Back in 2018, Heaven Hill announced it was releasing 10 special Old Fitzgerland Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Decanters from their best wheated bourbon stocks. Two would drop each year — a “Spring” and “Fall” edition — and would highlight the bottled-in-bond bourbon prowess of the iconic Bardstown, Kentucky distillery. As 2022 ended, we were treated with the 10th and final fall release, and everyone sort of assumed that was it. Then on August 15th, 2023, another Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon Decanter arrived, and it was labeled their “Spring 2023” edition.
It’s a true head-scratcher. Will the Old Fitz B-i-B line continue? Are we going to get a fall 2023 release, like… next month? How does this elusive bourbon taste? Will the average consumer even be able to find it?
Here’s one truism of elite bourbon, folks — never look a gift bourbon in the face. I think that’s how that saying goes in Kentucky. All that matters, really, is that we have a new Old Fitzgerlad B-i-B. That’s exciting! I was lucky enough to snag a bottle. So below, I’ll dive into what’s in the bottle and try and help you find one. Let’s dig in.
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Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years “Spring 2023” Decanter
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $139
The Whiskey:
Old Fitzgerald Botted-In-Bond Decanters always holds Heaven Hill’s wheated bourbon, which is made with a mash of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. That recipe harkens back to before the brand was part of the Pappy Van Winkle line at the old Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville. In this case, the bourbon went into the barrel in the spring of 2013 and was left for 10 years. In the spring of 2023, those barrels were batched and just proofed with that soft Kentucky limestone water before bottling in Heaven Hill’s bespoke decanters for the official 11th Old Fitz release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with lemon cake with a whisper of meringue next to honey Graham Crackers, winter spiced Nutella cut with orange oils, soft vanilla sheet cake, and this fleeting sense of Double Mint gum by way of a vanilla malt milkshake.
Palate: The palate is luscious and sweet with a sense of rum-soaked raisins covered in dark salted chocolate next to toffee rolled in almond and dipped in eggnog with a light moment of stewed cherry compote with whole clove, allspice, and cinnamon bark.
Finish: Those woody winter spices amp up through the finish with a deep dark cherry jam over lemon-kissed shortbread with plenty of real vanilla before a light sense of tobacco rolled with molasses softens the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is really good sipping whiskey. A little ice or water really drives the palate toward the vanilla/cherry creaminess with bitter winter spice barks leaning into espresso oils and more dark chocolate with a light leatheriness.
Ranking:
91/100 — This is a solid “A” whiskey that hits every note perfectly.
Where To Buy:
Here’s the rub. This is so highly allocated that you may never see it in the wild. That’s true of every Old Fitz Decanter release. These bottles go on the shelf at $500-$1,000 the second they come out. If you’re in a control state (where it has to be sold at MSRP) and there are any left (unlikely), then you might get lucky in a local lottery. But that’s being generous.
Then there’s the rarity of what comes next for this expression. This might be the last one. We simply don’t know and Heaven Hill isn’t letting that slip. These are always collectible but this might end up being the most collectible one since it was such a surprise/possible one-off. We just don’t know.
My advice is to try this at your favorite whiskey bar. I don’t know if I’d pay $1,000 for this bottle otherwise. I could be convinced to buy one for $300-$400 maybe but that’d be for a very special gift for someone very special. The holidays are right around the corner, after all.