Old Fitz going the way of the DoDo?

[ModernThirst]

Anyone else heard more about Heaven Hill discontinuing Old Fitz? It's been rumored for a few years, but I heard Bernie Lubbers speaking recently and he spoke like it was definite, unless I completely misheard him.

I believe he said the BiB was the only version that might continue, and that would be as a limited release. I enjoy the 12 year and the BiB versions. that's a shame, if true.

[benpearson]

I have also heard this claim. I imagine that it will slowly occur over time as larceny goes into more markets.

[Josh]

The only Old Fitz that is being discontinued is the 1849.

Check out this thread: http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?22142-Bourbon-Rumors

[ModernThirst]

The only Old Fitz that is being discontinued is the 1849.

Check out this thread: http://www.straightbourbon.com/forums/showthread.php?22142-Bourbon-Rumors

[Josh]

You're welcome! Industry people don't always speak clearly at events. There are quite a few threads on that topic too!

[jmj_203]

I know many could care less, but I'm pretty upset seeing the 1849 going away. I think its delicious, I have about 11 bottles and just called yesterday to get a special order in for another 5 to put away. Here in Pennsylvania we kinda get shafted, there is no Fitz BiB available here, and no Larceny, so the only fitz we had was 1849. I'm hoarding as much as I can. Farewell to one of the last excellent (to my tastebuds) bourbons just under the $20 pricetag. So many HH products being discontinued here, yet they are giving nothing new to Pennsylvania fans. Really sucks, as I'm one of the biggest HH supporters in my area. And not the blah 80 proof 3 yr old statement Charcoal filtered HH Bourbon we get with a white label, that stuff is watered down tasteless mixing booze.

[smokinjoe]

I know many could care less, but I'm pretty upset seeing the 1849 going away. I think its delicious, I have about 11 bottles and just called yesterday to get a special order in for another 5 to put away. Here in Pennsylvania we kinda get shafted, there is no Fitz BiB available here, and no Larceny, so the only fitz we had was 1849. I'm hoarding as much as I can. Farewell to one of the last excellent (to my tastebuds) bourbons just under the $20 pricetag. So many HH products being discontinued here, yet they are giving nothing new to Pennsylvania fans. Really sucks, as I'm one of the biggest HH supporters in my area. And not the blah 80 proof 3 yr old statement Charcoal filtered HH Bourbon we get with a white label, that stuff is watered down tasteless mixing booze.

Sounds bleak, indeed. But, look at the potential bright side. If HH can effectively consolidate their wheated bourbon brands, thus freeing up additional older whiskey for the remaining brands (like Larceny), maybe, they'll be able to expand distribution of Larceny into PA. That is assuming the dolts that run your state liquor boards decide to let it in...

Good Luck!

[squire]

Yeah, I put that HH version in the 'better than no whisky attall' category.

[ModernThirst]

I know many could care less, but I'm pretty upset seeing the 1849 going away. I think its delicious, I have about 11 bottles and just called yesterday to get a special order in for another 5 to put away. Here in Pennsylvania we kinda get shafted, there is no Fitz BiB available here, and no Larceny, so the only fitz we had was 1849. I'm hoarding as much as I can. Farewell to one of the last excellent (to my tastebuds) bourbons just under the $20 pricetag. So many HH products being discontinued here, yet they are giving nothing new to Pennsylvania fans. Really sucks, as I'm one of the biggest HH supporters in my area. And not the blah 80 proof 3 yr old statement Charcoal filtered HH Bourbon we get with a white label, that stuff is watered down tasteless mixing booze.

That's really a shame, jmj. I've become a bigger and bigger fan of HH products across the board lately. I really enjoy both the OF BiB and the VSOF12, and I've come to like the HH BiB 6 year and even the EW BiB quiet a lot for value pours. They just have flavors that fit my profile, I guess.

Since my priginal post, I haven't got a reply from Bernie, but I did speak with someone else at HH, who said there has been plenty of talk about discontinuing the label (and possibly others as well), but they didn't think that decision had been made. They did say they expected the VSOF12 to disappear in a about 2-3 years, since HH is already diverting a lot of stocks originally intended for it to Larceny. They said "that's not an official position, it's just math."

[dmarkle]

Having sampled the SW OF BiB and HH OF BiB I'd say that Old Fitzgerald has been gone for quite some time now...

[Scotch Neat]

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[TR]

[TD=width: 257]I believe that Very Special Old Fitzgerald 12 is no longer produced, is that correct?

