald Bonded, 200ml, 1993
Old Fitzgerald bottled-in-bond 200 ml, circa 1993. Note the UPC, government warning, ABV reference and faux green tax strip. A ’93’ embossed on the bottom the glass date the bottle to 1993 or shortly thereafter. To the best of my knowledge, Old Fitzgerald discontinued use of the faux tax strip seals within a year or two of this bottling.
Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Pewter Top, 750ml, 1994
The Kentucky Spirit is Wild Turkey’s single barrel bottling, and debuted in 1994. The first bottles had a pewter cap, which changed to smooth dark wood in 2002, dark embossed wood in 2005, and light embossed wood in 2008. Generally the older the bottle, the more sought-after by Turkey connoisseurs.
Old Rip Van Winkle 15yr 107pf Lawrenceburg, ~1994
Old Rip Van Winkle 15 year was produced from 1989-2003, when it was replaced by Pappy 15. Many connoisseurs prefer the Old Rip to the Pappy, and the Lawrenceburg bottles are especially valued, possibly because they were non chill filtered before the move to Buffalo Trace in 2002. Early ORVWs came in a slightly taller bottle with a sharper angle on the shoulder. You can see in the last photo the difference between 1998 (left) and 1994 (right) bottles.
Old Fitzgerald Prime 80pf, 750ml, 1994
Old Fitzgerald Prime 80 proof 750 ml, circa 1994. Note the UPC code, government warning and alcohol by volume reference which establishes the bottle to at least November 1989. A ’94’ embossed on the bottom of the glass likely dates the bottle to 1994 or shortly thereafter. An interesting detail to note is ‘inc.’ (incorporated) having been dropped from the Old Fitzgerald Distillery name around the 1994 timeframe, which further establishes the provenance of this bottle. The unique embossed diamonds on the shoulder of this bottle are typical of the ‘diamond neck’ bottle design distributed during the early 1990’s.
A.H. Hirsch 20yr, 91.6pf, Red Wax Script Bottle
The only version of the 20 year Michter’s distilled Hirsch. Photos courtesy of Brian Daigle.
Wild Turkey 8yr 101pf, 1.75L, Japan Export ~1997
Note that this bottle has the later “Old No. 8 Brand” wording, but also has the “8 Years Old” age statement added on the front label.
Hirsch Selection 13yr Rye, Lot 97-1, ~1997
This was a rye bottled by Julian Van Winkle for Preiss, and was taken from the same stocks as the Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye. This first lot would have been the same as a non-lettered Van Winkle Rye.
Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr 107pf Lawrenceburg, ~1998
Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year was released in the late 1970s and is still produced today. It was Stitzel-Weller stock until around 2004, when it was Bermheim for a while and eventually Buffalo Trace (with some probably mingling in the transition years). The Lawrenceburg bottles are especially valued, possibly because they were non chill filtered before the move to Buffalo Trace in 2002.
Old Rip Van Winkle 15yr 107pf Lawrenceburg, ~1998
Old Rip Van Winkle 15 year was produced from 1989-2003, when it was replaced by Pappy 15. Many connoisseurs prefer the Old Rip to the Pappy, and the Lawrenceburg bottles are especially valued, possibly because they were non chill filtered before the move to Buffalo Trace in 2002. Early ORVWs came in a slightly taller bottle with a sharper angle on the shoulder. You can see in the last photo the difference between 1998 (left) and 1994 (right) bottles.
Wild Turkey 12yr Split Label, 750ml, 1998
The 12 year is many people’s favorite in the Wild Turkey lineup. It started with the “Beyond Duplication” bottles in the early 1980s, which was replaced by the “cheesy gold foil” label bottle in the mid-80s, then the split-label in the mid-90s. The export market got the Beyond Duplication and gold foil labels longer than the US market. Finally, the export-only version persisted in a few markets. All are top quality pours.
Wild Turkey Old no 8 Brand, 1.75L, 1998
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. The Old no. 8 Brand replaced the 8 year, in a classic marketing move.
Pappy Van Winkle 23yr “Green Glass” Lawrenceburg, ~1998
This was the first bottling of Pappy 23, with green-tinted glass and bottled in Lawrenceburg, KY.
Old Rip Van Winkle Lottas Home Rye, 13yr, 95.6pf, 1998
A special bottling one for a German importer whose daughter was named Lotta. Photos courtesy of Eric Rueli.
Van Winkle Family Reserve 15 Year Bourbon, 90 Proof, Red Wax
This bottling was normally hand-numbered. The owner of this bottle contacted Julian Van Winkle III and was told it was likely omitted by mistake.
Twisted Spoke 16yr 105pf, 1999
Twisted Spoke was a Stitzel-Weller bourbon bottled by Julian Van Winkle in 1999 for the Twisted Spoke bar in Chicago. Bottled at 16 years and 105 proof.
