Photo libraries, in ascending order by bottling year

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.

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J.A. Dougherty’s Sons PA Rye, Medicinal Pint, Bonded

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Large Monongahela Pure Rye Whiskey, Bonded Pint, 1916-1920

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Old Quaker Rye, Medicinal Pint, 1920s

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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.

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Middleton Golden Rye, Bonded, pint, 1917-1927

Distilled at the Van Hook Distillery, Harrison County, KY

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Dougherty’s Private Stock Rye, Medicinal Pint, Bonded 1917-1930

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Old Overholt PA Rye, quart, 1934-1940

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Old Overholt Very Select Stock Rye, 122pf, 4/5qt, ~1940

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B.P.R. Maryland Rye, Bottled in Bond, quart, 1937-1941

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Old Overholt Bonded, 1938-1944

Photos courtesy of Brian Beglinger

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Wild Turkey Straight Maryland Rye 8yr 101pf, 1952

Photos courtesy of BottledinBond Instagram

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Mount Vernon Rye, 1/2 pint, 1958

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Old Overholt Pennsylvania Bonded 8yr Rye, 4/5 qt, 1951-1960

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Old Overholt Bonded Pennsylvania Rye, 8yr, 1/2 Pint, 1951-1962

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Rittenhouse Bonded Pennsylvania Rye, 1/2 Pint, 1959-1965

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Old Overholt Pennsylvania Rye, 86pf 4/5qt, Italian Export ~1966

Photos courtesy of mimmotron.

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Rittenhouse Pennsylvania Rye, 5yr 86pf, Italian Export ~1968

Photos courtesy of mimmotron.

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Old Schenley Bonded Pennsylvania Rye, 1/2 Pint, 1959-1968

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Old Overholt “1810” Rye, 93pf, 1974

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Old Overholt Rye, 500ml, 1979

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Wild Turkey Green Label Rye, 101 proof, 1986


Note this version just says “101 Proof” across the bottom, unlike later versions that also listed 50.5%

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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.

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Old Rip Van Winkle Old Time Rye 12yr, 1997

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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.

Posted in A.H. Hirsch, Old Rip Van Winkle
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Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13yr, No Letter, 95.6pf ~1998

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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.

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Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye ‘1985’, 100pf

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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.

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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.

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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.

Posted in A.H. Hirsch, Old Rip Van Winkle
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The Classic Cask Rye, Batch RW 108, 22yr, 90pf, 1981-2004

Photos courtesy of Michael Aronoff

Posted in Kentucky Bourbon Distillers
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Black Maple Hill 23yr Rye, Barrel 1, 95pf

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The Classic Cask Rye, Batch RW-109, 21yr, 90pf, 1983-2005

Photos courtesy of Michael Aronoff

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Black Maple Hill 18yr Rye, 95pf

Barrels R66, R70 pictured here.

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LeNell’s Red Hook Rye, Barrel 1, 2006

Brooklyn liquor store owner LeNell Smothers had four barrels of Bernheim rye bottled by Willett in the 2006-2008 years. This bottle is from the first barrel, #1. According to LeNell’s records, this was distilled on 4/29/83, the same day as the Rathskeller Rye.

Posted in Willett Family Estate
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Willett 22yr Rye, Doug Phillips “Green Ink” 2006

Selected personally by Doug Phillips and friends, this is the first Willett single barrel rye to be released, and many say the best. The whiskey inside is rumored to have been distilled at Bernheim.

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Thomas H. Handy, 140.6pf – 2006

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Sazerac Rye 90pf, Binny’s Single Barrel, 2007

Posted in Ancient Age - Buffalo Trace
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Sazerac 18 Rye, 90pf – 2007

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Willett Rye, 23yr, Barrel 11, 137pf, ‘The Velvet Glove’ 2007

The Iron Fist and its sister barrel, The Velvet Glove, were some of the earliest rye picks done by Willett, preceded only by the first Doug’s and Red Hook barrels.

