Copy of Stizel-Weller Blind Tasting Cipher
Most every old Stitzel-Weller bourbon distillate from various decades had the headlining flavors of dark fruit, earth, and spice with medium oak, minimal sweetness and nut. Specifically, dark cherry layered over leather and pepper. The real key, Tripp had long maintained, to deciphering the various vintage Stitzel-Weller bourbon expressions from each other was the intensity of the before mentioned headlining nose and flavor notes and how those notes lingered into a finish.
According to Tripp’s mental recollections, Rebel Yell (RY), for example, was deep leather and musty dark oak. Cabin Still (CS) was lighter with pronounced baker’s spice and pralines. The “Weller” label Stitzel-Wellers like Old Weller Antique (OWA) or Old Weller Original (OWO), revered as “Gold Veins” for the gold glittering lines over the glass that appears to drink down the bottle like liquid gold, exuded lighter notes of cherry and leather with an almost unmistakable subtle wet-cardboard giveaway not present in Van Winkle Stitzel-Weller expressions. 12-year Very Very Old Fitzgerald (VVOF), 10-year Very Special Old Fitzgerlad (VSOF), and 7-year Very Old Fitzgerald (VOF) also share that hint of baker’s spice with subtle wet-cardboard, yet such older gems follow with chewier viscosity and vintage funk, with deepness and intensity reflected in the age and which most often sets them apart from even the best vintage 7-year Old Fitzgerald Bonded with its distinct end-palate unreliability.
In fact, if you asked Tripp, much of the distinguishing between various expressions of Stitzel-Weller distillate aged and bottled differently by the various bourbon labels was about intensity and texture and specific off-notes. Off-notes in particular are major giveaways. True of blind tasting in general. For example, when deep oak is present in a suspected Stitzel-Weller pour, the field is limited substantially to labels like Old Blowhard 26-year. But it’s what is not present that gives away expression identity, which most tasters tend to neglect. If there’s not light fruit notes and not peanut and not high rye spice and not much sweetness plus the proof point tastes about one hundred points and the viscosity imbues deep old profile and not new bourbon, then Stitzel-Weller is a good guess. Except, if you’re drinking a Stitzel 18-year Blackhawk 121 proof, which Tripp has yet to enjoy the privilege. Then proof points are out the window and unicorn land rules takeover. That’s a win.
Stitzel-Weller Expressions...
