Old Fitzgerald Prime Bourbon (80 Proof)

COLOR/ Caramel - Honey AROMA/ Candies, Sour, Honey, Sweet, Faint Alcohol, Clean, Very Slight Wood FIRST SIP/ Light, Sweet, Candies, Nuts, Spice TASTE/ Sweetness, Caramel-like Candies, Spice FINISH/ Surprisingly long, Sweet, Spice, Warming MT GLASS/ Wood, Sweetness 80 proof My understanding is that Heaven Hill, regardless of their size and success, has decided to make allocations of this excellent bottle available only to Kentucky, Illinois, and Wisconsin markets... Wisconsin! They dominate the Korbel Brandy market, but that's another discussion... The original Old Fitzgerald was launched in 1870 and adheres to the classic premium wheated bourbon mash bill established by John Fitzgerald and Pappy Van Winkle. This is a good, not bad, bottle of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that is pleasant, smooth, and wheaty. Excellent for mixing! Drink it neat or on the rocks; if you can find it, get two bottles at this fantastic price! It's comparable to Supper Club Beer's "Not Bad" rating; it's a great, affordable premium bourbon! Be Kind, Be Generous, Be Real, Be Responsible!!! CH33RS

This is a repost of a review I posted a few days ago. The bourbon I was evaluating was this one, not Old Fitzgerald 1849. I assumed it was just a label change when I noticed the different packaging. My apologies to everyone. During a recent trip to Kentucky, I visited several liquor stores searching for whiskeys and bourbons unavailable in South Carolina. I found Old Fitzgerald's 1849, Very Old Barton 86 proof, and 90 proof. This is a review of the Old Fitzgerald, and it was an excellent value at $12-$14. The bourbon has a light, sweet aroma with vanilla, some ethanol, and just a hint of oak. The palate offers a light, sweet flavor reminiscent of yeast bread or a sweet roll, with a slight burn and light caramel at the end. The finish was pleasant but shorter than I desired, concluding with wood and caramel notes. Overall, I would rate this slightly higher, but since I cannot find it locally, it will only be in my collection for as long as this bottle lasts.

Acquired a large bottle of this while visiting KY. Yes, it's only 80 proof and likely only 4 years old. However, I was genuinely impressed by the flavors present. Yesterday, I sampled and evaluated Basil Hayden's 10-year rye, also 80 proof and costing seven times as much. This whiskey is more flavorful, and I'm uncertain how. The nose is much clearer, presenting basic sweet bourbon notes of caramel and vanilla; the palate delivers similar sweetness with a hint of nuttiness and yeast/bread. The finish is predictably short but provides a pleasant, mellow conclusion to the drink. It's perfectly accessible and impressive given the cost. I wish bottom-shelf KY exclusives were available in TX. Is it as good as my favored Ezra Brooks? No, but it's still a bargain from the bottom shelf.

The nose presented bright orange and caramel, a touch of vanilla, and a definite ethanol presence. Pancake batter was the most prominent flavor on my palate, along with caramel. The finish was brief, carrying notes of caramel and wood. However, a slightly unpleasant lingering taste remained for several minutes after consumption. This was good, and despite the somewhat bothersome aftertaste, I found it to be comparable to the standard Maker's Mark offering.

I've enjoyed the older Bottled-in-Bond versions of Old Fitz, so I decided to try this one! Nose: Fruity and caramel, but very subtle. Taste: Sweet initially, with some rye spice emerging. It feels a bit sharp, especially for being 80 proof. Finish: Extremely short and sweet. It's as if an old Fitz BiB was aged for only a couple of years. Overall: Not much character here. I wasn't expecting a lot, but there's truly very little substance! For $10, I'd say it's better than its price suggests, but not by much.

This sample, from the 1960s, offers an initial aroma of oak, followed by spearmint and cherry syrup, then vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, and toffee. The palate presents sweet oak alongside baking spices, particularly cinnamon, with butterscotch, vanilla, caramel, and brown sugar, finished by a hint of cocoa powder. The finish is long and oaky with baking spices that fade into lingering brown sugar and vanilla. Absolutely remarkable.