Whiskey News Roundup for September 30, 2021

This is the first of what is going to be an ongoing series for BourbonGuy.com. As you might imagine, I get a lot of press releases in my inbox. I thought it might be neat to periodically share some of those that I find the most interesting along with a little commentary on them. I hope you enjoy these posts. I spend way too much time reading whiskey news to not share.

Four Roses Announces Mini Bottles of Two Bourbons

NEWS: After quietly retiring their 50 mL bottles of Four Roses Single Barrel, Four Roses announced this month that they will be offering 50 mL bottles of both their Small Batch and Small Batch Select Bourbons. These bottles are available at most retailers that sell the 750 mL bottles. Locally they sell for $5.99 for the Small Batch and $7.99 for the Small Batch Select.

COMMENTARY: This is the kind of thing that I wouldn’t have usually found that interesting, except for one thing. I never was able to get a Four Roses bottle on the Whiskey Party Lights that I made. Single Barrel had a small cork. No way to hang it from the lights. According to Brent Elliott, these new minis will have screw caps that I’ll be able to drill through. What’s that? You don’t have any Whiskey Party lights? You should make some, it’s a fun and easy project. 

Samuels House Now Available for Overnight Accommodations

NEWS: Rob Samuels, Managing Director of Maker’s Mark and grandson of the brand’s founder, has opened the historic Samuels home for rent. Currently operated under the name Samuels House, it was built around 1820 by Samuels family forefather John Samuels. The property remained with the family until the 1950s. Now, back in family hands, it has been renovated and opened for rent to overnight guests. According to the press release: “Although equipped with modern conveniences and luxury amenities, the house’s original detail and character have been preserved to showcase the history of the Maker’s Mark dynasty. Never before seen personal family artifacts, including the deep fryer used to create the iconic red wax tendrils and a hand-made bar with whisky spanning 150 years of Samuels family distilling, ensures a really special experience for bourbon enthusiasts.”

COMMENTARY: If I had the money, I would love to stay here while visiting Bardstown. Not sure I can swing $1250-1500 per night on a freelancer’s budget, but if you do, this seems like a fun way to spend that cash. I love old houses and, for me, the whiskey history would just be icing on the cake. And man, do those sofas look comfy.

MGP Distillery Gets a New Name

NEWS: As of September 29, 2021, the consumer brands portion of the MGP distillery will go by the name of Ross & Squibb Distillery. The new name highlights the history of the distillery location. According to the press release: “Ross” is inspired by the legacy of George Ross, who in 1847 founded the Rossville Distillery, located on what is now the Ross & Squibb Distillery campus. Considered one of Lawrenceburg’s original distilleries and one of America’s last Prohibition-era distilleries, Rossville Distillery produced some of the finest rye whiskeys in the world and was the inspiration for the Rossville Union Straight Rye Whiskey brand. “Squibb” calls back to the historic Squibb Distillery, founded in 1869 in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and later purchased in 1921 by George Remus, King of the Bootleggers® and inspiration for the George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey brand.” Bulk production of whiskey and other spirits will continue onsite under the current name, MGPI of Indiana, LLC.

COMMENTARY: What does this mean for the whiskey consumer? Probably not a lot. I know I’m not going to rush to update the MGP tag at the bottom of this page. I’m almost positive that in casual conversation I’ll still use the quick MGP instead of the longer Ross & Squibb. Though you may see written references to Ross & Squibb on the site if I quote from a press release for one of their products. Basically, this is a consumer-facing example of the merger of MGP and Luxco. As the Luxco portion of the combined company now handles the consumer brands that MGP brought to the merger (Remus, Rossville, etc), it only makes sense from a marketing perspective to brand everything they can to help tell their story. Does this mean we can look forward to the future announcement of an upcoming visitor experience in Lawrenceburg, IN? No word on that yet, but it wouldn’t terribly surprise me now that the distillery has a consumer-friendly name and logo.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

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Four Roses 2021 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon

I’d like to thank the folks at Four Roses for providing this review sample to me with no strings attached.

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Oh my goodness! I am so excited! I’m sitting here in my gold top and maroon shorts because BigTen Football starts tonight when the Minnesota Golden Gophers host the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Ok, fans of teams that played on Saturday will say that it really started when Illinois kicked off to Nebraska sometime after 12 noon on the 28th. But, “Week 0?” come on…even the powers that be knew that it didn’t start until this week. And if those Nebraska fans watched the same debacle…err…game I did, well I’m guessing they would also like to forget that stinker of a game.

