1969 Old Cabin Still Stitzel-Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon 90 Proof Ceramic Decanter

This 1969 Old Cabin Still is Kentucky straight bourbon from the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, bottled at 90 proof inside a figural ceramic decanter — whiskey from the distillery's operating years, more than two decades before it closed.

Stitzel-Weller opened in Louisville in 1935 and spent the next half-century building the reputation that makes its name collectible today, producing the wheated bourbon that ran under Old Fitzgerald, W.L. Weller, Cabin Still and other labels before the distillery shut down in 1992. Old Cabin Still was one of the house brands of that era. Because nothing new has come out of Stitzel-Weller since, every surviving bottle is a fixed supply — which is why dusty hunters track these by year.

The whiskey here is housed in a hand-painted figural decanter: a long-bearded Kentucky moonshiner seated beside a rustic whiskey barrel, finished in blue, green, cream and brown. The original Old Cabin Still label, the decorative hanging tag and the vintage red federal tax strip are all present, and the tax strip in particular is what collectors look for as evidence the decanter has not been opened.

Specs

• Brand: Old Cabin Still
• Distillery: Stitzel-Weller Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky
• Year: 1969
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Proof: 90 (45% ABV)
• Size: 4/5 quart (approximately 757ml, the pre-metric US bottle size)
• Decanter: Figural ceramic — Kentucky moonshiner seated on a whiskey barrel
• Presentation: Original label, hanging tag and red federal tax strip

See the rest of what we carry from this distillery in the Stitzel-Weller collection.

Vintage Ceramic Decanter & Shipping Disclaimer

Please read before purchasing. This is a ceramic whiskey decanter dating to 1969. Because of its age, its original closure and its ceramic construction, evaporation, seepage or liquid loss may already have occurred, and the ceramic body makes it impossible to confirm the fill level visually.

Leakage or seepage during shipping is possible. Changes in temperature, air pressure, handling and movement in transit can cause further loss through the original closure or through the ceramic itself. We package these as carefully as we can, but we cannot guarantee a vintage ceramic decanter will arrive leak-free. By purchasing, the buyer accepts the possibility of leakage, seepage, evaporation or additional liquid loss in transit.

Sold as a collectible in its existing condition. Original contents, seal integrity and drinking quality cannot be guaranteed. Please review all photographs for condition before ordering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Stitzel-Weller bourbon so collectible?
The distillery closed in 1992 and never reopened as a production distillery, so the supply of whiskey actually distilled there is finite and shrinking. Stitzel-Weller spirit built the reputation of the wheated bourbons that followed, and bottles filled during its operating years — like this 1969 — cannot be made again.

What does 4/5 quart mean?
It is the standard US bottle size used before the switch to metric in 1980, equal to roughly 757ml — slightly larger than today's 750ml. Seeing it on a label is itself a dating clue that a bottle predates 1980.

Can this decanter be opened and tasted?
It can, but almost no one does. Opening breaks the tax strip and the original seal, which is where most of a vintage decanter's collector value sits, and the contents of a 50-plus-year-old ceramic cannot be assessed beforehand. These are bought as display and collection pieces.