Orphan Barrel Barterhouse 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

20 years. Distilled at the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky. Mash bill of 86% corn, 8% barley, and 6% rye — the distinctively low-rye Stitzel-Weller recipe. 45.1% ABV. Orphan Barrel's inaugural flagship release.

Stitzel-Weller Distillery was one of the most revered facilities in American bourbon history. Founded by Pappy Van Winkle and associates in 1935, it operated until 1992, producing bourbon under the Van Winkle, Old Fitzgerald, W.L. Weller, and Rebel Yell labels. Stitzel-Weller's signature was a low-rye, high-barley mash bill that produced a uniquely rich, wheated-adjacent bourbon character — different from both standard wheated bourbon and high-rye recipes. Barrels from the closed Stitzel-Weller facility were scattered across Louisville warehouses in the 1990s, largely forgotten until Diageo's Orphan Barrel program uncovered them.

Barterhouse was the inaugural release of Orphan Barrel in 2014 — Diageo's project to find and bottle rare aged whiskeys languishing in the backs of rickhouses. At 20 years, the Stitzel-Weller distillate has developed the characteristic deep honey, caramel, and aged oak complexity of extended Stitzel-Weller maturation. The charcoal and honeyed oak nose is immediately distinctive; the marzipan and candied orange palate reflects the Stitzel-Weller recipe's unusual barley-forward grain character.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Charcoal, honeyed oak, and vanilla beans — the distinctive Stitzel-Weller character immediately apparent.
• Palate: Caramel, marzipan, buttered toast, and candied oranges — the high-barley mash bill producing an unusually rich and complex mid-palate.
• Finish: Oaky and slightly sweet with a touch of citrus and chocolate at the finale.

Specs

• Distillery: Stitzel-Weller, Louisville, Kentucky (closed 1992)
• Bottled by: Orphan Barrel (Diageo)
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Mash bill: 86% corn, 8% barley, 6% rye
• Age: 20 years
• ABV: 45.1% (90.2 proof)
• Release: Orphan Barrel inaugural flagship (2014)
• Size: 750ml

Explore all Orphan Barrel expressions or browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What was Stitzel-Weller Distillery? Stitzel-Weller was founded in 1935 by Pappy Van Winkle and associates and operated until 1992, producing Van Winkle, Old Fitzgerald, W.L. Weller, and Rebel Yell. Its low-rye, high-barley mash bill produced a uniquely rich bourbon character. When it closed, its remaining barrels were distributed to storage warehouses where Diageo eventually found them for the Orphan Barrel program.
• What makes the Stitzel-Weller mash bill unusual? The Stitzel-Weller recipe uses 8% barley — unusually high for bourbon — alongside only 6% rye. Most bourbon uses 5% or less barley. The higher barley content contributes to the marzipan, nutty, and slightly earthy character distinctive to Stitzel-Weller productions.
• Was Barterhouse the first Orphan Barrel release? Yes — Barterhouse was the inaugural release of Orphan Barrel in 2014, establishing the project's identity as a program to rescue and bottle forgotten aged stocks. It set the template for subsequent Orphan Barrel releases including Rhetoric, Old Blowhard, and others.
• Is Barterhouse still available? In limited quantities through specialty retailers with legacy stock. As Stitzel-Weller closed in 1992, no new Stitzel-Weller stock is being created.