Old Fitzgerald Distillery

John E. Fitzgerald's legacy reaches back to 1870, when he first crafted whiskey for private clubs and steamship lines in Frankfort, Kentucky. What began as an exclusive pour became a bourbon that would reshape American whiskey through innovation, persistence, and an unwavering commitment to the wheated style that defines Old Fitzgerald today.

History & Heritage

The Old Fitzgerald trademark was secured in 1884, and by 1900 the whiskey had found its way to tables across America and Europe. During Prohibition, Old Fitzgerald earned the rare privilege of continued production for medicinal purposes under government supervision. The brand's defining moment came when Julian P. "Pappy" Van Winkle acquired it after Prohibition, introducing his "Whisper of Wheat" innovation that replaced traditional rye with wheat in the mash bill. Production continued at the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery until 1992, when Heaven Hill acquired the brand and moved operations to their Bernheim Distillery in Louisville.

The Whiskey

Old Fitzgerald produces wheated bourbon that delivers a rounder, softer profile than its rye-forward counterparts. The distillery maintains strict adherence to Bottled-in-Bond standards for many expressions, aging whiskey a minimum of four years and bottling at 100 proof from single distilling seasons. Their biannual Decanter Series releases arrive in elegant bottles that have become collector favorites. Notable expressions include the Bottled-in-Bond 7-Year-Old, Old Fitzgerald Prime, and the acclaimed VVS series that represents the pinnacle of their craft.

Why It Matters

Old Fitzgerald stands as proof that innovation and tradition can coexist. The 2024 VVS 13-year-old earned World's Best Bourbon at the 2025 World Whiskies Awards, while the 7-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond took gold at San Francisco's World Spirits Competition. For those who appreciate the wheated bourbon style, Old Fitzgerald represents both its historic foundation and its modern excellence, earning its place among the essential American whiskeys in The Sentinel Room's Reserve Whiskey Library.