vasshopper Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 Just hoping for information on this old bottling.I located a bottle of this by phone and was told that it is 100 proof and 12yrs old. Is this as good as the VSOF 12yrs old. does anyone know when they stopped bottling this? Also after searching the forum, their is no mention of Hip Flasks by anyone. Is this not good to put bourbon in? THANKS!Den Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MashBill Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 Vasshopper,I have a bottle of Very Old Fitzgerald that is bonded 100 proof and 8 years old. It was barreled in 1950 and bottled in 1958. If yours is that old it should have a tax stamp that will tell you these dates. Maybe Julian Van Winkle or Mike Veach can give you better idea of when they ceased bottling it.Hip flasks are a necessity! That's why I have 4 of them! Wherever I go, a flask isn't too far away.Billhttp://home.kc.rr.com/mashbill/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted February 14, 2001 Share Posted February 14, 2001 What you are talking about is Very Very Old Fitzgerald, which is one of the best bourbons ever made. Pure ambrosia. It was discontinued sometime in the 80s, I believe, then replaced by the VSOF, which I don't think equals it. If you have a chance to get a bottle of VVOF for a reasonable price, grab it.Flasks are fine. I have one and use it. It's very nice, a gift from my brother: glass with a metal shot glass top, in a leather holster. From Spain.--Chuck Cowdery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest **DONOTDELETE** Posted February 15, 2001 Share Posted February 15, 2001 Den,In my experience cataloging bottles at the U.D. archive the Very Old Fitzgerald label was very , shall we say, flexible. Sometimes it would be an 8 year old product and other times it would be a 10 or 12 year old product. If it was an 8 year old product then they might have a Very Very Old Fitzgerald and sometimes even a Very Extra Old Fitzgerald label the same year. They continued to make these products up to the late 1980's but most of the last runs were sold in Japan.Mike Veach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vasshopper Posted February 17, 2001 Author Share Posted February 17, 2001 Thanks guys for all the info. You Bourbonians, sure are a wealth of information and thats why i like this forum so much. Chuck, was right about that actually being very very old fitzgerald and it is very very good, maybe pure ambrosia. This was distilled in 68 and bottled in 80 and i sure have to brag here about getting my hands on 9 bottles of this still in the case. I'll have to buy a real good flask now to go with my VVOF and my VSOF. At this time, i can't tell which is better so I guess i'll have to do some more tasting right now. sure wish you'all lived closer to us. 9 bottles of VVOF+7 bottles of VSOF LIFE IS GOOD! DEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted February 19, 2001 Share Posted February 19, 2001 You are indeed a privileged individual.--Chuck Cowdery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vasshopper Posted February 26, 2001 Author Share Posted February 26, 2001 Well, i'm down to 7 bottles of this Very Very Old Fitzgerald and i have to say its not quite as good as VSOF, but it is close. Now i need some more help and info on some more bottlings i recently aquired. I found 3 bottles of OLD FITZ 101 proof 10 yrs old in green cardboard boxes for 8.35 a bottle.There is no date on the bottle stamp, just a green neck label on this squared, diamond shaped beautiful decanter. This is real fine, but like the V V O F this also has a little bit of a hot finish. I know i'm just spoiled to the smooth VSOF. sure would appreciate any info on this good tast'in bourbon and also on some other old bottlings of wheated bourbons i found that i will be posting later. I forgot to mention that OLD FITZ 101 has a nice squared glass cork stopper. thanks in advance. LIFE IS GOOD! - Den Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vasshopper Posted March 4, 2001 Author Share Posted March 4, 2001 Was wondering if anyone had info on my previous posting, regarding the OLD FITZ 101 proof. Sure has a nice decanter bottle. THANKS. Den Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted March 4, 2001 Share Posted March 4, 2001 Not much to say, really. Back in the day, Stizel-Weller would do special packaging from time to time. The 101 Fitz in a decanter was one of them.--Chuck Cowdery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest **DONOTDELETE** Posted March 5, 2001 Share Posted March 5, 2001 Den,I am sorry that I have not replied sooner but I have been rather busy lately (Yes she is cute and has a great appreciation of bourbon). I am familiar with the decanter bottling that you are talking about. While at U.D. I cataloged a couple of the bottles and a collection of the labels from that particular bottling. I believe that it was done in the early 80's either right before or right after they went metric. There were some other labels such as a Rebel Yell label that indicated it might have been part of a set. I am sorry but I don't remember all of the details right now but I will look further into it.Mike Veach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvanwinkle Posted March 6, 2001 Share Posted March 6, 2001 Den,I sat in on some meetings on that bottle when I first joined my Dad in the late 70's, early 80's. Mike's right. There were actually Weller, Old Fitz and Rebel Yell decanters made. We were trying to add a David Nicholson "1843" decanter at the time. My family owned that St. Louis label then. Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vasshopper Posted March 7, 2001 Author Share Posted March 7, 2001 Thanks Chuck, I sure like them Stitzel-Weller bottlings.I remember your posting of your favorite desert island choice being Old Fitz BIB and i have to say that i agree 100%. Mike, I'm glad you've been busy, cause there is nothing better than A GOOD WOMAN especially the one you described. I appreciate the info on that Old Fitz 101.Julian, i sure would like to find them bottle decanters of Weller,Rebel yell and 1843 bottle decanters to go with my collection of wheated bourbons.I also bought your 13yr old family reserve rye, and it is exquisite even though everyone knows i am a wheated bourbon fan. Thanks!--Life is good--Den. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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