Old Fitzgerald 13 Year Bottled in Bond

A little background

This is the second oldest release to date in Heaven Hill’s Old Fitzgerald bottled in bond series. These beautiful decanter-style bottles are released biannually, with the first release in the Spring and second in early Fall. Thus far, Heaven Hill has released four age-stated expressions – a 9, 11, 13, and 14 year old- as part of this tribute to the storied Old Fitzgerald brand.

To be designated as a bottled in bond bourbon, the bourbon must be the product of one distillation season by one distiller at one distillery, aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least 4 years, and it must be bottled at 100 proof.

The mashbill for this bourbon consists of 75% corn, 20% wheat, and 5% malted barley. This bottled in bond bourbon was distilled in September 2005 and aged for 13 years.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Dark orange amber

Nose

The nose is warm and inviting and pleasantly well-balanced. There are plenty of traditional notes of caramel, vanilla bean, and spice, along with a hint of sharp cinnamon and a pronounced note of freshly shelled peanut.

Palate

This bourbon is medium-bodied and presents with a fairly sharp spice on the tip of the tongue, along with some heat from the alcohol. Surprisingly, this bottle has more burn than expected for 100 proof. Through the burn I found traditional caramel and oak notes, more peanut, and a few hints of dark fruit.

Finish

The finish is long with plenty of peppery spice and some lingering heat. Some oak tannins are present but the dry bitter notes are balanced by notes of dark brown sugar, oak, and graham cracker.

In conclusion

This 13-year expression is beautiful to look at and the juice in the bottle does not disappoint. This is not the most complex bourbon you will find, but there are plenty of rich and well-developed flavors throughout the sip and everything fits together nicely to create a cohesive pour. I was also pleasantly surprised by the burn and the amount of spice present, especially since this is a wheated bourbon. This bottle doesn’t deliver quite as much as the 14-year expression, but this is definitely a stand out whiskey and one worthy of a spot on your shelf!