Old Fitzgerald 7 Year

Wheated Bourbon • 7 Year • 100 Proof

Hello guys Toni B here, I picked this bottle up because I’ve always liked Old Fitzgerald releases. The older decanter bottles are honestly beautiful, but where I live they’re basically raffle bottles now and really hard to get. When I saw this Old Fitzgerald 7 Year Bottled in Bond, I figured it would be a good chance to try something with the Old Fitzgerald name without having to chase the decanter versions.

One thing that was a bit disappointing though was the presentation. Old Fitzgerald is known for those classic decanter bottles and this one is pretty simple in comparison. It still looks fine, but it definitely doesn’t have that same wow factor. 

That said, I’m buying it for the juice inside, not the bottle.

Old Fitzgerald is a wheated bourbon from Heaven Hill, so instead of the typical rye spice you usually get softer notes like vanilla, caramel, honey and baking spice. Wheated bourbons usually drink a bit smoother and sweeter, which is something I tend to like.

On the nose I get vanilla, honey and caramel right away with some soft wheat notes. It smells nice and approachable, but a little lighter than I expected for a 7 year bourbon.

On the palate it’s very smooth and easy to drink. The texture is probably the highlight for me. It has a creamy mouthfeel with flavors of vanilla wafers, honey, light caramel and a bit of baking spice. It’s enjoyable, but it doesn’t feel quite as bold as I expected from a bourbon with this age.

The finish is decent but fades a bit quicker than I would like. You get some lingering sweetness and a little oak, but it disappears fairly fast.

Overall I think it’s a solid wheated bourbon. The texture and sweetness are really nice, but it doesn’t quite have the depth or punch I expected when you see the Old Fitzgerald name. 

The biggest downside for me is the value. Around $65 MSRP it feels fair, but if prices start climbing it becomes harder to justify when there are a lot of strong bourbons in that range. In my opinion it’s a bit overhyped. 

It’s a good bourbon, but there are other bottles that offer better value. I wouldn’t pay more than about $60 for it and definitely not secondary prices. Curious what you guys think. This is Toni B guys and I'm out.