Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond is one of those bourbons you never see on the shelf at MSRP. The secondary market takes the bottle that should retail for $109.99 to northward of $500. For this I blame the liquor industry who allows price gouging. Distilleries ship their product to wholesalers, who then in turn sell them to stores. It is at the store level the price goes unchecked. The loser in this proposition is the consumer and the distillery.
In New Hampshire, where I live, the liquor stores are controlled by the state. This has its positives of getting things at MSRP but it has a lot of negatives as well. For instance not every store got these in stock, and the store I go to only got 3 bottles. Thankfully I got a tip that these arrived and I was able to procure one for today’s review.
According to the distillers website, “Each spring and fall, a new edition to the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond series is released. Inspired by an original 1950s Old Fitzgerald diamond decanter, the packaging and series honor both the history of the Old Fitzgerald brand and the historic Bottled-in-Bond designation. The Old Fitzgerald line is well-known for its distilling pedigree, as the brand was first registered in 1884 and was eventually sold to “Pappy” Van Winkle during Prohibition.
In 1999, Heaven Hill bought the brand and began distilling it at Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, KY. Today, in addition to our Old Fitzgerald Decanter Series, the legacy of Old Fitzgerald lives on in our other wheated Bourbons expressions: Larceny Small Batch and Larceny Barrel Proof.”
The age varies by year today we review the Fall 2023 release which has been aged 8 years.
Bourbon Review: Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Fall 2023 Release
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
Age: 8 Years
Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 20% Wheat, 5% Malted Barley
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery
Location: Louisville, KY (USA)
The Nose: Warm and inviting there are notes of cinnamon, vanilla, oak and baking spices. Secondary pulls from the glass sees oak and chocolate with a touch of brown sugar.
The Taste: While the nose of the bourbon is reminiscent of the holidays the first sip screams summer with notes of summer fruit (peaches, apricots) and oak on the finish. It’s incredibly smooth with a nice mouthfeel and depth of flavor. Secondary sips reveal caramel, oak and some spice.
Conclusion: Often referred to as the Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Decanter series this bourbon is damn near impossible to find on the shelf. If you do find it, chances are it will be 4x the MSRP or more. When I am done with his pour, I will most likely keep the bottle to make an infinity bottle (adding the last pour from a bottle until you have a new bottle). The Fall 2023 release is the 14th release to date and only the 3rd time the age statement was less than 10 years.
While the price point is a bit high the bourbon does more than enough to stand out versus lower priced offerings from Heaven Hill. It is a must have bourbon for anyone looking to build a bourbon collection because 1) it is very much worth drinking and 2) it stands out as a centerpiece on your bar.
For those keeping score at home:
- 2018 Spring Release (11 Years)
- 2018 VVS Release (14 Years)
- 2018 Fall Release (9 Years)
- 2019 Spring Release (13 Years)
- 2019 Fall Release (15 Years)
- 2020 VVS Release (16 Years)
- 2020 Spring Release (9 Years)
- 2020 Fall Release (14 Years)
- 2021 Spring Release (8 Years)
- 2021 Fall Release (11 Years)
- 2022 Spring Release (17 Years)
- 2022 Fall Release (19 Years)
- 2023 Spring Release (10 Years)
- 2023 Fall Release (8 Years)
Score: 94
Price: $109.99 (750ml)