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Willett Rye, 23yr, Barrel 11, 137.1pf, ‘The Iron Fist’ 2007

The Iron Fist and its sister barrel, The Velvet Glove, were some of the earliest rye picks done by Willett, preceded only by the first Doug’s and Red Hook barrels.

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LeNell’s Red Hook Rye, Barrel 2, ~2007

This 132.8 proof, 24 year straight rye picked by LaNell Camacho Santa Ana while running her Brooklyn based package store. Only 216 bottles were pulled out of LaNell’s 24 year old Barrel #2. The 4 barrels that LaNell picked while running her store in New York have become legendary and have been standard bearers for the straight rye whiskey category that has seen incredible growth in recent years. Unopened bottles of this pick are extremely rare.

Photos and commentary courtesy of Bourbon Benevolence.

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Bitter Truth 24yr rye, 2007

German bitters maker Bitter Truth was one of the early recipients of some of the barrel proof Bernheim rye bottled by Willett, along with Doug’s and LeNells.

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Rathskeller 24yr Rye, 2007

In 2007 the historic Seelbach hotel in downtown Louisville acquired a single barrel bourbon and rye for their hotel bar. A few bottles were sold through local stores too.

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LeNell’s Red Hook Rye, Barrel 3, ~2008

137.6 proof, 23 year old, straight rye whiskey picked by LaNell Camancho Santa Ana while running her Brooklyn New York based package store. The 4 barrels that LaNell picked helped set the standard for the straight rye whiskey category that has become very popular. Each bottle is individually numbered, and only 192 bottles came out of the barrel. There are several reasons sited that make these single barrels unicorns of the bourbon community. They are barrel proof, non chill filtered, straight rye whiskey, and of course, picked by one of the best palates in whiskey.

Photos and commentary courtesy of Bourbon Benevolence.

Posted in Willett Family Estate
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Willett 24yr Rye 110pf, Bonilli Japan, 2008

Japanese importer Bonilli brought in two barrels of Willett’s 24 year old Bernheim rye. This one was bottled at 110 proof, and the other was bottled at 94 proof. Both are considered to be exceptional ryes, surpassed only by their barrel proof Willett brothers.

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LeNell’s Red Hook Rye, Barrel 4, 2008

Brooklyn liquor store owner LeNell Smothers had four barrels of Bernheim rye bottled by Willett in the 2006-2008 years. This bottle is from the final barrel, #4.

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Willett 25yr Rye, 94 Proof, 2008

Distilled 5/10/1983, “imported by 158023.” Originally bottled from Liquor World in Bardstown.

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Willett 24yr Rye, Glen Fahrn Barrel 14, 138.8pf, 2008

Distilled 4/10/1984, Selected for Glen Fahrn GmbH by Doug Phillips, and came with two different wax colors. Bottles 1-60 were black and the whiskey was unfiltered; bottles 61-218 were white and the whiskey was filtered.

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Thomas H. Handy, 129.0pf – 2009

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High West 12yr Rye, 375ml, 2010

Photos courtesy of Eric Rueli.

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Sazerac 18 Rye, 90pf – 2011

Photos courtesy of ‘The Old Barrelhouse’ Australia.

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Vintage 21 Rye, 2011

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Abraham Bowman TPS Barrel Proof Rye, 114.6pf, 2011

Posted in Ancient Age - Buffalo Trace, Miscellaneous
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Thomas H. Handy, 128.6pf – 2011

Photos courtesy of ‘The Old Barrelhouse’ Australia.

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Rittenhouse 25yr Rye, Barrel 29, 100pf ~2011

Photos courtesy of ‘The Old Barrelhouse’ Australia.

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Sazerac 18 Rye, 90pf – 2012

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Thomas H. Handy, 132.4pf – 2012

Photos courtesy of ‘The Old Barrelhouse’ Australia.

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Michter’s 25yr Rye, Barrel 7404 ~2012

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Sazerac 18 Rye, 90pf – 2013

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Sazerac 18 Rye, 90pf – 2016

Photos courtesy of ‘The Old Barrelhouse’ Australia.

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Thomas H. Handy, 126.2pf – 2016

Photos courtesy of ‘The Old Barrelhouse’ Australia.

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