Old Fitzgerald 1971 Prime Decanter Rip Van Winkle Stitzel-Weller

1971. Prime Decanter. Rip Van Winkle label. Stitzel-Weller production. Old Fitzgerald — a vintage bottle from the final year of Van Winkle family ownership of the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, presented in the original Prime Decanter format under the Rip Van Winkle branding.

The Van Winkle family sold Stitzel-Weller in 1972, ending their direct ownership of the distillery Pappy Van Winkle built in 1935. The 1971 Prime Decanter is therefore from the last year of Old Fitzgerald production under Van Winkle era ownership — making it among the most historically significant Old Fitzgerald bottles possible to acquire. The Rip Van Winkle label on this decanter is a variant brand name used on select Old Fitzgerald presentations from this period, directly connecting the bottle to the Van Winkle family name that has since become the most celebrated in American bourbon.

The Prime Decanter format was Stitzel-Weller’s premium presentation vessel — distinctive bottling that set the prestige tier of the Old Fitzgerald program apart from the standard flask and square bottle formats. Now over 50 years from its original filling.

Specs

• Distillery: Stitzel-Weller Distillery, Shively, Kentucky
• Brand: Old Fitzgerald / Rip Van Winkle
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Wheated
• Bottled: 1971 — final year of Van Winkle family ownership
• Presentation: Prime Decanter
• Size: 750ml

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is 1971 historically significant for Stitzel-Weller Old Fitzgerald? The Van Winkle family sold Stitzel-Weller in 1972. The 1971 Prime Decanter is from the last year of Van Winkle era ownership — the same family whose name now commands the highest premiums in American bourbon. The Rip Van Winkle label directly connects the bottle to that lineage.
• Is the 1971 Prime Decanter still available? Yes — available now.