Review: Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 19 Years Old Fall 2022 Edition
Old Fitzgerald‘s bonded releases come out at a steady two-per-year clip, and the second/final release for 2022 has arrived. This 19 year old expression is notable as the oldest release in the lineup to date, two years older than the spring 2022 release (which itself was the oldest ever release at the time). The wheated bourbon was distilled in September 2003 and bottled in October 2022.
The nose here is only mildly surprising, a mix of peanut shells, fresh toast, a hint of wood varnish, and a lingering note of overripe, oxidized fruit. It’s the more industrial elements that remain the sharpest and most enduring, however. On the palate, the whiskey exhibits a more traditional, almost straightforward profile, offering notes of nougat, coconut oil, and more mixed nut notes — then falls back just a touch on a sharp note of petrol, evoking old wine and hints of ginger, seasoned oak (almost peppered), and an ample layer of spice. The doughiness of the wheat comes through, but it doesn’t gum up the way some wheaters can, finishing with an essence of cinnamon toast, some licorice, and Maraska cherry.
All told, there’s nothing here that feels wholly unexpected, but it’s engaging and approachable and easy to sip on — over repeated drams.
100 proof.
A- / $240
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 19 Years Old Fall 2022 Edition
$240
