Availability of Old Fitzgerald BIB?

[bontrager]

Came across a bottle of OF BIB 100 proof on the shelf today. DSP KY-1, DSP KY-31 on the label indicates Heaven Hill (Bardstown). No tax stamp, UPC 88076 with government warning. I know this might not be the prized Stitzel Weller juice, but I've never seen any OF BIB on the shelf before and was wondering about it's availability elsewhere.

[smknjoe]

I've seen it around here, but never bought any.

[sutton]

I've had a good bottle of this, and a really bad one. Never had a SW OF to compare to, but I'd guess from those that had both versions might tell you the HH is a distant second. As far as current HH wheaters, I'd go for Larceny on the budget end of the scale.

[Conquistador]

Distribution of OF BIB 100, and the other versions of OF as well, is pretty spotty throughout much of southern California. I can find it it the bigger chains like BevMo and Total Wine, but rarely in small independent liquor stores. Even in places like BevMo, the distribution is sporadic even within the San Diego and Los Angeles metro areas. It might be something that each store manager will order, based on local community requests for that product.

[Lost Pollito]

OFBIB is readily available here in Chicago. Good solid HH wheater. You certainly should give it a shot at some point. I'd take it's newer / cuter cousin at the moment though, Larceny. Even though I find it very hard to turn down any BIB at the moment. Hell, get'em both. If you can find one of those OFBIB with a 16 on it....don't tell me about it, 'cause I'll just get real, real, real jealous.

[squire]

I rarely come across the Old Fitz 12 anymore, thought they may keep it as a NAS BIB.

[JPBoston]

We have solid stocks of it here in AZ. I only bought one bottle of it, around Christmas last year... and went back and forth on whether I liked it. My palate was all over the place though, due to a nasty cold.

I kept meaning to go back to it, as it was only $12.99, but keep getting lured by the mid-shelfers, and more proven (to me) value pours. I'll be giving it another chance soon though.

[WAINWRIGHT]

I find the OF BIB to be quite a solid pour for the money.I even prefer it to the Larceny for less,not as much of the HH house profile,which to my tastes seems to meld better with the younger wheated profile overall,for $15 or under you really can't go wrong IMO.

[bontrager]

Anyone know the age of OF BIB? i.e, how long is it aged before bottled?

[squire]

At least 4 but probably more.

[PaulO]

I've seen Old Fitz B.I.B. for sale in KY, IL, and IN. I've only seen the Old Fitz 12 year old in KY a couple of years ago, and again recently. The first time I saw it I bought several. The 12 year old tasted like the B.I.B. with that HH house style taste turned way down. The other flavors also muted. I couldn't detect much barrel flavors, like I might expect for 12 years old. There is almost no burn. The color seems light. I guess I would rate it as ok, but bland. Of the current versions of Old Fitz I would say; pass on the 80 proof, the B.I.B. is a decent value pour, the 12 year is a bit overpriced and bland, Larceny is my new favorite wheater.

[bontrager]

I've seen Old Fitz B.I.B. for sale in KY, IL, and IN. I've only seen the Old Fitz 12 year old in KY a couple of years ago, and again recently. The first time I saw it I bought several. The 12 year old tasted like the B.I.B. with that HH house style taste turned way down. The other flavors also muted. I couldn't detect much barrel flavors, like I might expect for 12 years old. There is almost no burn. The color seems light. I guess I would rate it as ok, but bland. Of the current versions of Old Fitz I would say; pass on the 80 proof, the B.I.B. is a decent value pour, the 12 year is a bit overpriced and bland, Larceny is my new favorite wheater.

I find that the current OF BIB taste profile has an edge over the W.L. 12, OWA, and W.L. Special Reserve. Incredible pour for the value. Granted the bottle I had been sitting on the shelf for years, so not sure exactly what the age is, but it's a DSP KY-1, DSP KY-31, so I assume current bottling. Bottom of the bottle has a "O1" so I'm assuming that was the bottling year. Haven't had any newer than that so can't speak to what is being bottled today.

I've heard good things about Larceny and excited to try it out one of these days.

