Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Stitzel-Weller Made in Spring 1964 Bottled in Fall 1970

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon distilled at Stitzel-Weller in Spring 1964 and bottled in Fall 1970 represents one of the most historically significant windows in American bourbon history. Spring 1964 was the final distilling season under the direct oversight of Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle, who retired that same year and passed away in 1965. Pappy famously refused to bottle Old Fitzgerald below 100 proof during his tenure, believing it wasteful to ship water across the country — a conviction that made every Bottled-in-Bond release from this era a true expression of his philosophy.

Stitzel-Weller's wheated mashbill (approximately 75% corn, 20% wheat, 5% malted barley) produced a distinctly soft, mellow bourbon with pronounced butterscotch, baking spice, and gentle oak — a profile that collectors have chased for decades as the foundation of the Van Winkle legend. Bottled in Fall 1970 at the legally required 100 proof under the Bottled-in-Bond Act, this bottle spent 6 years in new charred oak at the Louisville distillery before bottling.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Butterscotch, baking spice, soft oak, honeyed wheat, vanilla, dried fruit
• Palate: Mellow and rich — caramel, toffee, gentle spice, cured tobacco, soft oak tannin
• Finish: Long and warm with lingering sweetness and a characteristic Stitzel-Weller butterscotch fade

Product Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 1964 distilling season so significant?

Spring 1964 was Pappy Van Winkle's last distilling season before his retirement. He died in 1965. Collectors specifically seek out 1964-distilled Stitzel-Weller bourbon because it represents the final product made under his direct oversight — after which the brand passed to his son and eventually to corporate owners who closed the distillery in 1992. This is genuinely one of the last Pappy-era productions.

What is Bottled-in-Bond and why does it matter here?

Bottled-in-Bond (established by the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897) requires the bourbon to be the product of a single distillery, a single distilling season, aged at least four years, and bottled at exactly 100 proof under U.S. government supervision. Pappy insisted on BiB — refusing to dilute below 100 proof — so this designation is particularly meaningful on a Stitzel-Weller bottle from his era.

What makes Stitzel-Weller bourbon different from other Kentucky bourbon?

The wheated mashbill substitutes wheat for rye as the secondary grain, producing a softer, rounder, more gentle character than high-rye bourbons. Stitzel-Weller's specific combination of their yeast strain, limestone water, and low barrel entry proof created a profile that became the template for the Van Winkle family's later independent releases — and a primary reason those bottles command record prices today.