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[Josh]

Not correct according to the link above.

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[393foureyedfox]

i dont think anyone knows with certainty....the only certainty is that if you like it (any of them), your best bet is to stock up. it's not like its gonna go bad or get cheaper.

[Josh]

i dont think anyone knows with certainty....the only certainty is that if you like it (any of them), your best bet is to stock up. it's not like its gonna go bad or get cheaper.

[T Comp]

In the sense that nobody knows what tomorrow holds for certain, no, nobody knows for certain.

What is known is that Larry Kass told Fred Minnick, a journalist covering American whiskey, that VSOF was not going away. If one chooses not to believe that, fine, but that's on the record.

[jmj_203]

Don't worry, I'll cause an issue here. I've been at odds and calling out our liquor plcb for awhile now about the obvious fact nobody except the big giants will deal with the political presents and bullshit likely required to get good family bourbon on our shelves. I think HH said fudge that state awhile ago. Sad I have cases of HH bourbon in my basement and see my favorites gone over time. Our fatcat politicians keep running on promises of ending the monopoly, yet they get in office and its business as usual. My tax dollars will leave the state before long, Im tired of the obvious fact nobody wants to deal with the hassle to sell bourbon here. I even get no calls for special orders after emailing lately. The plcb has an enemy among many others.

[Jackinbox]

What is known is that Larry Kass told Fred Minnick, a journalist covering American whiskey, that VSOF was not going away. If one chooses not to believe that, fine, but that's on the record.

I want to believe it. I prefer VSOF to Larceny, although I like both. I picked up a bottle of VSOF last December and enjoyed it immensely. I was at the Liquor Barn on Hustbourne back in April and spoke with the store manager who told me it was recently discontinued. I've heard those type of things from store managers before which turned out to be false, so I'll take it with a grain of salt.

The OFBiB is one of the worst bottles I own. Perhaps, I got a bad bottle, but it's one of the worst bourbons I've ever tasted.

[Josh]

Boy have you mellowed my friend .

Taking care of a 3y/o daughter every day doesn't give me the time to get really nasty anymore! :cool:

[ModernThirst]

Aside from Lubbers, no one has told me it is discontinued. One HH peson told me that they're diverting a lot of bourbon intended for VSOF to Larceny, so 'the math' says it will eventually disappear (or I'd suppose become incredibly rare,) but no official decision has been relayed to him. According ot him, they're still designating barrels for VSOF at the moment, but so many existing VSOF barrels are being diverted to Larceny that he doesn't think it will be around much longer.

I do beleive him and Minnick (And by extension, LArry Kass) that they have no actual official plans to discontinue it. He just believes, from a production standpoint, that they'll eventually force their own hand by diverting so much stock that it will become too logistically inefficient to continue VSOF.

I can't say if that will happen, or if it will just be more limited in production or distribution, or none of the above. Just relaying the info.

Edited June 17, 2014 by ModernThirst

[ModernThirst]

I want to believe it. I prefer VSOF to Larceny, although I like both. I picked up a bottle of VSOF last December and enjoyed it immensely. I was at the Liquor Barn on Hustbourne back in April and spoke with the store manager who told me it was recently discontinued. I've heard those type of things from store managers before which turned out to be false, so I'll take it with a grain of salt.

The OFBiB is one of the worst bottles I own. Perhaps, I got a bad bottle, but it's one of the worst bourbons I've ever tasted.

The Liquor Barn on Westport had a few more bottles last week, if you're hunting it.

[Scotch Neat]

i dont think anyone knows with certainty....the only certainty is that if you like it (any of them), your best bet is to stock up. it's not like its gonna go bad or get cheaper.

Funny you should say go bad, a friend at work has a unopened bottle of VSOF12 that went cloudy. He brought the bottle in to show me and it is as cloudy as can be. I have one bottle that is sealed using a plastic dip like Bookers his is shrink warped that appears to have went bad. What would cause that?

[smknjoe]

It doesn't go bad if the seal is good. When bourbon oxidizes it turns cloudy...he had a bad seal. Edit: and it's most likely no good.

Edited June 18, 2014 by smknjoe

[Josh]

He should tell Heaven Hill about it. They may replace it or give him a rebate or something.

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[squire]

Having sampled the SW OF BiB and HH OF BiB I'd say that Old Fitzgerald has been gone for quite some time now...

Arguably true and regrettably so.