Old Fitzgerald 17 Year Old Bottled in Bond 2022 Release

The 9th edition of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series. Barrels produced in Fall 2004, bottled Spring 2022 — 17 years. The longest-aged release in the BiB Decanter Series to date. 100 proof wheated bourbon in the iconic diamond decanter.

Old Fitzgerald's Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series is released twice yearly — Spring (white label) and Fall (black label). Each edition documents a specific distillation season: the Fall 2022 release uses barrels from Fall 2004, aged 17 years before bottling. At 17 years, this is the most age-forward expression in the BiB Decanter Series — significantly more complex and oak-integrated than the earlier 9, 11, and 13-year editions that initiated the program.

Old Fitzgerald uses Heaven Hill's wheated bourbon mashbill — the same recipe family as Pappy Van Winkle, W.L. Weller, and William Larue Weller BTAC. Wheat as the secondary grain (replacing rye) produces a softer, sweeter, more caramel-forward profile than rye-recipe bourbon. At 17 years, those wheat-softened characteristics have been joined by the deeper dried fruit, toffee, and vanilla concentration that extended barrel contact produces. The Bottled-in-Bond certification — 100 proof, single season, single distillery, federally bonded warehouse — guarantees authenticity and quality.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Dried apricots and apple peel, caramel, nuts, and a subtle toasted oak.
• Palate: Concentrated and complex — butterscotch core, dried apples, raisins, vanilla, and a hint of black pepper from the extended aging.
• Finish: Lasting and warm — each sip a memorable experience at the apex of the BiB Decanter Series by age.

Specs

• Distillery: Heaven Hill Bernheim Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky
• Style: Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Bottled-in-Bond
• Distilled: Fall 2004
• Bottled: Spring 2022
• Age: 17 years
• Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
• Label: Spring 2022 — 9th national edition
• Size: 750ml

Explore all Old Fitzgerald expressions or browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the 17 Year the oldest Old Fitzgerald BiB Decanter release? Yes — as of the 2022 release, 17 years is the longest age statement in the BiB Decanter Series, surpassing the 15 Year editions that preceded it. Each subsequent release has pushed the age statement further as Heaven Hill continues aging barrels from the program's earliest distillation seasons.
• What is the connection between Old Fitzgerald and Pappy Van Winkle? Both Old Fitzgerald and Pappy Van Winkle use a wheated bourbon mashbill. Old Fitzgerald's heritage includes significant ties to Stitzel-Weller, where Pappy Van Winkle also produced. The wheated recipe connection makes them part of the same flavor family.
• What does the tax strip tell you? Old Fitzgerald BiB releases display a tax strip that documents the exact production and bottling dates — the Fall 2004 distillation season and Spring 2022 bottling date. This transparency is a hallmark of the Bottled-in-Bond designation and part of what makes the series collectible.
• Is the 2022 17 Year still available? In limited quantities. BiB Decanter Series editions sell quickly and are not restocked.