Buffalo Trace Barrel Proof, 18yr 134.5pf, 1999
This bottle commemorated the five millionth barrel from Buffalo Trace. It was from a single barrel filled in 1981 with bourbon mash #1 and dumped in 1999; the barrel only produced 30-40 bottles, which were given to charities for fundraising.
Photos and information courtesy of Jeremy Esposito.
Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye “A” Lawrenceburg, 1999
The Van Winkle Rye reportedly started as a single-source whiskey, rumored to be Medley distillate. The remaining whiskey stayed in the barrel year after year until it reached 19 years old, at which point it was tanked in stainless steel and mingled with Bernheim (Cream of Kentucky) rye. This bottle would have been 15-year old pre-tank rye with all Medley distillate. For more info see the Van Winkle timeline.
Wild Turkey 12yr Split Label, 750ml
The 12 year is many people’s favorite in the Wild Turkey lineup. It started with the “Beyond Duplication” bottles in the early 1980s, which was replaced by the “cheesy gold foil” label bottle in the mid-80s, then the split-label in the mid-90s. The export market got the Beyond Duplication and gold foil labels longer than the US market. Finally, the export-only version persisted in a few markets. All are top quality pours.
Weller Centennial Frankfort, BHC and gold cap
The Weller Centennial came out as a part of the Bourbon Heritage Collection, and originally had Louisville on the label. Later the label changed to Frankfort but kept the BHC logo on the cap, and the final version had Frankfort on the label and only a gold capsule.
Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye “B” Lawrenceburg, 2000
The Van Winkle Rye reportedly started as a single-source whiskey, rumored to be Medley distillate. The remaining whiskey stayed in the barrel year after year until it reached 19 years old, at which point it was tanked in stainless steel and mingled with Bernheim (Cream of Kentucky) rye. This bottle would have been 16-year old pre-tank rye with all Medley distillate. For more info see the Van Winkle timeline.
Very Old Fitzgerald / Weller Leatherette Display Boxes
Several Very Old Fitzgerald varieties (as well as Old Fitzgerald 1849 and some Weller bottles) have been found encased in sturdy leatherette display-type cases complete with shot glasses and keys for the locking mechanism. The history seems murky on which bottles came with which boxes originally. I’ve been told that they may have been sold separately from the bottles, and that the design of the case didn’t necessarily match up to a particular whiskey. Another theory is that at some point in the 1960s the boxes were offered with any Old Fitzgerald that was 10 years or older. At some point in the 1970s these were replaced with a simple clear plastic box that contained the bottle.
If anybody has boxes not represented here I’d love photos.
Hirsch Selection 13yr Rye, Lot 00-1, ~2000
This was a rye bottled by Julian Van Winkle for Preiss, and was taken from the same stocks as the Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye. This later lot would have been the same as a “C”-lettered Van Winkle Rye.
Old Rip Van Winkle 10yr 107pf Lawrenceburg, ~2001
Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year was released in the late 1970s and is still produced today. It was Stitzel-Weller stock until around 2004, when it was Bermheim for a while and eventually Buffalo Trace (with some probably mingling in the transition years). The Lawrenceburg bottles are especially valued, possibly because they were non chill filtered before the move to Buffalo Trace in 2002.
David Nicholson “1843” Bonded, 2001
Bottled by Luxco of Saint Louis, David Nicholson was originally produced by Stitzel-Weller, but at some point Heaven Hill became the primary supplier. Unfortunately, Luxco continued to label bottles with DSP-KY-16 until some time in the aughts, so there’s no good way of knowing whether the whiskey in the bottle is Stitzel-Weller or Heaven Hill distillate.
Johnny Drum Private Stock 15yr, 101pf
This bottle has no date markings but is likely from the early 2000s.
Michter’s 10yr Single Barrel Bourbon, Lawrenceburg, 94.4pf, Barrel 3
This early bottle of Michter’s 10 year was bottled by Julian Van Winkle, likely in the early 2000s.
Eagle Rare 10/101 “New Orleans” 1.75L
This bottle is odd in that the glass shows 2002, but labels had switch to Frankfort around 1999. The explanation is probably that they were using up old label stock, a provision allowed by the TTB.
Old Commonwealth Bourbon, 10yr, 107pf, ~2002
Old Commonwealth was a special bottling done by Julian Van Winkle for Sam’s Liquor in Chicago, which was eventually bought out by Binny’s. It was also rumored to have been sold in some northern Indiana stores. It contained the same whiskey as the Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year of the same era. Photos courtesy of Eric Rueli.
The Classic Cask Bourbon, Batch GL-107, 17yr, 90.8pf, 1985-2002
Photos courtesy of Michael Aronoff
Posted in Kentucky Bourbon Distillers
Tags: 2002, bourbon, classic cask, kbd, kentucky bourbon distiller
Tags: 2002, bourbon, classic cask, kbd, kentucky bourbon distiller