Stitzel-Weller Distillery announced the release of Stitzel Reserve 31-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey, the second expression in the Stitzel Reserve collection.
Nearly one year after the debut of Stitzel Reserve and its inaugural 24-Year-Old release, this new expression continues the collection’s focus on rare whiskeys in the archives of Stitzel-Weller Distillery, entrusted to the care of the site’s chief custodian, Nicole Austin, the Director of American Whiskey Liquid Development and Capabilities at Diageo.
Distilled in 1992 by a historic Kentucky bourbon producer and aged on-site at Stitzel-Weller Distillery for more than three decades, the expression comes from just 13 barrels and offers a singular example of what extended time in oak can achieve. This whiskey was pulled from its new charred American oak barrels in 2024, reserved and bottled this year on April 28, 2026, yielding just 176 bottles at 163.2 proof.
“When I discovered these barrels, I saw the potential for something extraordinarily rare,” said Nicole Austin, the Director of American Whiskey Liquid Development and Capabilities at Diageo. “What makes this release so special is not just its age, but the fact that it reached 31 years with such integrity. At Stitzel-Weller Distillery, our aging conditions have allowed us to carefully steward barrels like this over time in a way that very few distilleries in Kentucky can. That combination of place, patience and close attention is what gives this bourbon its power, elegance and continued evolution in the glass.”
As with each Stitzel Reserve release, the overall design cues remain consistent while select elements are tailored to the individual expression. For the 31-year-old release, the packaging reflects the whiskey’s extended maturation, featuring an elegant label with woodgrain-inspired detailing in gold and charcoal. Each bottle is individually numbered and hand-signed by Austin.
Bourbon fans can experience the release through an exclusive bespoke tasting at the Garden & Gun Club at Stitzel-Weller Distillery for $350. Each tasting includes an etched whiskey glass, branded bag, and limited-edition Stitzel-Weller Distillery pin.
Stitzel Reserve 31-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey is available at Stitzel-Weller Distillery for $3,000.
