Plans for Old Fitz?

[boss302]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if Heaven Hill has released any older varieties of Old Fitzgerald yet?

I'm just wondering, because my experience with "wheaters" is that they age very gracefully, as per Weller 12 and Van Winkle 15.

As far as I know, Old Fitz is the only wheater currently in Heaven Hill's lineup, and Sazerac has done great things with Weller and Van Winkle...

[mozilla]

HH has the VOF 12yr, 1849 which is an 8yr and they supply David Sherman with the juice for Rebel Yell at about 6yrs of age. I believe that is the extent of their wheated recipe, unless you consider the Lot B, which is a blend of the best BT and HH offer, IIRC.

[TNbourbon]

HH has the VOF 12yr, 1849 which is an 8yr and they supply David Sherman with the juice for Rebel Yell at about 6yrs of age. I believe that is the extent of their wheated recipe, unless you consider the Lot B, which is a blend of the best BT and HH offer, IIRC.

The Old Fitz 1849 hasn't carried an age statement for a couple of years.

Heaven Hill has nothing to do with Van Winkle Lot B, except for today using the same still at which today's Lot B version was distilled while operated by United Distillers (UDV) prior to that distillery's sale to HH.

[mozilla]

I thought that I remembered a story that Julian hand picked the best barrels of wheated bourbon form one or both of HH and BT.

And I would think that there is still some eight year old whisky in 1849....though not 100%.

[TNbourbon]

I thought that I remembered a story that Julian hand picked the best barrels of wheated bourbon form one or both of HH and BT...

Well, if he has picked any wheated whiskey distilled by Heaven Hill, it hasn't appeared in a bottle of Lot B yet. HH began operating Bernheim in 1999. Thus, any wheated whiskey it distilled there wouldn't turn 12 years old till 2011.

[TNbourbon]

I thought that I remembered a story that Julian hand picked the best barrels of wheated bourbon form one or both of HH and BT...

Well, if he has picked any wheated whiskey distilled by Heaven Hill, it hasn't appeared in a bottle of Lot B yet. HH began operating Bernheim in 1999. Thus, any wheated whiskey it distilled there wouldn't turn 12 years old till 2011. Any wheated whiskey distilled there prior to 1999 was distilled by UDV.

[boss302]

HH has the VOF 12yr, 1849 which is an 8yr and they supply David Sherman with the juice for Rebel Yell at about 6yrs of age. I believe that is the extent of their wheated recipe, unless you consider the Lot B, which is a blend of the best BT and HH offer, IIRC.

I'm guessing VOF= "Very Old Fitzgerald"?

How does it compare to the Weller 12?

Is Rebel Yell seriously 6 years old? I thought that was supposed to be a cheap "jug" bourbon...

[mozilla]

I'm guessing VOF= "Very Old Fitzgerald"?

How does it compare to the Weller 12?

Is Rebel Yell seriously 6 years old? I thought that was supposed to be a cheap "jug" bourbon...

VOF, Yes, it's just as good as Weller 12.

RY is around 6 yrs old, and as far as a cheap jug buorbon.....I really don't think anyone sets out to make cheap bourbon. HH or UDV, which ever was in charge of the still at the time.....made wheated bourbon....if it turns out great, it goes to one of the outstanding labels. If the bourbon doesn't turn out the best it goes to David Sherman at a lower price point. It is still the same distillate!

The same goes for BT....Old Charter and Stagg come from the same distillate.....it doesn't mean they always taste the same, mostly because of what happens after it's in the barrel. So, the main job of the distillery is to make the distillate turn out the same on a day to day basis, no matter which bottle it ends up in. No one sets out to make cheap or bad bourbon. And don't forget that there is a market for cheap jug bourbon...so, there will always be an outlet for someone's bourbon that didn't measure up to their taste standards. Barreling bourbon is not a guarentee that it will turn out perfect.

From what I know about Four Roses...they taste profile each barrel of bourbon that they make. They use a rating system that ranges from 1 being low to 4 being high on the scale. Barrels rating 2 or below get sent to their contract obligations while 3 and 4 are kept for FRs' own labels. The good news is that they have not had a barrel rate below 2 in quite some time.