Stitzel-Weller Weller?

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Stitzel-Weller Weller?

Unread postby angelshare » Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:22 pm

While travelling in eastern TN, I found this liter of Weller Special Reserve. It has a tax stamp, appears to have been bottled in 95 based on the bottle glass numbers and says "Distilled Aged & Bottled...in Louisville" instead of bottled in Frankfort.

Given that S-W closed in 92, that this whiskey was 7 years old in 95, and that the label is different than the current one, am I correct in assuming that this is Stitzel-Weller whiskey?

Has anybody tried this head to head with the current version?
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Unread postby bourbonv » Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:40 pm

I would say that the bottle is Stitzel-Weller bourbon.

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Unread postby tlsmothers » Mon Apr 04, 2005 6:04 pm

Why don't you fly up to NY and we'll do a side by side? :lol:
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Unread postby bourbonv » Tue Apr 05, 2005 1:46 pm

A real interesting tasting is to drink some Van Winkle/Stitzel-Weller W. L. Weller Special Reserve, Some post Van Winkle Stitzel-Weller W.L. Weller Special Reserve and some Bernheim or Buffalo Trace W.L. Weller Special Reserve side by side. There are differnces.

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Unread postby angelshare » Wed Apr 06, 2005 1:25 pm

tlsmothers wrote:Why don't you fly up to NY and we'll do a side by side? :lol:


Now THAT sounds like a great idea! Know where I can get a "five-for-the-price-of-one" ticket deal?
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Unread postby angelshare » Wed Apr 06, 2005 1:30 pm

bourbonv wrote:A real interesting tasting is to drink some Van Winkle/Stitzel-Weller W. L. Weller Special Reserve, Some post Van Winkle Stitzel-Weller W.L. Weller Special Reserve and some Bernheim or Buffalo Trace W.L. Weller Special Reserve side by side. There are differnces.


We actually did a side-by-side of the S-W and B.T. Weller SR just the other night. Tina & I agreed the S-W was richer with less of a bite/burn in the finish.

What bottling years would represent post S-W but pre-BT?
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Unread postby bourbonv » Wed Apr 06, 2005 2:19 pm

This is a difficult question to answer. Stitzel-Weller quit distilling in 1992. The bourbon for the Weller brands at 7 years old would in theory end in 1999, but there was such a glut of wheat whiskey made in the early 90's that they could continue to use older whiskey in the 7 year old product.

To complicate matters Bernheim made some wheat bourbon under U.D. but there was also some wheat bourbon made at Buffalo Trace in the early 90's for U.D. United Distillers had decided that they would take Rebel Yell world wide in the early 1990's and they made the whiskey with a goal to have it a million case product by the end of the decade. That did not happen so there was a sea of wheat recipe bourbon made at Stitzel-Weller, Bernheim and Buffalo Trace at the end of the decade. Buffalo Trace bought the brand in the late 90's (I think it was 1998) and I am sure part of the sale would be whiskey to support the brand for a few years until their own whiskey was ready. By 2001 the brand could have bourbon made from Stitzel-Weller or Bernheim or Buffalo Trace in the bottle.

The present bourbon is probably Bernheim whiskey but maybe some Buffalo Trace starting to enter the bottle. The 12 year old is probably the last of the Stitzel-Weller or the Buffalo Trace made for U.D. Bernheim really did not distill much until mid 1994 as U D tried to work out the kinks in the process.

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Unread postby fussychicken » Sun Mar 18, 2007 2:42 pm

bourbonv wrote: To complicate matters Bernheim made some wheat bourbon under U.D. but there was also some wheat bourbon made at Buffalo Trace in the early 90's for U.D. United Distillers had decided that they would take Rebel Yell world wide in the early 1990's and they made the whiskey with a goal to have it a million case product by the end of the decade. That did not happen so there was a sea of wheat recipe bourbon made at Stitzel-Weller, Bernheim and Buffalo Trace at the end of the decade.


Mike,

This is some great info. If you don't mind, I have two follow up questions.

Do you know if UDV used any of the BT distilled wheated bourbon in the early-mid 90's for brands other than Rebel Yell? In other words, do you know if UDV used any of it for the Weller or Fitzgerald brands?

Also, do you know what year BT started making this wheated bourbon?

Thanks in advance!
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Unread postby bourbonv » Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:21 pm

I think itr is safe to say that United Distillers never used any of the Buffalo Trace wheated bourbon in hteir products. United had over produced what they were selling to such an extent, I doubt that the Buffalo Trace wheated bourbon ever left Buffalo Trace warehouses after it was made.

When Stitzel-Weller closed in 1992 there was some contract distilling done for United Distillers to make whiskey for the I W Harper and Rebel Yell brands, that U.D. was predicting to become world wide best selling bourbons. It never happened and that extra whiskey is partially what made possible the growth of trhe private bottlers. It was put into the bulk whiskey market and people purchased it. This contract distilling was only done from about 1992 to 1994 when Bernheim was up on line and making whiskey for U.D.
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