Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 19y.o. (Fall 2022 Release) Review

First released in 2018, the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond series is a bi-annual release of bourbon from Heaven Hill’s wheated mashbill, honoring the history of the Old Fitzgerald brand and John E. Fitzgerald. The series is named after a distiller or treasury man known for stealing honey barrels – depending on which story you chose to believe. The series is bottled in a decanter inspired by the Old Fitzgerald Diamond decanter from the 1950s, and the 2022 Fall edition is the tenth release in the series. The bourbon in this release meets the requirements of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, meaning it is from a single distillery and distilling season, aged for at least four years, and bottled at 100 proof. As with past editions, the 2022 Fall Edition carries a black label and carries a tax strip stating the year and season the whiskey was distilled and bottled. The barrels for this release were pulled from across three floors of rickhouse F and one floor of rickhouse X at Heaven Hill Distillery’s main campus in Bardstown, Kentucky, and were barreled in September 2003, and bottled in October of 2022, making it the oldest release to date at 19 years old. I’m again very curious to see how this will compare to the previous release from Spring 2022, and the 2021 Spring release which was the best of the Old Fitzgerald releases I’ve had the pleasure of trying.

Vital Stats:

Name: Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Fall Edition 2022
Age: 19 y.o.
Proof: 100 proof (50% abv)
Type: Bonded Kentucky straight bourbon
Mashbill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley
Producer: Heaven Hill Distillery, Louisville, KY
Website: https://heavenhilldistillery.com/old-fitzgerald.php
Glassware: Glencairn

Review

Nose: The nose is packed with layered notes of syrupy dark caramels, smoky barrel char, earthy baking spices, bitter dark chocolate, old herbaceous oak, concentrated coffee, a touch of leather, and lingering fruit notes. As you nose deeper the charred herbaceous barrel notes continue to develop alongside sweeter fruit notes, dusty caramel notes, and a touch of salinity.

Palate: The palate opens with a flash of concentrated fruit and butterscotch notes before complex herbaceous charred oak notes emerge alongside earthy baking spices, tannic peppery spice, and a touch of concentrated wheat sweetness. As you continue to chew the fruit notes become more prominent with notes of plums, cherries and red fruit, balanced out by deep spearmint, dark chocolate oak, fire-toasted nuts, cacao, and lingering peppery spice.

Finish: The finish opens with lingering tannic spice, dried red and black fruit, charred oak, earthy toasted nuts, sweet dark caramels, and cacao, leading into a long aftertaste of herbaceous mint and dark charred oak revealing concentrated fruit notes as these fade.

Overall

This bourbon is truly exceptional, offering a decadent and multi-dimensional flavour profile that reveals intricate and concentrated flavours with every sip. At an impressive 19 years old, it is a masterclass in the art of maturation and perfectly balances the impact of oak ageing with the natural character of the bourbon. When I heard that the Fall release of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-bond would be 19 years old, I must admit that I was initially sceptical. In my experience, the best Old Fitzgerald I’ve tasted is the 8-year-old Spring release, which consistently outperforms its older counterparts with a more rounded, wheated bourbon profile, beautiful balance across its flavour notes, and all the hallmarks of a bourbon bottled at the perfect age and proof for the recipe. So, at twice the age of my favourite release, I was worried that this 19-year-old version might be overly oak-driven, lacking in complexity, and dominated by bitter, fiery tannins, which can sometimes happen to bourbons that have spent too long in the barrel. However, upon tasting it, it’s clear that this is not the case. Instead, this bourbon offers all the nuance and delicate notes you’d expect from a wheated bourbon, intertwined with mature oak notes of old barrel, mint, thick chocolate syrup, and just enough heat to allow the flavours to unfold across the palate as you savour each sip.

This year has seen a number of outstanding limited releases from Heaven Hill, particularly in the Old Fitzgerald range. With two releases aged 17 and 19 years old, we have been given a rare opportunity to explore the nuances and evolution of flavours in the same base bourbon at two distinct stages of maturation. When tasted side by side, it’s clear that the 17 y.o. release is just entering the realm of ‘ultra-aged’ bourbons, and offers a flavour profile characterized by more prominent fruit notes, a slightly lower presence of oak, and a hint of tannic spice. On the other hand, the 19 y.o. release is approaching the point where further ageing could potentially disrupt the balance of the spirit due to an excess of oak influence. As a result, it boasts a rich array of barrel-driven notes, including dark caramels, herbaceous oak, concentrated fruit, deep earthy spices, and bitter dark chocolate. Personally, I preferred the 19 y.o. release over the 17 y.o. as I found it excels at showcasing the classic profile associated with very old bourbon and offers increased complexity and nuance in comparison. As another interesting comparison, I also tasted this release against my favourite 8 y.o. (2021) release. In the 8 y.o., the fruit notes were fresher and the caramels lighter, with milder charred oak and toasted almond notes overall. In contrast, the 19 y.o. featured more concentrated and darker fruit, caramel, and oak notes – almost tasting like a concentrated barrel-proof version of the 8 y.o. The 19 y.o. release also had a broader flavour profile overall, and that irresistible glow only found in older bourbons.This made it quite difficult to pick a favourite because I could definitely see myself gravitating to either depending on the mood I was in and both are exceptional bourbons for their own reasons. 

This year, Heaven Hill has achieved what many would have thought impossible by releasing two consecutive ultra-aged bourbons and true to their reputation, both releases have retained the core characteristics of the base bourbon while introducing their own unique perspectives and nuances. This particular release was so exceptional that I nearly finished my entire 200ml sample in a single evening, my usual self-control overcome by its crashing waves of complexity and pure excellence. I’m still in awe that Heaven Hill was able to release a 19 y.o. bottling and the quality of the spirit is a testament to the skill and dedication to producing exceptional spirits of Conor O’Driscoll and his entire team.

Try or Buy?

With a suggested retail price of $240 this is, unfortunately, a try before you buy. If, however, you have the chance to buy it and can afford the price, I highly recommend taking the opportunity to do so, as I believe anyone who enjoys bourbon will appreciate its quality at this age and proof.