Who was john E. Fitzgerald?
Who was Fitzgerald?
Fitzgerald was a bonded U.S.
Treasury Agent who had access
to the rickhouses, where
Bourbon barrels were
stored & aged.
His position gave him the means
and the opportunity to steal
tastes of some of the best Bourbon.
Using his keys, Fitzgerald would
let himself into the rickhouses,
thieve Bourbon from the best
barrels, and take jugs of it
home for himself.
When it came time to dump the
barrels, some were found to
be
unusually light—and
exceptionally smooth.
These barrels became known
as ‘Fitzgerald Barrels.’
Even when the brand was later
sold to famous whiskey man
Pappy Van Winkle, the Fitzgerald
name—and his reputation—endured.

the verdict
Today, the spirit of John E.
Fitzgerald lives on in our family of
award-winning
Wheated Bourbons:
Larceny Small Batch, Larceny Barrel
Proof, and Old
Fitzgerald
Bottled-in-Bond.

wheated & wanted
We do things differently. Our
Bourbons are made
with more wheat for
a smoother taste.