Old Fitzgerald's 1849 Review

Old Fitzgerald's 1849 bourbon is one of the handful of "wheaters" on the market, meaning that wheat is used instead of rye as the flavor grain in the mash bill.  I've actually never tasted OF 1849 prior to this review, so let's see if I'll be buying another bottle anytime soon...

Old Fitz 1849 is dull copper in color.  It's not vibrant or brilliant, but is instead has a calming hue.  It's bottled at 90 proof by Heaven Hill.  Its nose is soft, with clover, cinnamon, and toffee chips in front.  Vanilla is there for sure, alongside a nougat note, with the slightest hint of pepper lingering in the back.  Its nose made me think of a stand of trees on a fall evening.  Mouthfeel is a great balance of watery, oily, and syrupy.  Old Fitzgerald tastes of candied orange with a sneaky sour tang.  Some of the cinnamon from the nose is present, as is bittersweet chocolate.  OE finishes with an oaky, peppery burn that isn't fleeting.

Old Fitzgerald's 1849 is a fine bourbon.  Will I run out and buy another bottle immediately?  No.  Not because I didn't enjoy it, but because it isn't outstanding and as such, doesn't warrant cutting in line in front of my next few bourbon purchases.  Like so many bourbons, Old Fitz 1849 is a solid whiskey.  And for a wheated bourbon, perhaps a little more interesting than its cousins.