Heaven Hill Old Fitzgerald

Intro: Old Fitzgerald is one of five labels of bourbons which incorporate wheat into the mashbill instead of rye. The others are Maker's Mark, Rebel Yell, Van Winkle, and Weller. A wheated bourbon gives a very different flavour profile from a rye mashbill bourbon because in each case the "small grain" leads the flavour and dominates over the corn and barley. While the sample bottle was at 40% ABV, I understand that outside the USA 43% ABV is more commonly found for Old Fitzgerald. There is no age statement on the bottle, so I am assuming that the age is probably 4 years old, which is the general default age assumption on young no age statement bourbons.

Nose: Honey, light citrus, caramel, a little wood scent.

Taste: Crisp high notes early, like alkaselzer mixed with sweet-tarts, caramel, and a little honey sweetness.

Finish: Rapid disintegration of flavours leaves nothing except a hint of wood sweetness and a little caramel.

Balance: This is a one note quick-greeting whiskey without any real coherence to follow. There is a fast start on the palate and then the demise of taste. Nothing really ever develops here. No doubt the flavour is improved somewhat in the 50% ABV expression by virtue of lesser dilution of the barrel strength product, but overall this whiskey is too young in the wood to have mellowed much or taken on full flavour. I have never tried the Old Fitzgerald 12 yr old, but by all reports I have seen it improves into a desirable whiskey when given the extra years to age. Of the 65 or 70 bourbons which I have tasted this 80 proof 4 yo Old Fitzgerald is the very last bourbon whiskey I would choose for a dram.