John E. Fitzgerald / Very Special Reserve

John E. Fitzgerald

Very Special Reserve

ABV 45%
REVIEWED Issue 133

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Specifications

Brand: Old Fitzgerald
Expression: Very Special Reserve
Type: USA Whisky / Bourbon
Age: No Age Statement
Year of bottling: 2016
ABV: 45%
Country/Region: USA / Kentucky
Bottling type: Standard (Distillery or blended)

Awards

Editor's Choice
Issue 133

Tasting notes

Taster Chris Goodrum

Nose: Complex, intense, pungent dark treacle, huge spices and an Armagnac rancio of dark pruney fruit. Tart citrus, dark chocolate, coffee, dusty violets and thick, well-behaved oak.
Palate: Light and elegant with juicy, chunky, raisinated Armagnac fruit. So succulent with leather, tobacco, smoke and violets. Drying dark chocolaty tannins come through on the middle.
Finish: Intense, herbal marc-like notes and eye-wateringly, biting, bitter chocolate. Treacle and restrained oak balance.
Comment: Monstrous but elegant and complex. What would it have been like at cask strength?!

9.6

Taster Joel Harrison

Nose: Very big and meaty, but with some juicy red berry fruit notes. Think venison cooked with plums and cooking apples. Real quality whiskey making here.
Palate: Delicious palate, just dry enough, taking influence from the wood without losing an energy to the flavours. This could be sipped as well as mixed. Versatile flavours.
Finish: Fascinating, tastes almost exactly like a Sazerac cocktail. Some star anise, cherry and sweet sugar.
Comment: I liked this spicy, oaky number. Any longer in a cask and it would be too dry, but this was big, bold and brash!

9.1

Visit the distillery

Stitzel-Weller (Closed 1991) Distillery, Fitzgerald Road, Shively, KY, USA

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