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Photo libraries, in ascending order by bottling year
Very Old Fitzgerald 8yr, 1960-1968, Half Pint
Posted in Very Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1968, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Tags: 1968, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Old Taylor Bonded, Mini 1/10 pint, 1963-1968
Photos courtesy of Brad Pollard
Posted in Old Taylor
Tags: airplane, bottled in bond, bourbon, mini, national distillers, old taylor
Tags: airplane, bottled in bond, bourbon, mini, national distillers, old taylor
Very Very Old Fitzgerald 18yr 121pf “Blackhawk” 1951-1969
One of the rarest Very Old Fitzgerald bottlings, this was bottled at 121 barrel proof and 18 years old especially for the Wirtz family of Chicago. The Wirtzes owned (and still do) the Chicago Blackhawks and also run the largest liquor distribution company in the area. These bottles weren’t sold to the public, but rather were given to friends and business associates of the Wirtz family.
W.C. Fields Private Stock Bourbon, 8yr, 86pf, ~1969
Selected and bottled by Turtle Bay Distilling Co., Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Photos courtesy of Nathan Ernst
Old Forester Bonded Decanter, 4/5qt, 1964-1969
The 1969 was the last Holiday Decanter produced by Old Forester. It was designed by industrial art icon Raymond Loewy.
Most of the Old Forester decanters had hollow caps, so if the bottle was inverted the caps would fill with whiskey, as you can see in the last pic here.
Brown Forman President’s Choice 8yr, 115.6pf, ~1969
This was bottled from a select barrel by the President of Brown Forman and given as gifts to important friends or business associates of the distillery.
Photos courtesy of Nathan Ernst
Old Fitzgerald Colonial Decanter, Bonded, 4/5qt, 1963-1969
Posted in Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1969, bottled in bond, bourbon, decanter, old fitzgerald, stitzel weller
Tags: 1969, bottled in bond, bourbon, decanter, old fitzgerald, stitzel weller
Weller Special Reserve 90pf Decanter, Pint – 1960s/70s
This bottle has no date code on the bottom. All that can be determined is that it was produced between 1964 and 1977, after Stitzel-Weller started producing whiskey below 100 proof, and prior to the next change in the tax strip type. If anyone has any further information on this bottle please email us!
Photos courtesy of Eric Stephens
Wild Turkey 8yr, 4/5qt, New York, 1970
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.
Weller’s Cabin Still 5yr 86pf ~1971
This early version was distilled by Stitzel Weller, before having the Cabin Still brand contract distilled elsewhere.
Very Old Fitzgerald 8yr 1/2 Pint, 1963-1971
Photos courtesy of Ted Doggett.
Posted in Very Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1971, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Tags: 1971, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Old Fitzgerald “Old Ironsides” Decanter, Bonded, 4/5qt, 1965-1971
Posted in Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1971, bottled in bond, bourbon, decanter, old fitzgerald, stitzel weller
Tags: 1971, bottled in bond, bourbon, decanter, old fitzgerald, stitzel weller
Very Very Old Fitzgerald 15yr, 1956-1971
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.
Posted in Very Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1971, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Tags: 1971, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Wild Turkey 8yr 101pf, 4/5qt, Lawrenceburg, 1972
Although the bottle was manufactured in 1971, the label started stating “Lawrenceburg” after the purchase of the Ripy distillery in 1972.
Old Weller Original 7yr, 107pf ~1972
Note the image of Pappy on the label, and below him the plaque at Stitzel-Weller reading “But always fine bourbon.”
Old Quaker Bourbon, 4yr 86pf, 4/5qt, Export ~1972
This whiskey was distilled at the Old Quaker distillery, the “other” distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, which was owned by Schenley.
Photos courtesy of mimmotron
Weller Antique Reserve 10yr, 110pf, 4/5qt ~1972
Inside the box, this bottle came wrapped in a faux “newspaper” featuring a Weller ad.
Very Old Fitzgerald, 8yr, 1965-1973
Posted in Very Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1973, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Tags: 1973, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Old Commonwealth North Carolina Bicentennial Decanter, 86pf – 1975
Posted in Old Rip Van Winkle
Tags: 1975, bourbon, decanter, old commonwealth, old rip van winkle, stitzel weller
Tags: 1975, bourbon, decanter, old commonwealth, old rip van winkle, stitzel weller
Benchmark “American Legion” 86pf 6yr, 750ml – 1975
This is a very cool enclosure that looks like a porcelain decanter but actually contains a regular bottle. It depicts Fort Snelling in Minneapolis.
Very Very Old Fitzgerald 12yr, 1963-1975
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.
Posted in Very Old Fitzgerald
Tags: 1975, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Tags: 1975, bottled in bond, bourbon, stitzel weller, very old fitzgerald
Berghoff 14yr Bourbon, 90pf, 4/5qt ~1975
One of several special bottlings done for the Berghoff restraurant in Chicago. Some were bottled by Stitzel Weller, others by Van Winkle.
Col. J.W. Dodge 8yr Bourbon
This export bottle is interesting in that the side label was altered to show 90 proof rather than 80, but the front still reads “40 vol%.”
Photos courtesy of MaltMartin.
