Four Roses Single Barrel Private Selection
Recipe OESQ, 10 years and 4 months old
53.6% ABV
$55 – $80
Website
What the Distiller Says
The Recipe:
OESQ is currently only available as a private selection bottling at the distillery gift shop or possibly at a local liquor store near you. This particular bottle was a Wine Palace in Livonia selection, purchased in December 2014.
Unlocking the recipe codes goes like this…
“O” starts all of Four Roses’ recipes and only means that it is made by Four Roses in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.
“E” mean that this is the lower rye content of the two mashbills that Four Roses uses, specifically 75% Corn, 20% Rye, and 5% Malted Barley
“S” means that it is Straight Whiskey by U.S. Regulatory definition, again all their products carry this designation
“Q” distinguishes the yeast strain used. This specific one impacts more of a floral character onto the distillate
What Gary Says:
Nose: Floral fabric softner, fruitcake, rice pudding over oak.
Palate: A warm sherry sweetness gives way to hot cinnamon candy; some notes of pecans and chocolate.
Finish: Moderately long and drying, with a pepper spice bite at the end.
Comments: The ‘Q’ yeast was one of the harder ones for me to find, and has always been hit or miss for me. Every ‘Q’ selection I’ve tried had unmistakenable floral characteristics, and this one is no exception. I really like this particular bottle. I don’t often get sherry sweetness in bourbon, so that makes it uniquely interesting.