John E. Fitzgerald
9.4

John E. Fitzgerald

Very Special Reserve

ABV 45%

I liked this spicy, oaky number. Any longer in a cask and it would be too dry, but this was big, bold and brash!

Joel Harrison

Specification

Old Fitzgerald

Brand

Very Special Reserve

Expression

Bourbon

Type

No age statement

Age (Years)

2016

Year of Bottling

45%

ABV

Kentucky

Region/Country

Standard (Distillery or blended)

Bottling Type

Tasting Notes

Joel Harrison

Taster

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.\n

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.\n

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!

Score: 9.1

Chris Goodrum

Taster

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.\n

Finish: Intense, herbal marc-like notes and eye-wateringly, biting, bitter chocolate. Treacle and restrained oak balance.\n

Comment: Monstrous but elegant and complex. What would it have been like at cask strength?!

Score: 9.6

9.4
Overall Score

From The Distillery

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