Old Rip Van Winkle 2008 107 Proof Bourbon Gold Neck Label (Stitzel-Weller)

Old Rip Van Winkle 2008 107 Proof Bourbon Gold Neck Label (Stitzel-Weller) is one of the most historically significant bottles in American whiskey — a 2008 annual release from the Van Winkle family program when the bourbon still contained Stitzel-Weller distillate. The "Gold Neck Label" designation is a critical collector identifier: Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year went through multiple label iterations, and the gold neck label format identifies a specific production era that collectors prize for the underlying whiskey's quality. At 107 proof (53.5% ABV), this is the standard Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year bottling — but the 2008 vintage is exceptional because it represents the final years of genuine Stitzel-Weller stock flowing through the Van Winkle program.

Stitzel-Weller Distillery closed in 1992, and its legendary stocks of wheated bourbon — made from wheat rather than rye as the secondary grain — were gradually distributed through the Van Winkle and other programs over the following decades. By 2008, true Stitzel-Weller stock was becoming increasingly scarce in the Van Winkle lineup. Bottles from this era carry the dual premium of Van Winkle brand prestige plus the provenance of original Stitzel-Weller distillate.