Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond 13 Year (Spring 2019)

First pour. Let rest 20min. Lots of oak. Too much in fact. Some sweetness and vanilla. Second pour. A little less oak and more flavours coming through but way more heat on the finish. Will revisit in a weeks time as I have high expectations for this.

Weller 107 vs. Old Fitz 13yr tonight. Old Fitz takes it in a close one. But to be fair I’m an Old Fitz lover.

I have not had any of the Old Fitzgerald offerings. Though I’ve had Larceny which sort of counts, John E. Fitzgerald is written on the front of those and shares the same mashbill. This was given to me as a sample and I can’t wait to try it. The nose has sweet buttered corn, vanilla, light old leather, baked bread, light chocolate dust, a floral note and a hint of dried fruit and a little pear. I know I’m going to get dinged for saying this but the buttered corn note I got really reminds me of a similar note I get in Dickel Bottled In Bond, which I also enjoy. The palate is thick and oily with buttered corn, light oak, light leather, light baking spices, toasted nuts and nice dried apricots. You could say it’s viscous and polite. The finish is the shorter side of long. There is a lingering vanilla, oak, nuttiness, light spices and sweet corn that remains on the tongue. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Though I’m glad I didn’t have the pretty bottle in front of me so I wouldn’t be tempted to buy one on secondary. I think the combination of the pretty bottle and the liquid justify the price at retail, but not more than that.

I’m finally getting to try this is I have to say, I can see why it is hyped up. Not sure if I would pay secondary but would love to find a bottle in the wild. Very buttery and smooth with loads of caramel and vanilla, absolutely delicious! I’ve yet to try the 9 but I would love to do a side by side comparison.