So since my beloved Golden Gophers are hosting the number 4 team in the country tonight in Ohio State, I get the added bonus of having zero pressure while watching the game. Usually, I hope for a win and worry about a loss. Tonight I know we will get blown out so I can just enjoy watching my Gophers without the pressure of hoping we win. I plan to enjoy it. Maybe I’ll even enjoy a small pour of the bourbon we are looking at tonight after the game ends. Either as consolation or as a celebration.

Yeah, I know it’ll be the former but let’s not get negative.

So what is tonight’s bourbon? Well, that would be the 2021 release of Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch. This year it is made up of four of their bourbon recipes: a 16-year-old OESV, a 12-year-old OESK, a 14-year-old OBSQ, and a 16-year-old OBSV. I love that floral/herbal/fruity note that the Q yeast brings. If I see a Q or an F yeast used in a Single Barrel Pick while out shopping, it always comes home with me. It just hits the right notes with my palate. So I’m pretty excited to see this one included in the blend.

The suggested retail price is $150 per bottle. It’ll roll out to retailers in September, but if you are feeling lucky, and will be able to make it to Kentucky to pick it up in the last half of September they will be having a lottery drawing to purchase a bottle at the distillery gift shop. Visit the Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition website between August 31 and September 12 to enter.

Four Roses 2021 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon

Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $150.

Price Per Drink (50 mL): $10.00

Details: 57.2% ABV. Features a 16-year-old OESV, a 12-year-old OESK, a 14-year-old OBSQ, and a 16-year-old OBSV.

Nose: Cinnamon, JuicyFruit gum, caramel, oak, leather, and vanilla.

Mouth: Red fruits, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, leather, and tobacco.

Finish: Long and warm with notes of cinnamon candies, JuicyFruit gum, leather, and oak.

Thoughts: Shows off much more oak than any of the standard releases from Four Roses. which is either a good or bad thing depending on how much oak you like. I’m digging the fruity/floral notes that the Q yeast is bringing. It’s one of my favorites to pick up when I find it as a single-barrel pick of Four Roses. My wife loves this one. I really like it, but it’s showing just a touch too much oak for me. Don't get me wrong, it is very good. And if I happen to be chosen in a lottery to buy one, I’ll probably jump at the chance.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, posters, and more.

Random Stuff: Mini Reviews, News, and More!

Remember how I was working my way through a batch of tasting notes that I created before I was sick? Well I’ve run out and am only now beginning to trust to ol’ taster. So I thought I might do something different tonight and share some of the interesting things that have recently come across my desk.

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The Rebirth of Bourbon: Building a Tourism Economy in Small-town, USA (Economics of Vice)

Details: Available from Amazon for $32.99 (as of this writing). 174 pages. Authors: Steve Coomes, Kim Huston, Michael Mangeot.

Thoughts: Back in October, Bardstown held a virtual edition of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. In the media kit that I was sent was a book partially written by the host of the virtual festival, Steve Coomes that just so happened to be about Bardstown and their bourbon tourism plans. It seemed like the book for me. I love Bardstown, I love bourbon and bourbon tourism, I even like the occasional book about economics.

Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into the book. It’s filled with great information. It’s well written. But I struggled to get through it. It’s possible that even the short page count of 174 pages was a little too much for a book about a very small town’s business plan.

That said, I’d probably still recommend this to people who, like me, love visiting Bardstown and go back year after year. Even if only so you know which changes to prepare for and which to hope for.

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Wilderness Trail Owner Honored

Last week I got a press release from Wilderness Trail Distillery letting me know that Owner, Shane Baker was one of two people honored with the new “Esprit de Corps” award from the Kentucky Distillers Association. Quoting from the Press Release:

The Board’s Resolution saluted Baker “for his technical education, assistance and collaborative efforts in the production and distribution of hand sanitizer in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and for his overall support, assistance and guidance to other members of the KDA throughout his tenure with the organization.

