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Our eighth JCHS Memory Lane Show & Tell was held on Sunday, May 3, 2026. Yours truly was there, and during our fifteen-minute presentation, we told the story of…
1971 “Iowa’s Old Capitol” 24K Gold Dome – Ezra Brooks “Real Sippin’ Whiskey” Decanter.
Ezra Brooks Whiskey Co. in Frankfort, Kentucky opened in 1957 by Frank Silverman to compete with the popular Jack Daniel’s, even going so far as to imitate its square bottle and black-and-white label. This led to a lawsuit, which Ezra Brooks’ bottler, Hoffman Distilling Co., won in court.
In order to attract new customers, in the 1960’s & 1970’s, Ezra Brooks sold their “Real Sippin’ Whiskey” in a wide variety of decorative decanters often with detailed, hand-decorated 24k gold accents. Made of “Genuine Heritage China”, and filled with 12-year-old 90 proof whiskey, today, these decanters are highly-collectible vintage items.
Ezra Brooks released numerous decanters as part of various series:
Transportation: Includes designs like San Francisco Trolley Cars (1968), train locomotives (1971), and race cars (1971)
Wildlife and Animals: Features items such as a Bengal Tiger (1979), Virginia Cardinal, Owls on Books
Occupations and Hobbies: Features decanters shaped like a fisherman, a bowler, and a sea captain.
Americana and Historical Events: Includes Liberty Bell (1969), Winston Churchill, and various decanters commemorating American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars conventions.
In 1971, Iowa’s OLD CAPITOL was added to the Americana series. Below is a promotional postcard that was produced by Ezra Brooks in 1971…
Today, this rare 1971 Ezra Brooks Old Capitol Whiskey Decanter can sell for about $100 to $150 – depending on the condition, and if it still has the box it came in. And no, having the original whiskey still in the decanter doesn’t increase its value! The promotional postcard can sell for $5 to $10.
We’ll see you at the next JCHS Memory Lane Show & Tell!
