18-07-2025
Whiskey Of The Week: Old Fitzgerald 7 Yr. Old Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon
Old Fitzgerald bourbon has earned the 'Old' in its name — it's been around since the late 1800s, even before the Bottled In Bond Act of 1897 created the category for which Old Fitz is known. Today, vintage bottles, distilled at the famed Stitzel-Weller distillery between the 1930s and early '90s, sell for a small fortune on the secondary market.
The modern history of Old Fitzgerald begins with its acquisition from Diageo (formerly known as United Distillers) by Heaven Hill in 1999 — the brand came with the Bernheim distillery that Heaven Hill also got in the deal. But the latest chapter really kicks off in 2018, when the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series was launched. Released twice annually (bottled-in-bond laws recognize two six-month distilling 'seasons' per year), a big part of the appeal is, to be honest, the gorgeous bottle in which it's housed, a throwback to the elaborate Old Fitz decanters of the 1950s.
But the whiskey is worthy of the packaging. Aged between 8-19 years, depending on the bottling, and sporting a mashbill of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley, it's not the most unique bourbon — the mashbill is the same as that of Larceny, another Heaven Hill wheater. But it's beautifully executed without fail, featuring rich dark fruit notes, oak and spice. If there's been a less-than-excellent one in the bunch, I haven't tried it.
The downside to the Decanter Series, for many bourbon buyers, is the price — bottles generally sell for at least a few hundred dollars apiece when they can be found, considerably more for the older bottlings. But the recent slowdown in whiskey sales almost across the board is ushering in what should be a golden age for the people who buy it and drink it, if not for the brands that produce and sell it. When distilleries are stuck with more product than they can unload, that whiskey gets to age in the barrel for longer, and when it's bottled, it's priced more affordably.
Old Fitzgerald 7 Year Old Bottled-in-Bond, in the rickhouse from whence it came. Photo courtesy Heaven Hill
Is Old Fitzgerald 7 Year Old Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon a product of the slowdown or is its release merely a happy coincidence? Regardless, its appearance is welcome. This is a permanent addition to Heaven Hill's portfolio (though each batch will still be distilled in a single distilling season in accordance with B-in-B rules; the initial batch was distilled in Spring 2018). That eliminates the need to sprint to the liquor store and pay many multiples of its $60 suggested retail price, although a lot of retailers are pricing it as if it's going to disappear tomorrow. At 7 years old, it's a little younger than the youngest offering in the Decanter Series, but it's still three years older than the minimum required age for bonded whiskeys. And while the bottle isn't Decanter Series-level fancy, it's quite an attractive package that does bear a marked similarity to its limited-edition sibling.
The 7 Year Old doesn't quite hit the highs that the best Old Fitzes in the Decanter Series achieve, but for a $60 bourbon it's excellent. It's buttery on the tongue, with big notes of caramel and baking spices up front evolving into dried fruit and nuts midpalate, with cinnamon spice and dry oak hitting the back of the tongue. At 100 proof, it's hefty but not overpowering — the hallmark of a quality bonded whiskey. It'll be interesting to see how, and how much, future batches differ from this initial release. In the meantime, I'll be enjoying this one plenty. As should you.