[squire]

I would like to see Larceny succeed because I think we could use another established brand in that genre. Offhand does anyone know the mashbills of Makers, Larceny (Old Fitz) and Weller?

[T Comp]

I find that the current OF BIB taste profile has an edge over the W.L. 12, OWA, and W.L. Special Reserve. Incredible pour for the value. Granted the bottle I had been sitting on the shelf for years, so not sure exactly what the age is, but it's a DSP KY-1, DSP KY-31, so I assume current bottling. Bottom of the bottle has a "O1" so I'm assuming that was the bottling year. Haven't had any newer than that so can't speak to what is being bottled today.

I've heard good things about Larceny and excited to try it out one of these days.

Those '01 embossed Old Fitz BIB's have been talked about before here and were quite good. Often passed up by dusty hunters because they don't have DSP KY-16 on the label. An '01, though made at DSP 31, was when it was under ownership still by United Distillers and not HH (bought Bernheim in '99) As to the newer OF BIB's still a solid pour but Larceny is better.

[Yeti]

Squire, for some reason the mashbill for Maker's jumps out to me as 70/16/14.

I prefer Fitz BIB to Maker's by a pretty wide margin. Don't know if it's the mashbill, the proof, or some other factor. It's probably not that much younger than Maker's. I'd probably also take it over WSR at the same cost, but that's a harder call. Only one way for me to find out...

[bontrager]

Those '01 embossed Old Fitz BIB's have been talked about before here and were quite good. Often passed up by dusty hunters because they don't have DSP KY-16 on the label. An '01, though made at DSP 31, was when it was under ownership still by United Distillers and not HH (bought Bernheim in '99) As to the newer OF BIB's still a solid pour but Larceny is better.

Learn something new every day. Maybe that's why I enjoy it so much.

I actually did a side by side tasting last night of my DSP KY-16 OF BIB from 86' and the DSP KY-1/DSP-31 OF BIB from 01' and there was no comparison. The 01' was much better; however, I do think my KY-16 bottle is suffering from bottle effect. I can't imagine OF BIB from SW would taste like the way that bottle does.

[black mamba]

Squire, my notes have Makers and Wellers the same at 70/16/14, while HH uses more corn and less barley at 75/15/10.

[squire]

Thanks mamba, I was under the impression Makers and BT used the same grain percentages in their respective mashbills (donno about yeast) and that HH was a bit different though reasonably close.

Edited June 25, 2013 by squire

[suntour]

I've been reading old threads about modern Old Fitz and while people seem generally rather "meh" on it, I'm going to pick up a bottle today. I cannot get Weller 12 here, so I figure that it will have to be a decent substitute until I can acquire a bottle. Unfortunately we do not get Larceny either.

Now, the 12 year is $30 in Oregon, and it appears we do not get the BIB version. The 1849 is $17, and the 80 proof version is $12.

I wonder: will my glass explode if I vat this with OWA?:slappin:

[suntour]

Well, since no one chimed in I guess I'm going to just have to buy a bottle to find out for myself.

[Yeti]

There's only 1 or 2 better ways to spend $15 than on a bottle of Fitz BIB. And that's pretty dependent on what part of what town you're in

[T Comp]

There's only 1 or 2 better ways to spend $15 than on a bottle of Fitz BIB. And that's pretty dependent on what part of what town you're in

Well that's a better way of saying what I said upthread that it is still a solid pour :grin: .

[smknjoe]

That's really the only way to find out Sun. Even if the majority say one thing, you may not agree.

[suntour]

I am so glad I bought this bourbon. Syrupy sweet, with a nice interplay of toasty oak and spice on the outset. It is a little too expensive when compared against W12 perhaps, but this is a neglected bourbon (probably because it has such a storied history).

I recommend you guys give this a second shot if its on sale. I'll report on my vatting findings w/ OWA.

[the Duff]

I'm about halfway through a bottle Wainwright picked up for me in Kentucky. I didn't go in expecting much. It was just on my bucket list. I am very impressed with it! Solid, solid pour. Very little heat for the proof. Sure tastes older then four years to me.

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