Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond, Spring 2022

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

They say that April showers bring May flowers (or they did when I was in elementary school 40 years ago), but here in Minnesota, sometimes they also bring snow. That’s right it’s snowing again. And so, I am locked in my office with the shades drawn simultaneously whining about it and pretending that it isn’t happening.

As any sane person would.

Actually, it isn’t that bad, I guess. April is usually hit or miss around here. Some years it is in the 80s and warm, other years you get six feet of snow in a week. At least so far the snow that falls is melting right away…I really do not want to try to dig out the snowblower again.

One thing that is not hit or miss though is the biannual release of Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond. They are always tasty (and almost always priced out of my budget). This release is no exception. Though at 17 years old, the age of this release is exceptional. Here is what the distillery has to say about the release:

The spring 2022 edition of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the first 17-year-old of the nationally released series and features Bourbon pulled from across three floors of rickhouse V at Heaven Hill Distillery’s main campus. As a leader of the Bottled-in-Bond category, Heaven Hill is proud to offer a premium, allocated product within this special class that showcases the authenticity and quality of the American Whiskey portfolio.

And as their bonded whiskeys have won numerous competitions on this very site, I’d be inclined to agree with them on that last sentence. But onto what you are really here for, let's taste this puppy.

Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond, Spring 2022

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $185.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $12.33

Details: 50% ABV. 17 years old.

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, oak, and a touch of mint.

Mouth: Nice thick mouthfeel. Sweet with caramel and vanilla. Cinnamon spice. Lots of oak.

Finish: Medium in length and warmth. Lingering caramel chocolate and vanilla.

IMAGE: A smile because I like this. It tastes real good.

Thoughts: As you might have expected, this is delicious. It's been a while since I found a bourbon with vanilla sweetness on the finish. In fact, I'd say vanilla is the predominant note all the way through. Kinda tastes like an amazing chocolate chip cookie. And I do love chocolate chip cookies.


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Heaven Hill Heritage Collection, 1st Edition

I’d like to thank Heaven Hill for providing this review sample with no strings attached.

Heaven Hill has announced a new annual spring release to balance the fall release of Parker’s Heritage Collection. The first edition is age-stated at 17 years old and is a blend of “ultra-aged” bourbons between 17 and 20 years old. Here are the details as described by Heaven Hill:

“The Collection, a testament to Heaven Hill’s patience and ultra-aging techniques, will feature one of the six traditional American Whiskey mashbills produced by Heaven Hill, the only heritage distillery to produce this range. The first edition features Heaven Hill’s Bourbon mashbill comprised of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, and bottled at a barrel proof of 118.2. With an age statement of 17 years, this release is made up of 28% 20-year-old barrels, 44% 19-year-old barrels, and 28% 17-year-old barrels pulled from Deatsville, Glencoe, Schenley, and Heaven Hill main campus warehouse locations.”

Of course, this is just the first release, and as you might expect with whiskey this old, attributes will vary by release. There is only so much old whiskey to go around, even for Heaven Hill who seems to have more than most. And if you are curious about the packaging and price they talk about that as well:

“Each Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 750ml bottle will be accompanied by a premium box in signature Heaven Hill blue with the double-H insignia stamped in gold to signify Heaven Hill. As will become a signature of the Collection, specific attributes such as warehouse site locations, production dates, mashbill percentage, and other designations will be noted prominently on the packaging.  Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17-Year-Old Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey will launch nationally on a limited basis with an SRP of $274.99.”

So now that we’ve gotten all of that out of the way, let’s see how it tastes.

Heaven Hill Heritage Collection, 1st Edition

Purchase info: This was graciously provided by Heaven Hill for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $274.99.

Price Per Drink (50 mL): $18.33

Details: 59.1% ABV. Aged 17 years

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, mixed berries, nutmeg, and oak.

Mouth: Very rich. Caramel, vanilla, tobacco, chocolate, and nutmeg.

Finish: Long and warm. Lingering cocoa notes.

I give this a heart because I love it.

Thoughts: When I poured my sample into a Glencairn, the aroma filled the room. The glass was a foot away from my hand and I was already starting to pick up notes of caramel and vanilla. The nose is so rich that you could spend a happy evening just smelling this. But if you did, you would miss out on a very delicious whiskey. The mouth is just as nice as the nose. Typical Heaven Hill bourbon notes, but super concentrated. I love this. At over $18 per pour, I can't possibly afford it, but I do love it.


Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.