“Mr. Baker’s outstanding service and devotion to his community and to the cause helped our beloved Commonwealth contain the early spread of the virus and protected hundreds of doctors, first responders and emergency personnel through the donation of sanitizer and the assistance to KDA members in its manufacture and coordination of resources,” the Resolution stated.

With the poop-show that 2020 has been, it’s nice to remember that there are also some bright spots out there.

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Four Roses to Expand Visitor Center

It seems that expanding the distillery was not the only expansions plans that Four Roses had. Last week the news was released of a planned expansion of the Visitor Center. They’ll be using the same architectural firm that helped with the distillery expansion and the original building of the distillery campus in order to maintain the historic look of the campus. Quoting the press release:

The visitor center project is expected to be completed by the end of 2021 and will include:

• New state-of-the-art bar featuring cocktails and tastings of Four Roses’ current Bourbon portfolio and exclusive product tastings;

• Four new seated tasting rooms offering a space for enhanced educational experiences;

• Updated retail gift shop with Four Roses’ Bourbon products and other branded merchandise for sale;

• Outdoor patio space where visitors can enjoy the beautiful distillery grounds.

The visitor center will also offer interactive, educational experiences dedicated to the rich 132-year history of the Four Roses brand, including an interactive display showcasing archived Four Roses bottlings, vintage advertisements and other memorabilia.

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I’ll leave you with a drawing I did during some Autumn downtime. It’s based on a photo that was taken of my wife and Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell at one of the first Kentucky Bourbon Festivals that we attended. The photo didn’t turn out due to a really bad phone camera, but it made for a nice reference for drawing. Jimmy Russell is one of the nicest and most interesting men I’ve talked to at a bourbon distillery. I hope that I still love what I do enough to show up for work when I am his age.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Fall Brackets 2020: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Edition: Who won?

As you are probably aware, this is the last installment of a five-part series where I pit various Limited Edition bottles of Four Roses against each other, bracket-style. The idea grew out of a conversation I had with Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot last September. When I mentioned that I had bottles of this release going back to 2012, he asked what I was saving them for. Not having a good answer to that, I decided then and there that he was right and that I needed to have some fun with them. And since I couldn't get a bottle of 2020's version, it seemed like the right time to open them up and revisit a little yummy goodness.

Tonight we get to see which of these I liked best. My friend Fred Minnick picked 2013 as his Best Bourbon of the 21st Century So Far. If you’ve been following along, you will know that 2013 lost in the first round in a head-to-head taste-off. But, we all have different palates and we all like different things. This is what makes whiskey so much fun to talk about. Besides, 2013 was delicious. It came so close to winning its matchup.

Tonight we are looking at Round2 and the Championship all at once. I’ve been sitting on these results for over a month now and I can’t take it anymore. So without further adieu, let’s get down to it. We aren’t going to go into tasting notes, since we already did that. This is just comparative thoughts for each matchup. And remember, these were tasted completely blind from identical bottles labeled only with an alphanumeric code.

Four Roses Brackets Limited Edition Small Batch, Round 2

2015 vs. 2017

2015 has a nicer nose. Both are fruity but 2015 has more depth to the nose. 2015 has a better mouthfeel and leads with more spicy notes. 2017 is more fruit-forward and has a thinner mouthfeel relative to 2015. But, I love the way that the fruit presents on the 2017 edition. This is super tough but I think I have to give the nod to 2015.

2019 vs. 2012

The noses on these two are fairly similar. Sweet notes and oak. On the mouth, the 2019 edition is richer than the 2012 one. On my first sip of 2019, I just sighed and said "that tastes like classic Four Roses." And because of all that, 2019 advances.

Championship: 2019 vs. 2015

Once again, 2015 has a nicer nose. Sweeter and very slightly richer. On the mouth, 2019 is richer, spicier, and hotter. 2015 is fruitier but still brings the spice." But in the end, 2019 and that "classic Four Roses" flavor wins the day.

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So there you have it. In my estimation, last year’s version of Four Roses Limited Small Batch was the best to that point. It was shocking since I remember liking some of them, like 2016, so much in the initial tasting. If asked ahead of time, I would have sworn that 2016 was going to with the whole thing. In fact, I even told Brent Elliot when I talked to him about last year’s, that I preferred 2018. The same 2018 that didn’t make it out of the first round. I guess it just goes to show that memories are fallible and tasting isn’t a science. As I always say, this is what I thought of and how much I liked a whiskey on that day. Another day might bring another mood which might bring another feeling about what is in my glass.

