Extra Very Old Fitzgerald

[jsgorman]

Does anyone know the relative production of Extra Very Old Fitzgerald (10 Years, I think), and its relative rarety and worth compared to the Very Old and Very, Very Old Fitzgerald.

[cowdery]

Stitzel-Weller put out a variety of these products and I don't think anyone has ever tried to sort them out, figuring out production years for each iteration. My personal recollection is that the VOF and VVOF were around for the longest and VOF was a pretty common expression as recently as the 1980s. Comparitively, then, the "Extra" would be more rare and older, in the sense of the period when it was produced. I only even became aware of it in recent years, so I don't think it was produced for very long.

As for "worth," read the sticky. It's certainly not a set thing. They seem to go in the $500-$600 range on eBay. While the "Extra" is probaby just about as good as the VVOF (10 v 12 years), it doesn't have the rep. Also, SW did quite a few decanters at 10 years and BIB, which when they are found can be had pretty cheap.

In addtion to what the sticky says, two additional cautions are that a lot of them that people have bought have been cork tainted, and that at those prices counterfeits are a very real danger.

My personal opinion: unless you happen to unearth a bottle of one of these rarities yourself, either in a private stash or on the dusty shelf of a liquor store, put them out of your mind and invest your money in something like A. H. Hirsch or Pappy Van Winkle, which will shortly be just as rare and just as prized, if not more so, than the VVOF.

[jsgorman]

Thanks. I had sent you an email with the same question, but I didn't notice that you answered it here.

FWIW, I think that the VOF (EVO,VO, VVO) will continue to be the most treasured bourbons in many collectors showcase. There are probably fewer in circulation and they represent a period in history that cannot and will not come back.

[cowdery]

I understand that, and while we're on the subject, maybe someone can help me sort this out a little in my own mind.

Very Very Old Fitzgerald was 12-years-old and 100 proof.

Extra Very Old Fitzgerald was 10 years old and ? proof?

Very Old Fitzgerald was ? years old and ? proof?

Old Fitzgerald 1849 was 8 years old and 90 proof.

Others?

[NorCalBoozer]

I understand that, and while we're on the subject, maybe someone can help me sort this out a little in my own mind.

Very Very Old Fitzgerald was 12-years-old and 100 proof.

Extra Very Old Fitzgerald was 10 years old and ? proof?

Very Old Fitzgerald was ? years old and ? proof?

Old Fitzgerald 1849 was 8 years old and 90 proof.

Others?

Here is what I have gathered on the subject:

Very Old Fitzgerald (8 years old, 100 proof)

Very Old Fitzgerald (10 years old, 100 proof)

Very Old Fitzgerald (12 years old, 100 proof)

Then changed to the following nomenclature (possible for purely marketing reasons?) sometime around 1965:

Very Old Fitzgerald (8 years old, 100 proof)

Very Xtra Old Fitzgerald (10 years old, 100 proof)

Very Very Old Fitzgerald (12 years old, 100 proof)

Very Very Old Fitzgerald (15 years old, 100 proof)

I also do think I remember seeing a VVOF that was less than 100 proof, possibly an export version?

[Barrel_Proof]

I understand that, and while we're on the subject, maybe someone can help me sort this out a little in my own mind.

Very Very Old Fitzgerald was 12-years-old and 100 proof.

Extra Very Old Fitzgerald was 10 years old and ? proof?

Very Old Fitzgerald was ? years old and ? proof?

Old Fitzgerald 1849 was 8 years old and 90 proof.

Others?

My bottle of Very Old Fitzgerald is 8 years old and 100 proof. It was barreled Spring 1955 and "Bottled Especially for William P. Fitzgerald" Spring 1963.

My bottle of Old Fitzgerald Old Fitz 101 is 10 years old and, obviously, 101 proof.

The original Very Special Old Fitzgerald from the Heritage Collection was, as it is today, 12 years old and 90 proof.

Finally, although I do not have these bottlings, research indicates that

Very Very Extra Old Fitzgerald is 15 years old and 100 proof, and

Very Extra Old Fitzgerald is 10 years old and 100 proof.

[cowdery]

Very very extra interesting information. Thank you.

[doubleblank]

And I have several Very Old Fitz's from the '50's that are 12 years old. It appears SW produced that bottling at various ages. Makes sense....bottle it when it is at its peak. If its great at 8yo, bottle it as VOF 8yo.

Randy

[cowdery]

It seems that they originally did as Randy says, bottling VOF at different ages and, maybe, different proofs, then later decided they should distinguish them more with a single name for each age/proof, hence the proliferation of names.

I seem to recall a time late in the game, like maybe the late 1980s, when only VOF was still available, and it was like 8 years old and 107 proof, sort of parallel to Weller Antique, but that's from memory and could be totally wrong.

[nor02lei]

I understand that, and while we're on the subject, maybe someone can help me sort this out a little in my own mind.

Old Fitzgerald 1849 was 8 years old and 90 proof.

Others?

Chuck,

I got 2 different versions of this. Labels say 8 years 90 proof distilled at old Fitzgerald and 10 years 90.4 proof distilled at SW.

Leif

[TNbourbon]

...I seem to recall a time late in the game, like maybe the late 1980s, when only VOF was still available, and it was like 8 years old and 107 proof, sort of parallel to Weller Antique, but that's from memory and could be totally wrong.

Chuck, I have an empty "Original Barrel Proof Weller's Antique Reserve" that was 10 years old and 110 proof. From label and tax-stamp style (it's 4/5 quart), I'd guess it might be from the late-'70s.

From before that, some of you shared with me some W.L. Weller Special Reserve 8yo BIB from the 1940s. So, not only did Stitzel-Weller bottle a lot of Old Fitz versions/ages, they bottled different-labeled 8yo/BIBs