Stitzel Reserve, A 24 Year Love Letter To Bourbon From Stitzel-Weller
Written By: The Gnarly Gnome
Photography: Provided
Every now and then, a release hits that reminds you why you fell in love with bourbon in the first place. Recently, Stitzel-Weller Distillery dropped something that does just that, a new line of rare, distillery-exclusive whiskey called Stitzel Reserve, kicking things off with a 24-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon that’s already making waves for all the right reasons.
This isn’t just another bottle with a fancy label and a high price tag. This is a statement. It’s a love letter to heritage, patience, and the kind of craftsmanship that doesn’t come along every day. If you’re the type of whiskey drinker who likes their bourbon with a side of history and scarcity, you’ll want to pay attention to this one.
The Launch of Stitzel Reserve: A New Era at a Legendary Site
Stitzel-Weller is a lot more than just another distillery. It’s sometimes referred to as ‘The Cathedral of Bourbon’ and is for a very good reason. Since it first opened its doors in 1935, it has been home to some of the most iconic names in whiskey.
Now, with the launch of Stitzel Reserve, the distillery is opening up its deepest, dustiest corners and is pulling out some seriously special whiskey. This isn’t some kind of gimmick; this is about honoring 90 years of bourbon-making history with bottles that only get released when the whiskey inside is deemed ready. No calendar can rush this process.
The First Release: 24 Years of Liquid Patience
The debut bottle from this series is a monster, and I say that in the best way possible. It’s a 24-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, selected and blended by Nicole Austin, Diageo’s Director of American Whiskey Liquid Development. She hand-picked nine barrels from their historic warehouses, which only yielded 191 bottles.
Let that sink in for a moment. 191 bottles. That’s barely a release, it’s a collectors dream.
Nicole called this a “pivotal moment” for the distillery, and that’s very hard to argue. The whiskey is said to carry bold, complex notes of cracked leather, saddle oil, and burnt sugar. It’s not just aged, it’s matured, carefully and deliberately, the way that whiskey used to be.
How to Get It: A Distillery-Only Experience
I can see you now, already reaching for your wallet… but there’s a big catch. You’ll have to get down to Stitzel-Weller if you want to snag a bottle of this.
The whiskey is only available on-site as of June 2025. That means that you’ll need to plan your trip to Louisville, and honestly, that’s kind of the point. You don’t release something like this and then drop it onto a store shelf. You make it a pilgrimage.
To help convince you, they’re also offering a bespoke tasting experience at the ‘Garden & Gun Club’ located on the distillery grounds. This includes:
- A pour of the new whiskey
- A branded, etched glass
- A classy gift bag
- A limited edition Stitzel-Weller pin
The price? Well… the press release just says that it’s available upon request, which is definitely code for “yeah, it’s expensive… but if you have to ask…”
Why This Release Matters
There is something very refreshing about the way that this release was handled. It wasn’t done with a loud marketing campaign or some flashy celebrity endorsements. It instead used a quiet reverence for aged whiskey and a desire to share something truly rare with people who care about it.
With Diageo at the help, yes… them, the massive, global booze giant behind brands like Johnnie Walker, Bulleit, and Don Julio, it’s clear that they are taking the legacy of Stitzel-Weller seriously. Instead of turning it into a tourist trap or a branding exercise, they’re doubling down on quality and history.
That’s good news for real, genuine whiskey fans everywhere.
Stitzel-Weller: Still Sacred Ground
Stitzel-Weller sits just five miles from downtown Louisville, making it one of the more accessible spots on the Bourbon Trail. It reopened to the public in 2014, and still feels like a wonderful bridge between the past and the future. Alongside this new release, you’ll also find things like Blade & Bow and I.W. Harper being produced at the distillery.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a casual fan or a full-blown whiskey nerd; this place should be on your radar. And now, with releases like Stitzel Reserve, it probably just climbed a couple of notches higher on the list.
My Take: Is It Worth the Trip?
If you ask me, I think that, yeah, it’s absolutely worth it. This is the kind of release that doesn’t just sit on your home bar; it lives in your memory. Whether you walk out with a bottle or just experience a pour at the tasting bar, you’re tasting something that you might never get a second shot at.
For the collectors, this is a no-brainer. For the curious, it’s a chance to step into a time capsule and experience bourbon history. For everyone else? It’s a great reminder that good things still come to those who wait, even if it’s for 24 freaking years.
Making the trip or getting a taste of this for yourself? Tag me @The_Gnarly_Gnome on Instagram or @TheGnarlyGnome on Facebook to tell me what you think of it!