Maker: Four Roses, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA (Kirin)
Style: High-rye bourbon
Age: NAS (about 8-9 y/o)
Warehouse/Barrel: DS/43-IV
Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
Appearance: Bright Copper
Nose: Boiled peanuts, rye, oak, jalapeno. With a splash of water, I get heirloom roses, leather, and hard candy. A fun night for somebody!
On the palate: Full-bodied. Cassia, cotton candy. A little water loosens it up a bit. A perfumed sweetness, rosewater, sweet cinnamon, a bit of caramel & jalapeno jelly.
Finish: Hot, but complex. Spicy cassia, rye, cotton candy then a light sweetness lingers like a stolen kiss from an old lover. Not that I’ve been kissing any old lovers recently (have I used that line before?).
Parting words: I reviewed this early on in the blog when I was still doing “Now drinking” posts. This is a very different barrel from that one. To use a baffling booze reviewer term, this is a very tight whiskey. At 100 proof it is very assertive and has loads of rye character. It even reminded me of Templeton Rye, which is produced at LDI, Four Roses’ former sister distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Cut down from 100 proof to somewhere in the 90s, it becomes a relaxed, genteel bourbon suitable for sipping on finer front porches. Aside from special releases, Four Roses Single Barrel is the best bourbon on the market, or at least my favorite. Highly recommended.
I know that I’ve had a Four Roses Bourbon before, but I’m not sure if it was of the Single Barrel variety. This sounds delicious! What if you only have a mediocre patio in your backyard? Will this cut down on my level of enjoyment? 😉
Seriously though… lovely review!
Cheers!
G-LO
I don’t do it enough and that is have 4R1B on the rocks, it is the best on the rocks whiskey ever.
You speak the truth, brother!
How much ice do you add? I had it for the first time last week and was blown away. I don’t want any other bourbon anymore.
I add 1 cube in the winter, 2 in the summer. Oscar is more of a crushed ice guy, iirc.
I know what you mean about not wanting any other bourbon. I have been in love since first sip! I’m glad we have it in Michigan now.
Cracked ice, not crushed.
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