John Fitzgerald - Stitzel Weller

[bjhowell]

Was at Heaven Hill today and they were bottling that Stitzel-Weller Juice. Beautiful package. Dried to post a Jpeg pic but when I tried to attach is says wrong format. What format does the sight allow?

BTW they were also bottling the Elijah Craig 18 today as well.

[fricky]

Was at Heaven Hill today and they were bottling that Stitzel-Weller Juice. Beautiful package. Dried to post a Jpeg pic but when I tried to attach is says wrong format. What format does the sight allow?

BTW they were also bottling the Elijah Craig 18 today as well.

They were bottling Stitzel Weller bourbon? How do you know it was Stitzel Weller?

[Richnimrod]

Yeah, how would one tell the difference between S-W and any other, once dumped out of the barrel? :skep: (And these juices have all, long since, been removed a barrel.)

[dcbt]

Is this what you're talking about? It IS a beautiful bottle. Would love to get one of these but I have no delusions of being able to.

[amg]

Is this what you're talking about? It IS a beautiful bottle. Would love to get one of these but I have no delusions of being able to.

Oh, I think I might be able to, but refuse to pay that price.

[Robertsccr5]

What's the price on EC18? I may swing by tomorrow.

[bjhowell]

That's it, they were hand bottling it. It comes in a pretty wood box and all. From the looks of the tote they were drawing it from there wont be many of these. I doubt mere mortals will see these anywhere.

As fortheEC18, they were just bottling it. I think it maybe a while before it hits the gift shop. Got to try a sample and it was wonderful.

[kjbeggs]

I see they are using that "S-W Key" on the packaging.

Blade & Bow should see a bump in demand after this disappears.

[Robertsccr5]

That's it, they were hand bottling it. It comes in a pretty wood box and all. From the looks of the tote they were drawing it from there wont be many of these. I doubt mere mortals will see these anywhere.

As fortheEC18, they were just bottling it. I think it maybe a while before it hits the gift shop. Got to try a sample and it was wonderful.

Thanks for the info. I was there last month and got to try EC23, HH Select Stock, William Heavenhill (I think the cognac barrel finish) and larceny.

[fricky]

Hopefully someone can explain or verify what is going into the bottle. It is my understanding that the Stitzel Weller Distillery shut down in early 1992. The Stitzel Weller brands were sold in early 70's and the distillery name was changed to Old Fitzgerald. When Sitzel Weller Distillery was shut down, distillation was moved to the ne Bernheim Distillery.. In the late 90's, Heaven Hill bought the Bernheim Distillery and the Old Fitzgerald Brands.

It was reported in 2009 that old barrels of Stitzel Weller-produced bourbon were found in the Stitzel Weller Warhouses. McLain & Kyne bought some of the barrels and released Jefferson's Presidential Select 17 yr bourbon. Their label stated "Aged in Stitzel-Weller Barrels". Subsequently, they release 18 yr bourbon, I assume as the barrels got older.

Although I don't know if the story is factual. If old barrels of Stitzel Weller were found, one would think that Julian van Winkle would have obtained some of the barrels.

Last year, Blade & Bow came on the scene. Apparently, they got some barrels of old Stitzel Weller and mixed it with bourbon from other distillers, probably Bernheim and Buffalo Trace. They reported using a Solera Process. I guess, that process made the very old Stitzel Weller drinkable.

What is being put into Heaven Hill's John Fitzgerald? It is difficult to believe that there is still very good barrels of Stitzel Weller available after Trey Zoeller (Mclain and Kyne) and Julian van Winkle sorted through them. If there were any barrels, they would be close to about 24 yeas old.

[luther.r]

Conceivably HH would have gotten barrels of Old Fitz with the sale of the brand, so they could have received S-W barrels in that transfer. I've heard rumors for several years that they had old S-W in their ricks.

[T Comp]

Conceivably HH would have gotten barrels of Old Fitz with the sale of the brand, so they could have received S-W barrels in that transfer. I've heard rumors for several years that they had old S-W in their ricks.

Yes they did. Seen and even tasted from by me and others back in 2012.

[dcbt]

Yea, T Comp confirmed it, but I was going to say I think this is legit S-W distillate they are bottling. No funny business games a la Diageo.

[fricky]

Conceivably HH would have gotten barrels of Old Fitz with the sale of the brand, so they could have received S-W barrels in that transfer. I've heard rumors for several years that they had old S-W in their ricks.

If Heaven Hill got Old Fitzgerald when they bought the brand, isn't it likely that the Old Fitzgerald would have been distilled at the Bernheim Distillery which Heaven Hill bought.

[T Comp]

If Heaven Hill got Old Fitzgerald when they bought the brand, isn't it likely that the Old Fitzgerald would have been distilled at the Bernheim Distillery which Heaven Hill bought.

Doug, Barrels I saw and one I tasted had DSP 16 on them. Somebody took some pics of the barrel head too.

[fricky]

I guess they could have received Old Fitzgerald distilled at the Stitzel Weller Distillery and transferred it into stainless containers when it was 20 years old; otherwise, the bourbon would be about 23 1/2 years old.

[luther.r]

I guess they could have received Old Fitzgerald distilled at the Stitzel Weller Distillery and transferred it into stainless containers when it was 20 years old; otherwise, the bourbon would be about 23 1/2 years old.

[amg]

But they can state any age on the label as long as it's younger than the youngest whiskey in the mix. For marketing reasons they could have chosen 20 yrs even if it's older.

[johnnybogey]

Looks like the press release is out with the details.

http://kybourbontrail.com/heaven-hill-offers-ultra-rare-john-e-fitzgerald-very-special-reserve-bourbon-release/

[kjbeggs]

Sure is some pretty packaging.

Too bad I'll never have a shot at one of these.

[flahute]

Sure is some pretty packaging.

Too bad I'll never have a shot at one of these.

Even if I have a shot, I'm going to pass.

[Tony Santana]

I'd like to try it, but I really don't see myself paying $300 a .375 to do so. Then again, I'll probably never get the chance.

[Josh]

If it was so ashy and overaged that the Zoeller's passed on it, that's not a good sign. Still, I imagine these will sell well. Might as well make hay while the sun shines, I guess.

[tanstaafl2]

If it was so ashy and overaged that the Zoeller's passed on it, that's not a good sign. Still, I imagine these will sell well. Might as well make hay while the sun shines, I guess.

Could be that HH had already cherry picked a number of barrels and Trey/Jefferson never got a change to get it. Even so the price has successfully deterred me from buying a bottle. I recently broke my all time bottle price in a acute attack of whiskey nervosa and it still wasn't anywhere close to the cost of this stuff. At least I had previously tried the other one and knew whether I liked it or not. Seems like a complete crap shoot for this one by anyone but the speculator/flipper crowd. Might well be as ashy as you note. I know I haven't been a big fan of older Elijah Craig's even though that is a different mash bill of course.

[flahute]

If Josh is calling this ashy, it's a good sign I won't like it. Just reinforces my predetermined opinion to pass on it. I do look forward to the facebook hysteria though.