Review: Stitzel Reserve Bourbon 31 Years Old

By David Tao | June 27, 2026 |

In today’s bourbon market, some discerning collectors chase age. Others chase proof. And if I had to guess, the center of that Venn diagram is pretty big, such that very old and very high-abv bourbon will turn a lot of heads. In April 2026, spirits giant Diageo announced a whiskey with stats so eye-popping, I had to read them thrice: Stitzel Reserve 31-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey, a blend of vintage barrels bottled at downright combustible 163.2 proof.

Those numbers are startling. But in context, the release itself wasn’t. Over the past year, under a triad of brands, Diageo has been dripping out limited stocks of shockingly old bourbon. In June 2025, they announced the first Stitzel Reserve, a 24 year Kentucky bourbon at 123.4 proof. Later that summer came I.W. Harper 34 Year, bottled at 126.2 proof. And in November, they rolled out Blade and Bow 30 Year, proofed down to a more accessible 109.

There’s some truth to the belief that hyper-aged bourbon tends to be overly oaky, tannic, and astringent. So it’s a rare and impressive feat to curate such releases that are not only drinkable, but downright tasty. Blade and Bow 30 was one such example.

Like those predecessors, the new 31 year was overseen — from barrel selection to blending, proofing, and bottling — by Nicole Austin, Diageo’s Director of American Whiskey Liquid Development and Capabilities. It comes from 13 barrels, distilled in 1992 at an undisclosed “historic Kentucky bourbon producer” and then aged at Stitzel-Weller Distillery for more than 30 years. It’s available exclusively at Stitzel-Weller Distillery, limited to one bottle per person at a cool $3,000 each. Pours are also available as part of a $350 tasting experience at the distillery’s Garden & Gun Club.

With just 176 bottles in this release, each barrel contained an average of 13.5 bottles of whiskey. (That’s a far better outturn than I.W. Harper 34, which yielded just 11 bottles from four barrels.) According to Austin, there was no evidence any of the barrels had been topped off or consolidated during aging. In contrast, Blade and Bow 30 was crafted from barrels that had been consolidated at some point during maturation, which changes flavor and yield in its own ways.

Speculation abounds about the whiskey’s exact origin, and my colleague Jacob Kiper has taken his own educated guesses as to its source(s).

It’s easy and fun to guess where the whiskey was distilled. My recent conversation with Austin focused more on where it was aged — namely, those historic Stitzel-Weller rickhouses, tucked about five miles southwest of downtown Louisville.

Austin isn’t alone in her belief that their specific design, location, and microclimate imparts some tangible magic onto the whiskey. Sheet metal siding, spaced out ricks, and a high window count could all make an impact. (Again, credit goes to Jacob Kiper for his analysis of those potential factors.)

Ultimately, there’s a decent amount we don’t know — and likely won’t ever know — about Stitzel Reserve 31. What we can do is describe how it tastes. I recently sat down with Austin to sample the whiskey, though to be clear, she did not preempt my assessment, nor did she feed me tasting notes.

Let’s dive in.

Stitzel Reserve Bourbon 31 Years Old Review

The nose kicks off with a big hit of deep, rich nuttiness with a bit of cocoa: very dark praline, black walnut, and — most of all — richly roasted hazelnuts. At first, it smells akin to burnt Nutella. Coconut flakes come next, which pair with the chocolate to evoke Almond Joy. Whispers of cola and apple butter come next as the pour eventually settles into more classic Kentucky bourbon aromas (including plenty of oak tannins). It also boasts cherry and limeade notes that keep things almost shockingly bright (and surprisingly light on ethanol) from a scent perspective.

On to the taste. In full disclosure, this was not the first whiskey I sipped on the day. Beforehand, I had some acclimatizing tastes of Blade and Bow’s 12 Year Solera Reserve and Blade and Bow 30. My palate was almost certainly warmed up, and I wouldn’t recommend going straight into this 163.2 behemoth without it.

The first taste starts off soft (for its incredibly high proof, that is) and gradually builds in heat, even across that initial sip. Luxardo cherry is bold and powers through to the finish. Up next comes raspberry and boysenberry before a pronounced shift to syrupy sweet citrus, specifically frozen lemonade concentrate. A second taste brings nuts, not quite as big as the nose but still discernible, alongside more burnt orange peel and orange bitters. Oak becomes increasingly dominant, with loads of leather, tobacco, and tea tannins, such that each subsequent taste reminds me of a very citrus-forward Armagnac.

The finish is the woodiest segment, lending oak, cedar, and birch bark that linger for minutes after each sip. But citrus continues to punch through, with one of the most powerful final flavors being lemondrop candies.

On the nose at least, Stitzel Reserve 31 shares some commonalities with Blade and Bow 30. The palate then takes things in a very different direction. I was alternately shocked by the proof and shocked by how much I tasted despite the proof. It’s a rich, unique pour with a profile quite unlike anything else I’ve tried in American whiskey.

Could it have tasted better at a lower abv? I’d venture to say yes, and I wouldn’t taste this again without a dropper close by. But given this age and proof, its drinkability is still a remarkable feat of whiskeymaking. In our chat, Austin mentioned her propensity to reject barrels for these ultra-limited blends, with a bias toward balance and profile over yield. Each sip of Stitzel Reserve 31 exemplifies her discernment, with a final product that showcases what didn’t make it into the final batch as much as what did.

163.2 proof.

A- / $3000