When Heaven Hill says something is special, it’s usually in a whiskey lover’s best interest to believe them. They’ve certainly kept that reputation with the release of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 11-Year-Old VVS 2025 Bourbon.
The Old Fitzgerald line was reimagined several years ago with the addition of this Bottled in Bond decanter series. Fitzgerald is one of the legendary wheated bourbons of Kentucky. Like Weller, Van Winkle, and Maker’s Mark, the mashbill of Old Fitzgerald trades rye for wheat as its “flavoring grain.” Compared with something like Jim Beam or Wild Turkey (both of which typically use rye), these wheated whiskeys tend to have a softer mouthfeel — more velvety than spicy. Old Fitzgerald uses 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley.
Heaven Hill puts most of the details in the name, but there are a few important facts about this release. To be labeled bottled in bond, all of the whiskey in the bottle needs to have been distilled in the same bonding season of the same year (there are two bonding seasons — spring and fall). This bourbon was distilled in spring 2014, and as Heaven Hill claims, it is indeed “Very Very Special.”
Heaven Hill’s whiskeys are universally respected, but it’s increasingly hard to justify any of their brands being the best, save for Old Fitzgerald. Heaven Hill typically releases two Old Fitzgerald decanters per year, plus the VVS, for a total of three special whiskeys. While it’s not universally true that VVS is the best release of each year, it’s certainly the case that it gets the most attention — and sees the biggest secondary price inflation.
The 2024 Old Fitzgerald VVS was an 18-year-old powerhouse. It was an incredible bottle — one that saw people waiting on line at events like the Kentucky Bourbon Festival just to get a taste of the magic juice. It was subsequently crowned best bourbon in the world at this year’s World Whiskey Awards.
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 11-Year-Old VVS 2025 is certainly younger than last year’s 18-year release, but it absolutely delivers a comparable level of maturity and nuance. Heaven Hill’s official tasting notes described a nose of toasted bread and apples, and a palate of honey and baking spices. For my tasting experience, cinnamon and praline, caramel corn and a creamy, ice-cream-like vanilla really punched through as highlights.
Last year’s release was priced under $200 but quickly surged well above $2,000, and online listings show that most retailers are already placing this one between $1,200 and $2,000. If you’ve never explored Old Fitzgerald, it might make sense to snag a $60 bottle of the 7-year-old Bottled in Bond that is more readily available on shelves these days. That’s a great bottle, too — one of the few negative things I’d be able to say about it is simply that it’s not as good as its rarer siblings.
If you do manage to find this bottle at its $170 MSRP (VVS 2025 is exclusively available in Kentucky, and mostly available at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience in Bardstown), grab it. Who knows — you might be adding a dynasty to your collection.
G. Clay Whittaker is a Maxim contributor covering lifestyle, whiskey, cannabis and travel. His work has also appeared in Bon Appetit, Men’s Journal, Cigar Aficionado, Playboy and Esquire. Subscribe to his newsletter Drinks & Stuff for whiskey reviews and trends, perspectives on drinks, and stuff.