2014

Four Roses Single Barrel (OBSV)

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses Single Barrel Private Selection
50.0%
$35 to $40
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
The Private Barrel Program is offered to Four Roses retailers only. But as a discerning Bourbon drinker, you also get to enjoy the benefits of our Four Roses Private Barrel Program at your local participating retailer.

60% Corn, 35% Rye, and 5% Malted Barley mashbill with a yeast strain imparting delicate fruity flavor.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Burnt caramel, vanilla, and fresh berries.
Palate: A nice rye spiciness of black and red pepper. A vanilla nougat followed by toffee candies.
Finish: An oak finish of extreme length with hints of pepper, cinnamon, and mint.
Comments: This specific bottle was a nine year old store selection for Total Wine.
Rating: Stands Out

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Four Roses OESO

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses Single Barrel Barrel Strength OESO Private Selection
57.0%
$55 to $70
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
The Private Barrel Program is offered to Four Roses retailers only. But as a discerning Bourbon drinker, you also get to enjoy the benefits of our Four Roses Private Barrel Program at your local participating retailer.

From time to time, a limited number of exceptionally smooth and complex barrels from any or all of our 10 Bourbon recipes present themselves to our Master Distiller. Each barrel is aged between 8 and 10 years. We then invite our retailers to a private tasting and selection of their favorite barrels. Once chosen, each selection is bottled and private labeled as a non-chill filtered Single Barrel at Barrel Strength in limited quantities of approximately 200-230 bottles.

75% Corn, 20% Rye, and 5% Malted Barley mashbill with yeast strain imparting robust fruity flavor.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Creamy caramel, orange marmalade, crushed mint, vanilla, cinnamon, licorice and a slightly meaty back note.
Palate: Chewy cherries jubilee, Mint Juleps, vanilla greek yogurt and bit of char.
Finish: More crushed mint with a mild oakiness and slow fade of barrel char.
Comments: This specific bottle was a Georgia Bourbon Society selection.
Rating: Must Try

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Four Roses 2014 Limited Edition Single Barrel

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition 2014 Release
Bottle 2437 of 7122
54.6% ABV
$100
Website
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What the Distillery Says:
For the 2014 Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition release, we have once again hand-selected an uncut and non-chill filtered Barrel Strength masterpiece.
One quick nose of this vibrant, yet mellow Bourbon and you will quickly discover that it is unlike any limited edition we’ve ever released. Our Master Distiller hand selected it from our 10 distinct Bourbon recipes because of the unique clove and fruit aromas that mingle delicately with hints of sweet toffee and brown sugar. Creamy mint and bright flavors of ripe cherries, vanilla and pear entertain your palate, then give way to a long, smooth finish of candied fruit and sweetened oak. This is one of the most uncommon and extraordinary Bourbons yet in a Four Roses’ bottle. In your favorite glass, it will be even better.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Candied fruit and clove.
Palate: Creamy and fresh with vibrant flavors of ripe cherries, red currants, pear, vanilla and caramel.
Finish: Mellow-sweetened oak and sweet, candied fruit.

Recipe
OESF – 11 years

What Richard Says:
Nose: Interesting spicy nose. Not peppery but more baking spices like Thanksgiving or Christmas pies.
Palate: It pops with notes of a cherry crisp with cinnamon vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
Finish: Oak, bananas, and lots of cocoa powder.
Comments: Excellent, really excellent. This is a stellar example of the OESF Four Roses recipe. It came out a few months ago but a few can still be had if you look hard enough. By all means buy this one.
Rating: Must Buy

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Four Roses Private Selections

/ / Bourbon, Richard's Blog

If you have been in a liquor store in the last six months that moves a lot of bourbon and especially Four Roses then you may have seen a bottle of the single barrel Four Roses with a gold label that says “Private Selection”. These are barrel proof offerings that the store selects from one of the ten recipes Four Roses makes. They are interesting because the only recipe Four Roses bottles regularly as a stand alone is the OBSV that is the standard Four Roses Single Barrel release. So these are your only chances to taste many of the other recipes.

While trying to grab as many of these private selections and review them would have me pulling my hair out and emptying my bank account (these usually run about $60 per bottle) I thought it might be good to review one of each of the recipes. While each barrel differs there is an overall character to each recipe. There is truly no way to know which recipes you prefer until you try them for yourself but maybe I can help a little.

The store selections you’re seeing around are typically in the 9 to 11 year range. I’ve got a few recipe examples that I will start reviewing tomorrow and as more come to me I’ll add to the list. Tomorrow’s is a bit special because Mr. Rutledge deemed that 11 year old OESF to be worthy of the annual limited edition release. The rest I have were picked by private groups, stores, and Mr. Rutledge. I hope you enjoy the reviews and find them helpful.

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Four Roses 2013 Limited Edition Small Batch

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2013 Release
125th Anniversary Bourbon
51.6% ABV
$85
Website
Four_Roses_Limited_Edition_Small_Batch_2013
What the Distillery Says:
With the ongoing celebration of our 125th Anniversary this year, our Master Distiller describes this release as “what could be the best Bourbon we’ve ever put in a bottle.” This year’s Barrel Strength Limited Edition Small Batch, created from 3 of our 10 distinct Bourbon recipes, welcomes you to the party with generous creamy vanilla, light oak and cherry cordial aromas. Bright splashes of raspberry and apricot greet the palate, giving way to subtle tones of nutmeg and cocoa. Then mellow flavors of cherry and vanilla bean define the long, luxurious finish in such a way to make you wish you could toast our 125th every year for the next 125 or more. Cheers.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Creamy vanilla, light oak and cherry cordial aromas.
Palate: Raspberry and apricot with subtle tones of nutmeg and coca
Finish: Cherry and vanilla bean.

Recipe
OBSV -18 years
OBSK – 13 years
OESK – 13 years

What Richard Says:
Nose: Stewed cherries, sharp vanilla, and a stiff woody backbone.
Palate: Cocoa powder, vanilla cream, stone fruits, musty old leather furniture, baking spices, and berries.
Finish: Luden’s cough drops and a dry oak finish of medium length.
Comments: This is another great release from Four Roses but it’s fickle with water. A splash or two opens the taste to more of the fruitier/berry notes and calms the finish but it makes the nose a little astringent. Truly a great and delicious bourbon but the water thing leaves me perplexed.
Rating: Must Buy

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