Stitzel-Weller Launches New Stitzel Reserve Series With New 24-Year-Old Bourbon

On Monday, Stitzel-Weller Distillery announced the launch of Stitzel Reserve, a new collection of rare, one-of-a-kind, distillery-exclusive whiskeys. The inaugural release? A 24-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bottled at 61.7 percent ABV.

Built by Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr., Alex T. Farnsley, and Arthur Phillip Stitzel and opened on Derby Day in 1935, the Stitzel-Weller Distillery is well regarded as a heritage bourbon production site. Before the Louisville distillery was sold in 1972, it was the home of many beloved brands, including Pappy Van Winkle, Old Fitzgerald, W.L. Weller, and more. 20 years after the facility — and many of its brands — were sold off, the Stitzel-Weller Distillery closed its doors.

In the early 2000s, Diageo acquired the historic distillery and heavily invested in restoring the production facility. In 2014, the Stitzel-Weller Distillery reopened for the first time since 1992 as the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience. Now, it is the production facility for several Diageo whiskey brands, including Blade and Bow, I.W. Harper, and Orphan Barrel.

The Stitzel Reserve series aims to celebrate this storied past with rare releases crafted from the distillery’s decades-old archival barrels. Each bottle in the lineup is set to be crafted from barrels hand-selected by Nicole Austin, Diageo’s director of American whiskey liquid development and capabilities. Each barrel will be chosen at peak maturity, with liquid quality the primary concern. As such, the Stitzel Reserve series will not follow a predetermined schedule, with bottles only crafted when Austin sees fit.

“At Stitzel-Weller Distillery, we are fortunate to have inherited some of the most remarkable aging barrels in the country. The launch of Stitzel Reserve is a pivotal moment for our distillery,” Austin said in a press release. “It’s a celebration of the past and a bold step forward. This exceptional 24-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has spent decades maturing under careful supervision, developing a profile rich with notes of cracked leather, saddle oil, and burnt sugar. It embodies the craftsmanship and dedication that defines Stitzel-Weller Distillery.”

Only 191 bottles of the series’s flagship bourbon were produced, which are currently available for sale on-site at the Louisville distillery, with prices available upon request. Individual serves of the whiskey are also available through a tasting experience at Stitzel-Weller’s Garden & Gun Club. Each purchase includes an etched whiskey glass, a branded bag, and a limited edition Stitzel-Weller Distillery pin.

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