While none of the spirits at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery are ordinary, a few of them, over the years, have been downright extraordinary. And traditionally, those were the ones we held close to the chest.

But great whiskey must be shared.

Our first special release is limited to around 100 bottles, from casks distilled by a historic Kentucky bourbon producer in 1999. Aged 24 years in American charred new oak casks, the spirit evokes cracked leather and saddle oil, with a sweet touch of burnt sugar rounding out the profile. We’ve bottled this straight bourbon at cask strength, which is to say: the whiskey leaves quite an impression. Although we recommend you enjoy it with a splash of water—the aromatics blossom on the palate at a lower proof—we like to take a short, sweet sip of the unadulterated whiskey each time we crack the bottle.

But how you enjoy it is up to you. Consider this an offering, the first of many to come, from our own very private collection.