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Most highly collectible unicorn bourbon releases arrive in the fall, a time more traditionally associated with drinking whiskey as the temperature starts to drop. Of course, you can and should be drinking whiskey all summer long, an opinion that Old Fitzgerald seems to support. The brand just announced the release of the Spring 2026 edition of its highly coveted Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series bourbon, and we have the details to share.
Heaven Hill has owned and produced the brand since 1999, but the Old Fitzgerald name dates back to the 1800s. During the mid-20th century, the whiskey was produced at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, where the Pappy Van Winkle turned it into a wheated bourbon, meaning wheat is the secondary flavoring grain instead of rye. That gives the whiskey a softer, sweeter flavor profile, something that continues to this day, as Old Fitzgerald is made from a mashbill of 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley. As you can see by the name, it’s bottled-in-bond, meaning it’s exactly 100 proof, the product of one distillery (Heaven Hill) and one distillation season, and at least four years old.
In the case of the Spring 2026 edition, the bourbon is 10 years old (each release varies from as low as about 8 years old to close to 20 years old). It was distilled in the spring of 2016 and bottled this year, marking the 17th release in the Decanter Series. “With every release of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series, we strive to celebrate the time-honored craftsmanship and heritage that have defined this iconic brand for generations,” said master distiller Conor O’Driscoll in a statement. “This 10-year-old Spring 2026 Edition proudly reflects Heaven Hill’s longstanding bottled-in-bond legacy and embodies the quality and character that have become hallmarks of the series, continuing the tradition with another memorable release for brand fans to discover and enjoy.”
So why is the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series so collectible? The design of the bottle certainly has something to do with it, a fetching, retrol-looking glass decanter with a tax strip that provides information about when the whiskey was distilled and bottled. But the most important thing has to be the flavor, and this edition sounds pretty good according to the official tasting notes. There are aromas of crème brûlée, old oak, and citrus oil on the nose, followed by butterscotch, sugar, and toasted bread on the palate, with cloves and pepper on the finish. As mentioned before, the age statement varies depending on the release, but 10 years old sits right in the mid-range of maturation for a Kentucky bourbon, another positive sign for this whiskey.
The suggested retail price for a bottle of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series is $150, but you will likely find this for much more than that once it hits the secondary market. It drops in July on an allocated basis, so check your local specialty liquor store if you’re interested in finding a bottle. And you can find past releases still available to purchase at websites like ReserveBar now.
Authors
Jonah Flicker
