Old Fitzgerald (11 year bottled in bond)

Intro:

As the 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. Acquired in 1999 by Heaven Hill, the legendary Old Fitzgerald line is well-known for its distilling pedigree and intriguing story behind its namesake, John E. Fitzgerald. Comprised of barrels produced from February through May of 2006, and bottled in April of 2018, the first release ushers in the latest hallmark series to the Bottled-in-Bond legacy.

Review:

Nose -  Fairly hot and astringent at first.  When backed away from the schnoz a bit, I was able to pick out cinnamon and leather mostly and a bit of the typical vanilla lingering in the back.  

Rub - Almost a cherry aroma at first with some tobacco this time.  A second attempt had a good bakery aroma to it.

Taste - Mild on the lips and front of the tongue.  Got spicier the further back on the tongue it went and left a pretty heavy pepper finish on the back of my tongue.  It is interesting and different to me.  I kind of like it...definitely not one for the faint of heart.  John Wayne and lumberjacks would be well suited for this one.  For a wheat, this has a bit more character in the spice category and not near as sweet as I imagined.  Flavors were heavy pepper and some cinnamon and vanilla.

Is it worth the $?

MSRP on this is $110...that's astonishingly high, considering Heaven Hill puts out some excellent matured bourbons at a very reasonable price.  For a collector's keepsake but not intended for actual regular consumption.