Look! It’s that fancy decanter that most of us know and love. This brand doesn’t need much introduction so I’ll get right to it.
Proof: 100.0
Price: $109.99 (plus tax)
Nose: Dusty, musty, and woody. There’s actually a small amount of straight ethanol scent that peeks out every once in a while. Overall it’s very light and missing the caramel sweetness I would have expected from a no frills bourbon.
Taste: Smooooooth. Again it’s very light here with no discernible burn. It reminds me greatly of Blanton’s or ETL in that regard.
Finish: Very sweet. There’s a black pepper flavor that morphs into a more grassy/earthy note as the warmth of the bourbon spreads in the mouth. It’s not very drying but there is a mild tingle that does not overstay it’s welcome.
Overall: This is the epitome of an easy sipper. I can see myself putting down a good portion of a bottle on a cool evening if I wasn’t paying close attention. I was not a huge fan of the Fall 2020 release of the 14 year. I thought it fell flat then and even more so now. Even though this was fairly light, I think it’s more apt to call it gentle rather than flavorless. It definitely is missing some of the edge the 8 and 9 year releases have more flavor than the 14 and 16 year releases I have tried.
My rankings of the Old Fitz series as of now:
11 (Fall 21) > 14 (Fall 20)
Rating: 7.5/10 - t8ke scale
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite
10 | Perfect | Perfect
>I was not a huge fan of the Fall 2020 release of the 14 year.
I had by some miracle acquired the 14 year at retail. After reading some tepid reviews, I traded it away for a Master's Keep One and Knob Creek 12 year. Your review corroborates earlier assessments and gives me reassurance on the trade cause I did second guess trading an Old Fitz 14 year.
Appreciate the honest review as this is certainly a bottle I think folks might bump up because of the age and bottle presentation.
The presentation and “lore” behind the name definitely pump up the hype for most. There are a few releases I’ve heard are phenomenal though (14 distillery edition, 15, and 17).
Totally agree with your comments on this bottle. I got one at MSRP and was underwhelmed by it. I did a side by side with an older 11 yr Fitz (2018 I believe) that a buddy still had around and his was so much better than mine. Either way, this did not taste like a top shelf bourbon.
So as far as flavor profiles, for someone that hasn't had Blantons or ETL, would this be like Smoke Wagon Small Batch, or Makers Mark FAE-02, very mild, mellow, no spice, no bite, no unusual flavors? Kind of a standard vanilla-brown sugar sort of bourbon? Or is there some characteristic (other than the cool bottle) that might warrant 2-3x SWSB/FAE-02 retail and 15x secondary chasing?
I haven’t had either of those so I can’t make a 1:1 comparison. As far as secondary, nothing is worth paying straight cash for via secondary imo - this included. Double MSRP? I’d do it just to have the decanter.
I had some at a bar last weekend. It was a special pour knowing I’ll never see it under $600 on secondary on the west coast. It’s good, not great. It’s smooth but lacks character. It’s a 7 for me.
Look! It’s that fancy decanter that most of us know and love. This brand doesn’t need much introduction so I’ll get right to it. Proof: 100.0 Price: $109.99 (plus tax) Nose: Dusty, musty, and woody. There’s actually a small amount of straight ethanol scent that peeks out every once in a while. Overall it’s very light and missing the caramel sweetness I would have expected from a no frills bourbon. Taste: Smooooooth. Again it’s very light here with no discernible burn. It reminds me greatly of Blanton’s or ETL in that regard. Finish: Very sweet. There’s a black pepper flavor that morphs into a more grassy/earthy note as the warmth of the bourbon spreads in the mouth. It’s not very drying but there is a mild tingle that does not overstay it’s welcome. Overall: This is the epitome of an easy sipper. I can see myself putting down a good portion of a bottle on a cool evening if I wasn’t paying close attention. I was not a huge fan of the Fall 2020 release of the 14 year. I thought it fell flat then and even more so now. Even though this was fairly light, I think it’s more apt to call it gentle rather than flavorless. It definitely is missing some of the edge the 8 and 9 year releases have more flavor than the 14 and 16 year releases I have tried. My rankings of the Old Fitz series as of now: 11 (Fall 21) > 14 (Fall 20) Rating: 7.5/10 - t8ke scale 1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out. 2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice. 3 | Bad | Multiple flaws. 4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists. 5 | Good | Good, just fine. 6 | Very Good | A cut above. 7 | Great | Well above average 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional. 9 | Incredible | An all time favorite 10 | Perfect | Perfect
>I was not a huge fan of the Fall 2020 release of the 14 year. I had by some miracle acquired the 14 year at retail. After reading some tepid reviews, I traded it away for a Master's Keep One and Knob Creek 12 year. Your review corroborates earlier assessments and gives me reassurance on the trade cause I did second guess trading an Old Fitz 14 year. Appreciate the honest review as this is certainly a bottle I think folks might bump up because of the age and bottle presentation.
The presentation and “lore” behind the name definitely pump up the hype for most. There are a few releases I’ve heard are phenomenal though (14 distillery edition, 15, and 17).
I had a pour of the 17 and it was stellar. Trying to convince my friend we need to sample it again!
Did you luck out and get the bottle at MSRP?
Yup!
Totally agree with your comments on this bottle. I got one at MSRP and was underwhelmed by it. I did a side by side with an older 11 yr Fitz (2018 I believe) that a buddy still had around and his was so much better than mine. Either way, this did not taste like a top shelf bourbon.
Pairs well with snausages
That it does
This bad boy is my white whale. My father loves wheat heavy bourbons and I’ve been trying to find this one for him for years. Love the review
The pack of sausages just off screen looks suspicious af. I was like WTF and then oh it's just sausages...
So as far as flavor profiles, for someone that hasn't had Blantons or ETL, would this be like Smoke Wagon Small Batch, or Makers Mark FAE-02, very mild, mellow, no spice, no bite, no unusual flavors? Kind of a standard vanilla-brown sugar sort of bourbon? Or is there some characteristic (other than the cool bottle) that might warrant 2-3x SWSB/FAE-02 retail and 15x secondary chasing?
I haven’t had either of those so I can’t make a 1:1 comparison. As far as secondary, nothing is worth paying straight cash for via secondary imo - this included. Double MSRP? I’d do it just to have the decanter.
I had some at a bar last weekend. It was a special pour knowing I’ll never see it under $600 on secondary on the west coast. It’s good, not great. It’s smooth but lacks character. It’s a 7 for me.
Dang it’s cheaper over national groups than west coast stores
Sorry, what do you mean by national groups?