But before we close out this competition, I saved just a taste of the 2020 sample to compare against the eventual winner. And I have to say, although it was tough and both were delicious, 2020 was the winner for both of us. It had all the spice and heat of 2019, but brought just a touch more fruit to the party. Which, when we are talking about Four Roses, is totally what I come for. Congrats to Brent Elliot and crew.

Ok. Regular posts return Thursday. Thanks for coming along on this exploration with me and allowing me to miss my trip to Kentucky a little less.

Special thanks to Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot for inspiring this series of posts.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Fall Brackets 2020: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Edition: Round 1d, 2016 vs. 2012

As you are probably aware, this is the fourth installment of a five-part series where I pit various Limited Edition bottles of Four Roses against each other, bracket-style. The idea grew out of a conversation I had with Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot last September. When I mentioned that I had bottles of this going back to 2012, he asked what I was saving them for. Not having a good answer to that, I decided then and there that he was right and that I needed to have some fun with them. And since I wasn't able to get a bottle of 2020's version, it seemed like the right time to open them up and revisit a little yummy goodness.

Tonight’s first contestant is the 2016 edition of Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch. 2016 was the year where I got to be “press” for the first time. While I visited the Kentucky Bourbon Festival I got to attend the Distillery Naming event for Lux Row Distillery. I took notes and photos…and my friends from local craft distilleries playfully teased me about it. I loved that week. I spent so much time with friends.

The other entry is from 2012. 2012 was the first year I attended the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. During that week, I visited the Four Roses Cox’s Creek facility for the first time. While there I picked up a bottle of Four Roses Limited Small Batch. I just walked into the very small gift shop and it was just sitting there on the shelf. This was a Monday It wasn’t set to be released until Thursday, but since no one had been there for about a week, they felt it was safe to put it out when they had time.

So here we go. Remember, these were tasted completely blind from identical bottles labeled only with an alphanumeric code.

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2016

Original Review: 2016 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Review

Pertinent Quote: "I love this every year and this year is no exception."

Details/Original Price: 55.6% ABV. A blend of 12-year-old OESO, 12-year-old OBSV, and 16-year-old OESK. Purchase Price: $120.

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, spearmint, and a nutty note.

Mouth: Caramel, apricot, spearmint, and oak

Finish: Medium to long and warm. Lingering notes of cinnamon, oak, a touch of smoke, and a hint of fruitiness

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2012

Original Review: Blind comparison of 2012 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch vs 2009 Four Roses Mariage

Pertinent Quote: "Wow. This might very well be the best Four Roses, I've ever had. My wife normally puts a small piece of ice in every bourbon. She asked me to remind her that this one she wants neat from now on."

Original Details/Price: 55.7% ABV. A blend of 17-year-old OBSV, 11-year-old OBSV, 12-year-old OBSK, and 12-year-old OESK Purchase Price: $90

Nose: Peaches, baking spice, and brown sugar.

Mouth: Spicy. Notes of caramel, fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, maybe ginger, and then oak.

Finish: Long and spicy. Notes of peaches, baking spice, vanilla, and oak.

Thoughts:

2016 is oakier and more refined whereas 2012 is an explosion of flavor. A lot of bourbon lovers would choose 2016 for its more traditional flavor profile. Not me though, the fruity notes of 2012 are right up my alley. 2012 is the clear favorite in this house. It’s spicy and fruity with a good burn to it. 2012 moves on.

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Special thanks to Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot for inspiring this series of posts.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Fall Brackets 2020: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Edition: Round 1c, 2019 vs. 2014

Well, we are most of the way through Kentucky Bourbon Heritage Month, and even though I wasn't able to celebrate it in Kentucky with my friends this year, I do get to spend more time with the bottles I've picked up there in the past.

As you are probably aware, this is the third installment of a five-part series where I pit various Limited Edition bottles of Four Roses against each other, bracket-style. The idea grew out of a conversation I had with Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot last September. When I mentioned that I had bottles of this going back to 2012, he asked what I was saving them for. Not having a good answer to that, I decided then and there that he was right and that I needed to have some fun with them. And since I wasn't able to get a bottle of 2020's version, it seemed like the right time to open them up and revisit a little yummy goodness.

