Oh Taste & See: Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Bourbon

I have accumulated a few bottles recently that warrant review, so without further ado I'll jump right into the first one: Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Bourbon. The Old Fitzgerald lineup of bourbons is made by Heaven Hill Distilleries, the maker of Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Henry McKenna, etc. Old Fitz is an old name that's a fairly common bargain brand in some areas (I picked up this bottle in Chicago for about $15) and almost unheard of in others - I don't think I've ever seen it in PA, NJ, or DE for example.

The entire Old Fitz lineup, which includes at least four variants, is made with a 'whisper of wheat' instead of using rye as the secondary grain. As with most wheated bourbons you should expect a somewhat lighter, smoother-drinking bourbon as compared to bourbons made with rye. Other wheated bourbons include Maker's Mark, the Weller lineup from Buffalo Trace Distillery, and the much-hyped Pappy Van Winkle bourbons.

My general opinion on wheated bourbons is that they are a great alternative if you find rye-recipe bourbons too intense or want an extra-easy-sipping change of pace. The Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond (BIB) however is a bonded bourbon which guarantees two things that are equally important to this wheated-whiskey's flavor - every drop has been aged at least four years, and it was bottled at exactly 100 proof (50% ABV). The Bottled in Bond label also requires the bourbon to be distilled, aged, and bottled by a single distillery so if you like to know the provenance of your bourbon the BIB label gives you some added assurance. Since it's a decently well-aged bourbon and bottled at a higher-than-average proof, the Old Fitz BIB should be a nice mid-way step between lower-proof wheated bourbons and harder-edged rye-recipe bourbons.

Color: Old Fitz BIB is a nice dark-honey color with burnt orange undertones as you swirl it. It definitely has the depth of color that I associate with bourbons in the 6-8 year age range, so I wouldn't be surprised if it contains a decent amount of bourbon that's significantly older than the 4-year cutoff to qualify for the BIB label.

Nose: The nose on this bourbon is quite light with just the slightest hint of ethanol - one of the least scary 100 proof noses I've encountered. With a little time it evokes pleasant fresh grain and sliced pears.

Flavor: The first impression is true to the wheated-bourbon-style - this is a very easy sipper for a 100 proof whiskey. It has nice minty flavors at the front of the mouth and gets sweeter as it goes back. It's never overly sweet though, and also doesn't hit you with too many woody flavors - a bit surprising given the rich color. With a splash of cool water flavors of vanilla and dark cherry slowly emerge and kick-up the sweetness just a touch.

Finish: A medium-length finish fades from woody and dusty to minty with a lingering sweetness that's more aspartame than real sugar. That faint artificial sweetener finish is my only complaint with this whiskey, but it doesn't kick in until about the time you're ready for another sip, so I guess you could just hide it by starting over at the beginning. After adding water the finish takes on more oak and vanilla tones.

Overall the Old Fitz BIB is a really good bargain whiskey if you can find it in your area - a nice change of pace for rye-recipe bourbon drinkers, and a gentle nudge towards stronger stuff for those of you stuck on lower-proof wheated bourbons.