Tequila Ocho Old Fitzgerald

Hello guys Toni B here, I picked this bottle up because the Old Fitzgerald crossover caught my attention. I have always liked Old Fitzgerald releases, but the older decanter bottles are basically raffle bottles now and very hard to get. One thing that was a bit disappointing though was the presentation. Old Fitzgerald is known for beautiful decanter bottles and this one is pretty simple. That said, I am buying it for the juice inside, not the bottle.

For this release the tequila is aged in barrels that previously held Old Fitzgerald bourbon from Heaven Hill. Old Fitzgerald is a wheated bourbon that usually shows softer notes like vanilla, caramel, honey, baking spice and sometimes graham cracker, so I was curious to see how that would work with tequila.

On the nose I get cooked agave right away with vanilla bean, honey and even a little chocolate. It smells rich but still balanced.

On the palate it is very smooth and easy to drink. Agave is still the main flavor, supported by vanilla, light baking spice and a bit of oak from the barrel influence. The overall profile leans slightly sweeter rather than spicy.

The finish is pretty long for a tequila with some spice and a drying oak note at the end.

Overall I think this is a really interesting collaboration. The agave still comes through but the barrel influence adds something extra. I think this is a good bottle for bourbon drinkers or Old Fitzgerald fans who are curious about trying tequila with a familiar barrel influence.

The only downside for me is the price. Around $120 is a little tough when there are other great añejos available for less, but as a crossover between bourbon and tequila it is still a cool bottle to try.

Curious what you guys think. Has anyone compared this with other Tequila Ocho añejos or other tequila aged in bourbon barrels? This is Toni B and I'm out