Old Fitzgerald is one of those names that carries real weight in bourbon circles, and for good reason. The Bottled in Bond designation isn't just a label — it's a legal guarantee. Under the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, this bourbon must be the product of a single distillery, a single distillation season, aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 100 proof. Old Fitzgerald blows past that minimum with a full decade in barrel, and that extra time shows.
What makes Old Fitzgerald historically interesting is its use of wheat as the secondary grain in the mashbill rather than rye. Most bourbons lean on rye for spice and backbone, but a wheated mashbill tends to produce something rounder, softer, and more approachable on the palate. At 50% ABV, you're getting it at bonded strength — no water added after maturation beyond what's needed to hit that exact proof point. That matters. You're tasting the bourbon as it was meant to be experienced, not diluted down to make it easy.
The Spring 2023 release is part of the ongoing series of decanter-style bottles that have become genuinely collectible. At £350, this is firmly in the premium bracket, and I think it's worth being honest about that. You're paying for age, for the bonded pedigree, and for the fact that these releases sell out fast and rarely sit on shelves. Whether that's worth it depends on what you value — but as a ten-year-old wheated bourbon at bond strength, the liquid inside is serious.
Tasting Notes
I don't have detailed tasting notes broken down for this particular release, and I'd rather be straight with you than make something up. What I can tell you is what to expect from the style. A decade in new charred oak with a wheated mashbill at this proof typically delivers rich, dessert-like qualities — think baked fruit, vanilla, caramel, and oak spice that's present but never aggressive. The wheat keeps things smooth where a rye-recipe bourbon of the same age might have more bite. Ten years is a sweet spot for bourbon; long enough to develop genuine complexity without the oak taking over entirely.
The Verdict
I'm giving the Old Fitzgerald 10 Year Old Bottled in Bond Spring 2023 a 7.8 out of 10. It's a well-made, serious wheated bourbon with real age behind it and the integrity of the bonded designation. The reason I'm not pushing higher is that £350 is a significant ask, and at that price point you're competing against some exceptional whisky from around the world. But judged purely on what's in the glass — a mature, full-proof wheated bourbon with pedigree — it delivers. If you're a bourbon enthusiast who appreciates the craft behind bonded whiskey and the patience required for a proper ten-year age statement, this one earns its place on the shelf.
Best Served
Pour this neat in a Glencairn or a tulip glass and give it five minutes to open up. At 100 proof it can handle a few drops of water if you want to unlock more aroma, but honestly, it drinks well at full strength — the wheated mashbill keeps it from being aggressive. If you're feeling adventurous, this would make an extraordinary Old Fashioned. A sugar cube, two dashes of Angostura, and an orange peel — the aged wheated bourbon provides enough richness and sweetness that you barely need the sugar. It's almost a waste to mix something at this price, but I've done it, and I'm not sorry.
