Community Finds: Neil’s 1973 W.L. Weller’s Cabin Still — A Transition-Era Stitzel-Weller Classic
Every time a bottle from the legendary Shively, Kentucky area drops into my inbox, the entire vintage community sits up a little straighter. Reader Neil reached out to share a beautiful, incredibly dusty bottle of W.L. Weller’s Cabin Still Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that was purchased fresh off a retail shelf back in 1973.
While Cabin Still eventually transitioned into a different style under later corporate owners, this particular bottle represents the peak of a golden era for American whiskey: a 100% genuine Stitzel-Weller wheated distillate.
The Stitzel-Weller Heritage & The 1972 Shift
To truly understand what Neil has here, you have to look at the monumental timeline of the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Founded on Derby Day in 1935 by Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle, the plant became legendary for pioneering a soft, heavily wheated bourbon mashbill instead of traditional rye.
Cabin Still was actually a legacy brand created by W.L. Weller & Sons all the way back in 1849. When the Stitzel and Weller operations merged after Prohibition, Cabin Still was positioned as the younger, highly approachable expression in their portfolio—sharing the exact same world-class wheated mashbill as its siblings, Old Fitzgerald and Rebel Yell.
Neil’s purchase date of 1973 is incredibly significant. The Van Winkle family was forced to sell the distillery in 1972 to Somerset Importers. Because bourbon ages for years in oak barrels, the liquid inside this 1973 bottle was entirely distilled, barreled, and tended to under the direct watchful eye of the original family management.
Dissecting Neil’s Vintage Quart
By inspecting the details, we can catalog the specific traits of this mid-century survivor:
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The Rare Format: The red diagonal banner on the shoulder proudly reads “ONE QUART.” This traditional 32-ounce measurement was a staple of American backbars for generations before the spirits industry officially converted to metric milliliters in the late 1970s.
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The Proof Level: The neck label shows this bottle was released at 86 Proof. While older mid-century iterations of Cabin Still were bottled at 90 proof, Stitzel-Weller adjusted the brand to 86 proof in the 1960s to meet the changing tastes of consumers looking for lighter spirits while cynics say they diluted the juice to get more yield.
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The Condition: Despite a heavy coating of authentic cellar dust, the primary paper label is in outstanding condition. The text at the very bottom explicitly confirms its pedigree: “Distilled, Aged and Bottled by Stitzel-Weller Distillery, Louisville, Ky.” The fill line is exceptionally healthy, sitting securely in the middle of the neck.
What Is It Worth?
Because Stitzel-Weller closed its doors permanently in 1992, any intact bottle containing their original wheated distillate has become an absolute prize for modern enthusiasts. Collectors are constantly hunting for these old “paper label” Wellers to taste the historic profile that made the distillery world-famous.
On the modern vintage market, an unopened 1970s Stitzel-Weller Cabin Still quart in pristine condition routinely commands between $1,200 and $2,000, making Neil’s dusty kitchen find a seriously valuable piece of liquid history.
A tremendous thank you to Neil for sending over this incredible piece of Kentucky’s finest heritage!
Have a dusty bottle of Weller or an old Stitzel-Weller classic hiding in a cellar?
Whether your bottle was bought fresh in 1973 or passed down through generations of bourbon lovers, we want to help you trace its distillation roots. Send your photos over to our Whiskey Bottle Evaluation Form and let’s find out what’s inside together!
