Old Fitz 7 BiB

I've been holding onto a bottle in my cupboard for a while and I'd like to finish it off. But I want to write about it first. So let's do it.

A part of the fun of getting into whiskey is the hunt. I wrote about this (see 'Whiskey 104') a ways back when I was just getting started in American whiskey. There's always a selection to look for when out and about, commonly everything from Buffalo Trace (BT itself, Blanton's, EH Taylor etc) and special bottles from just about every other distillery you can imagine. It's exciting to find something you don't normally see on the shelves, you can brag to your friends about what you nabbed (or at what price), or perhaps you can secure a prized item for someone who'd appreciate it more. Sometimes I get too caught up in the hunt and overbuy. Let's be honest this happens all the time and I know I'm not the only one.

For a number of bottles the only way to secure them at all is to enter and win a lottery. Liquor stores everywhere hold these with regularity and, if you're lucky, you can get something you wouldn't otherwise even see. At this point I've won two lotteries at a store near our house in Minnesota. The first was Bomberger's Declaration 2023, from Michter's. The second, last year, was Old Fitzgerald 7 year. That's what we'll explore further today.

As an aside, in recent months I've seen both these bottles simply sitting on shelves, typically at Total Wine. From that information we can glean two things. One these aren't the rarest of rare bottles in the first place. Two, perhaps more interestingly, I think the whiskey craze has more than crested and there will be more of the good stuff available in the near future.

Okay, back to the Old Fitz. This is a brand that until, well, this bottle's release in 2025, was only ever going to be available in lotteries. The 'Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series' releases twice yearly in the spring and fall and are extremely highly sought. These change quite a bit in terms of age, from 8-9 years on the low end and pushing 20 years on the extreme high end. Most are in the lower double digits. If you ever did secure one you might consider selling it on the secondary market (say, in Facebook groups or somewhere similar) where it would go for more than you bought it. That's the kind of brand we're dealing with here. 2025 was the premiere of a new, supposed to be more available (year round?) expression of the Old Fitzgerald brand name. That's the 7 year and it comes with a cork top instead of the decanter. As said already I won one in a lottery right after it came out.

Let's take a step back and take a quick look at the history. According to the bottle it all started in 1870, though Old Fitzgerald wasn't trademarked until 1884. Apparently, way back in the 19th century, Fitz was exclusively sold as a luxury brand on the steamships and railroads of the ultra-wealthy. The brand went on quite the adventure over the next 100 years, including getting tapped during Prohibition as one of the few whiskeys allowed to be produced for 'medicinal' purposes. It had a long connection with Pappy Van Winkle, who introduced the 'whisper of wheat' to the mashbill. Eventually it wound up with United Distillers, the predecessor of Diageo, then was sold to Heaven Hill in 1999. There it remains.

Old Fitzgerald, whether this bottle or the fancier decanters, has a wheated mashbill of 68% corn, 20% wheat and 12% malted barley. There's no rye in it. This is the same mash bill as the Larceny brand, also produced by Heaven Hill. It's different from nearly all the other Heaven Hill Bourbons (Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Henry McKenna...) which have rye and no wheat. A reminder, wheated Bourbons will be much sweeter and less spicy on the palate. That's a big draw to a lot of Bourbon fans, but usually not me.

Stats:

ABV - 100 proof (as required for bottled-in-bond)

Mash - 68% corn/20% wheat/12% malted barley

Maturation - New charred American oak

Age - 7 years (Spring 2018-Spring 2025)

Location - Bernheim Distillery, Louisville KY

Price - $60-65

Tasting Notes:

Nose - Burnt sugar, cereal-y, orange, pretty refined from the start

Color - Medium amber, fairly average

Taste - Almost like drinking a graham cracker, fairly sweet, good depth, hint of spice

Finish - Very pleasant, dry and oaky, not overpowering

Final Thoughts:

This is a very solid whiskey. I brought it to a Bourbon night at a friends where it did not stand out among the competition but did draw several compliments. And as I review it I think that's because it's nicely subtle, as well as easily drinkable. I'm a fan. I can see why the Old Fitz brand has a good reputation and remain curious about the more premium versions.

As a value, this one nails the stated intent, especially for those seeking a wheater. I'd go for this over anything even somewhat comparatively priced from Maker's Mark, for example. Still, I don't see myself buying it regularly, but that's just a personal preference.

Cheers!