Old Fitzgerald 8 Year Bottled in Bond Bourbon (Spring 2021)

I'm enjoying this aroma. Brown sugar, spiced carrot cake, oak, maple syrup, a little leather and peanut shell. The scents are prominent with good intensity. No ethanol. I could smell this for hours. Deep and rich with a beautiful mouthfeel and warm taste. The entry is so smooth. Cream soda, toffee, sweet cinnamon, and honey roasted peanuts right away with rich, sweet oak appearing before the finish. Black tea, dark chocolate, and cinnamon rolls last for minutes. This is very well balanced. I'm enjoying this more than the 15 year old (only tried two) with the sweeter character. It still possesses the rich, round, and softer profile I seek in a wheated bourbon, but the flavors are more forward and beautifully combined. One of the best I've encountered in 2021.

This was the second spirit I tried on New Year's. I was looking for an 11-year-old after dinner spirit when I found this. It had slightly better reviews, so I decided to try it. I just opened it. On the nose, there isn't much sweetness, but I detect leather and oak. On the palate, it's not overly intricate and is quite even-keeled, so nothing really stands out. It's incredibly smooth, making it ideal for sipping. I'm genuinely liking this and am eager to observe its development over time. I'm rating it a 4.25 currently and will re-evaluate after it has aged a bit.

A skillfully crafted bourbon using wheat, but nothing groundbreaking. Well-balanced with pleasant flavors. I've sampled it twice with the same impression each time. Most recently, I compared it directly with another bourbon. It was quite similar, but slightly more earthy on the aroma and palate. An enjoyable drink, with attractive packaging.

I'm a fan of Heaven Hill creations and was keen to sample the Old Fitzgerald line in its bonded iteration (those decanters!). This represents the initial bottling of the 8 year old, spring batch. The aroma presented mellow vanilla notes with undertones of brown sugar. The palate was exceptionally oily, featuring oak and a tobacco-like spice. A touch of cacao lingered on the finish.

Aroma: Dark bread, raspberry, spices used in baking Taste: More baking spices, oak, tobacco I'm not a fan of this one? I strongly disagree with the official review. The sweetness disappears quickly for me...it tastes somewhat like a spice rack. Perhaps my palate is not functioning correctly tonight.

The intricate blend of tastes was immediately apparent. It features notes of apricot, orange marmalade, butterscotch, oak, a hint of leather, and baking spice to round out this bourbon. This is perfectly balanced!