Orphan Barrel Copper Tongue Aged 16 Yrs Bourbon

16 years. Copper Tongue. Orphan Barrel — a blend of two of Kentucky’s most historically significant distillery stocks: Stitzel-Weller and Bernheim, both aged 16 years, presenting a rare opportunity to experience the character of the legendary Stitzel-Weller facility alongside Bernheim’s output in a single expression.

Stitzel-Weller was founded by Pappy Van Winkle and operated from 1935 to 1992 — the source of some of the most celebrated wheated bourbons in history. The distillery closed in 1992, and the remaining aged stock has been distributed across various premium expressions since. Each bottle containing Stitzel-Weller distillate documents a chapter of Kentucky bourbon history that can never be recreated.

The Bernheim component brings more recent distillate alongside the historical Stitzel-Weller stock — the two combined at 16 years producing the Copper Tongue blend’s distinctive wheated character.

Specs

• Distillery: Stitzel-Weller + Bernheim blend (Diageo)
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: 16 years
• Series: Orphan Barrel
• Size: 750ml

Browse all Orphan Barrel at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is Stitzel-Weller distillate significant? Founded by Pappy Van Winkle in 1935 and closed in 1992, Stitzel-Weller produced some of the most celebrated wheated bourbons in Kentucky history. The remaining aged stock is finite and irreplaceable — each expression containing Stitzel-Weller distillate is a document of a closed chapter of American whiskey.
• What is the Copper Tongue name a reference to? The copper pot still — the original distillation vessel whose copper surfaces interact with the spirit during distillation to remove sulfur compounds and develop character. The name connects the expression to the traditional copper still heritage of both Stitzel-Weller and Bernheim.