1970 Old Fitzgerald Prime 7 Year Stitzel-Weller Ohio State Centennial Decanter

This 1970 Old Fitzgerald Prime is 7-year-old wheated Kentucky straight bourbon distilled and aged at the original Stitzel-Weller Distillery, released in a ceramic decanter marking The Ohio State University's centennial, 1870–1970.

Stitzel-Weller opened in Louisville in 1935 under Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle Sr. and became the source of the wheated bourbon that made Old Fitzgerald a name — wheat in place of rye as the secondary grain, which gives the softer, rounder character the label has always been known for. The distillery stopped producing in 1992, so whiskey actually distilled there is a closed supply. A bottling like this one, filled while the plant was running, is the only way to taste that spirit.

Commemorative ceramic decanters were a standard release format in the late 1960s and 1970s, and this is the Ohio State University centennial issue: white ceramic with gold accents, 1870–1970 centennial artwork, an illustrated stadium and campus scene, and a rounded gold-topped stopper. The original Old Fitzgerald Prime branding and Stitzel-Weller identification appear on the decanter, and the vintage red tax strip runs over the stopper. It sits in two collecting markets at once — vintage Stitzel-Weller bourbon and Ohio State memorabilia.

Specs

• Brand: Old Fitzgerald Prime
• Distillery: Stitzel-Weller Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky
• Release: Ohio State University Centennial, 1870–1970
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (wheated)
• Age Statement: 7 Years
• Proof: 86.8 (43.4% ABV)
• Size: 4/5 quart (approximately 757ml, the pre-metric US bottle size)
• Decanter: White ceramic with gold accents and gold-topped stopper
• Presentation: Original branding with red tax strip over the stopper

Browse the rest of the label in our Old Fitzgerald collection.

Vintage Ceramic Decanter & Shipping Disclaimer

Please read before purchasing. This decanter is more than fifty years old. Given its age, the condition of its original closure and the porous nature of some historic ceramics, evaporation, seepage or leakage may already have occurred, and the ceramic body makes it impossible to confirm the fill level visually.

Leakage or seepage during shipping is possible. Temperature, air pressure, handling and movement in transit can cause further loss through the closure or 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 that possibility.

Vintage decanters may show natural aging, cosmetic imperfections, variation in fill level, and wear to the tax strip and decorative finish. Sold as a collectible in its existing condition — original contents, seal integrity and drinking quality cannot be guaranteed. Please review all photographs before ordering.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Old Fitzgerald a wheated bourbon?
Its mash bill uses wheat rather than rye as the secondary grain alongside corn. Wheat contributes less spice and more softness, which is the character the Old Fitzgerald name was built on and the same approach behind the other wheated bourbons that came out of Stitzel-Weller.

Is the whiskey inside actually from Stitzel-Weller?
Yes. With a 7-year age statement and a 1970 commemorative release, the spirit was distilled and aged at Stitzel-Weller while the distillery was in full operation — well before its 1992 closure, and before the Old Fitzgerald brand was later sold on.

Does the Ohio State centennial design add to the value?
It widens the audience. Commemorative decanters draw collectors of the subject as well as collectors of the whiskey, so an intact centennial piece with original branding and tax strip competes for both vintage bourbon buyers and Ohio State memorabilia collectors.