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I have always liked the Old Fitzgerald Bourbons. It goes back to my days as archivist for United Distillers in 1991. Old Fitzgerald was an excellent product that I always looked forward to getting in the monthly bottle that they gave to employees. The brand was sold to Heaven Hill after I left the company, but I still like the brand. Heaven Hill does a very good job with the brand and releases a special bottle every year in the decanter bottle that is the same as the Old Fitzgerald decanter first released in 1950. This Bourbon is nine years old, but they have released bottles in the past that are older. However, I think the eight to ten year old ages are the best for the Heaven Hill releases. When the Bourbon gets older than ten years old, the wood flavors from the barrel start to get tannic and bitter unless you pick barrels that are from the lower floors of the warehouse. I was out the other day and stopped at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience and they had the nine year old in the gift shop. I purchased a bottle and Matt and I sat down to taste it. Here are our tasting notes.

Old Fitzgerald Nine Year Old Bonded Bourbon

Proof: 100

Age: Nine Years Old

Nose:

• Mike: Vanilla, caramel, marshmallows, apples, baking spice and oak wood.
• Matt: Vanilla, cereal grain, cinnamon, ginger and oak wood.

Taste:

• Mike: Vanilla, apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the apple and nutmeg are enhanced, Tasted with a pecan and the vanilla becomes a rich caramel and the oak is enhanced.
• Matt: Vanilla, oats, and maybe pumpernickel bread, raisins and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out cherries and lemon zest. The pecan brought out caramel, dark chocolate and coffee notes.

Finish:

• Mike: Medium long with oak wood and cinnamon. The dried cranberry made the finish longer with oak wood, nutmeg and lingering apple. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood and caramel. 
• Matt: Medium long with oak wood and pumpernickel bread. The dried cranberry added lingering vanilla. The pecan made the finish longer with oak wood, coffee and lingering dark chocolate.

I would pair this fine Bourbon with a My Father The Judge cigar. The rich vanilla and chocolate in the smoke would pair well with the sweetness of the Bourbon.

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller