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This is a one-time release (total of 3,000 bottles) of a Bourbon that will thrill both whiskey aficionados and history buffs.  Comprised of 12 barrels of wheated Bourbon produced at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, original home of Heaven Hill’s Old Fitzgerald and direct ancestor to the celebrated Larceny brand, this ultra-rare, highly allocated release offers both an extraordinary sensory experience and a glimpse at the DNA of Bourbon lore.  The packaging for John E. Fitzgerald Very Special Reserve is as stunning and special as the Bourbon inside. The 375ml bottle resembles cut glass crystal and have the label information directly applied onto the glass, along with a gold and platinum key graphic, which hearkens back to the Larceny logo—a key—and commemorates Fitzgerald’s role as the treasury agent who held the keys to the warehouse. The bottles have an ornate satin finish metal closure with a cork, and a strip stamp on the neck and the face label both prominently feature the 20 Year old age statement. In addition, each bottle comes packed inside a handmade wooden box with die-cut keyholes and hinged doors that close with magnets. Heaven Hill Co-Master Distiller Denny Potter stated that “these 12 barrels represent a golden age in Bourbon history, but also tie the past into our current Larceny and Old Fitzgerald brands.  The Bourbon is the renowned wheated mashbill that Pappy Van Winkle developed for Old Fitz at Stitzel-Weller.  Its aging has been carefully managed to ensure it will be at its best, with two different aging regimens and locations so that it will not be over-aged or tannic.”

The 12 original Stitzel-Weller barrels were dumped together and bottled at 90° proof or 45% alcohol by volume.  The barrels were not chill filtered, meaning the whiskey retains more of the natural esters and fatty acids than whiskey that has been chill filtered to remove these flavor compounds, providing a richer mouthfeel.  The John E. Fitzgerald Very Special Reserve offers rich cocoa and vanilla notes with a long, refined finish and the softness that a wheated mashbill provides.