Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon 11 Year Fall 2024 Review

Old Fitzgerald
11 Years Aged
Bottled in Bond
100 Proof
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Fall 2024
MSRP: $154.99
Review

Please enjoy my Old Fitzgerald Bottled In Bond 11 Year Fall 2024 Bourbon Review!

Old Fitzgerald Was Purchased By Heaven Hill in 1999

Heaven Hill purchased the Old Fitzgerald brand back in 1999, and introduced the current day limited edition bottled in bond decanter series back in 2018. For those who aren’t familiar with it, Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond is a wheated bourbon, similar to Heaven Hill’s Larceny Bourbon. The brand itself has a history dating back to the old Stitzel-Weller Distillery, which also released Old Fitzgerald Bourbon in ornate decanters. The brand existed prior to that, although the history, and the history of the name, are a bit hazy. Nonetheless, the brand name was was originally trademarked in 1884.

Old Fitzgerald Bottled In Bond Bourbon releases range in age from 8 years to 19 years. This current release is aged 11 years. Interestingly, an 11-year old expression was released once before, in the Spring of 2018. In fact, that bourbon was the first release of the series.

Mash Bill

Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Bourbon uses a mash bill of 68% Corn, 20% Wheat and 12% Malted Barley, which is Heaven Hill’s standard wheated bourbon mash bill. The bourbon was distilled in the fall of 2013, and bottled in the fall of 2024. As with all fall Old Fitz BiB releases, it is bottled in the classic decanter and bears a black label. Likewise, the proof is 100, as prescribed by the Bottled in Bond Act.

Tasting Notes – Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon 11 Year Fall 2024 Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn Glass

👉🏻Nose: Oak, sweet apples and dark cherries, light honey, cinnamon, vanilla; alcohol vapor appropriate for proof
👉🏻Taste: Mildly sweet caramel, oak, tannins
👉🏻Finish: Growing and lingering white pepper spice, dry oak, mild char; fairly dry; long; pleasant warmth

I am a bit surprised by how much oak I pick up in this bourbon, starting right up front, in the nose. While I would expect some oak in an 11 year old bourbon, it is a bit more than I anticipated. There are also sweet apples, dark cherries, cinnamon and light honey, with a touch of vanilla, too. The intensity of the alcohol vapor is appropriate for the proof.

A similar theme continues into the taste of Old Fitzgerald Bottled In Bond Fall 2024 Bourbon. There is once again quite a bit of oak, with mildly sweet honey and tannins. In the finish, there is growing white pepper spice, which lingers to the end. The mouthfeel turns fairly dry, with dry oak and a touch of char. The flavors linger for a very long time, leaving a pleasant deep warmth.

How Does Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Fall 2024 11 Year Bourbon Compare to Other Releases?

As with all Old Fitzgerald Bottled In Bond Bourbons, this is a very enjoyable pour. While it has the flavors I have come to expect, it is on the oakier and drier side of what I typically find in the Old Fitz BiB bourbons in this age range. As luck would have it, I just happen to have a bottle of the Spring 2024 10-year old release on my desk. So, why not compare? While many of the flavors are similar, the balance is quite different between them. The 10-year old does indeed have some oak, but it is lighter, and the fruit and confectionary flavors are more pronounced, and are also more present in the taste. (Read my Old Fitzgerald BIB Bourbon Spring 2024 Review)

Furthermore, it turns out that I also have an open bottle of the Spring 2018 Old Fitz BiB release. That, as I mentioned, was also an 11-year old bourbon. So, why not try it, too? (For science, of course.) Interestingly, the Spring 2018 release has the flavor characteristics of both of the 2024 releases, but definitely leans towards more oak and drier flavors. Apparently, there are quite a bit of changes that take place between 10 and 11 years with Heaven Hill’s wheated bourbons. (Read my Spring 2018 Old Fitz BiB Bourbon Review)

Conclusion – Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Bourbon 11 Year Fall 2024 Release

Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Bourbon is a whiskey that I always look forward to. Although the bourbon will vary across releases, often considerably due to the wide range of maturities, there is still an underlying characteristic flavor profile that I very much enjoy. As anticipated, the Fall 2024 release is no exception. It is a nice mix of fruit, vanilla, caramel, oak and spice, all adding up to a delicious pour. Are you a fan of the Old Fitz BiB Bourbons? Have you tried this latest release? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

I hope you have enjoyed my Old Fitzgerald Bottled In Bond Bourbon 11 Year Fall 2024 Review! If you would like to learn more about the distillery where this bourbon was made, check out my Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience Review!

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the brand for my review.

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