Speaking of last year's Bourbon Festival, tonight's first entry is last year's edition. 2019 was a fun trip to Kentucky. And one where I didn't spend a lot of time at the festival itself. Instead, I spent some time with my friends at MB Roland for the first time in a couple of years. I had drinks with a few other friends and their families. And (after having an anxiety attack that forced me to miss the Foo Fighters on Friday night) went to Bourbon and Beyond Saturday night courtesy of my friend Fred Minnick.

The other entry is 2014. 2014 was a year that I went all-in on the events of BourbonFest. I did as many as I could fit in and loved every minute of it. It was only my second time at the festival, and I wanted to experience all that I could.

So here we go. Remember, these were tasted completely blind from identical bottles labeled only with an alphanumeric code.

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2019

Original Review: 2019 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Review

Pertinent Quote: "This is a very good Bourbon. I like how the cocoa and nutty notes play with the spicy cinnamon. The caramel and the fruity undercurrent add a nice depth to the product. Water dampens the fruitiness and accentuates the oak without compromising the spiciness. I like this one without water personally, but the proof is high enough that I'll be drinking the rest of this sample in small pours because of that."

Details/Original Price: 56.3% ABV. A blend of 11-year-old OESV, 15-year-old OESV, 15-year-old OESK, 21-year-old OBSV Purchase Price: $140.

Nose: Toffee, apricot, Juicy Fruit gum, oak, vanilla, baking spice, and a light smokey note.

Mouth: Thick and rich. Toffee, vanilla, baking spice, and a light fruitiness.

Finish: Medium to long with cinnamon, cocoa, oak, and a light fruitiness.

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2014

Original Review: 2014 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Review

Pertinent Quote: "This is a very good whiskey and I like it a lot. It's extremely drinkable, even at over 55% ABV … If you find it and find yourself flush with cash, pick it up. If you are a fan-boy like me, pick it up."

Original Details/Price: 55.9% ABV. A blend of 9-year-old OBSK, 13-year-old OBSV, 12-year-old OESV, 11-year-old OBSF Purchase Price: $110

Nose: Brown sugar, mint, cinnamon, clove, tobacco, and a slight fruitiness.

Mouth: Thick and rich. Caramel, honey, oak, cinnamon, and herbal mint.

Finish: Medium to long with lingering spicy cinnamon and oak.

Thoughts:

These are both fairly spice-forward. 2019 has a bit of fruit that 2014 is missing. 2019 is also sweeter. Overall, 2019 is just a more complex and better-tasting bourbon. And because of that, it will advance to Round 2.

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Special thanks to Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot for inspiring this series of posts.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Fall Brackets 2020: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Edition: Round 1b, 2013 vs. 2017

As you know, I am not in Kentucky for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival this week as I would have ordinarily been. This means that there was no real way for me to get a bottle of 2020’s Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch. To console myself, I’ve gone ahead and put the last eight year’s releases up against one another Bracket Style. Tonight’s matchup features 2013’s 125th Anniversary release and the 2017 release.

Fun fact, the last time I wasn’t in Kentucky during September was 2013. I spent the time in Toronto meeting whiskey friends. I got a bottle thanks to another whiskey friend who happened to see it on the shelf at his local store, but am tasting out of the sample bottles that I put away in my Sample Library.

2017 happened to be the first time I worked as “Press” at events during BourbonFest. I got free passes, talked to some folks, made some notes, and wrote about them after I got home. It was also the first year that a reader recognized me on the streets of Bardstown and asked if they could get a photo with me. It was all very weird but very flattering.

So here we go. Remember these were tasted completely blind from identical bottles labeled only with an alphanumeric code.

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2013

Original Review: 2013 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Review

Pertinent Quote: “I’ve heard people describe it as the best bourbon they’ve ever had, but that’s probably pushing it a bit. I’ll go ahead and say that, for me, it’s not even the best Four Roses I’ve had. I would rank both the 2012 Limited Small Batch and the 2009 Mariage higher (which were basically equally good in my book). 2013 was a bit too thick and sweet and the flavors a bit more muddied when compared to the 2012. But that’s splitting hairs. I can see why this was chosen to be the American Whiskey of the Year last year, it’s an amazing whiskey. It’s just not the best ever.”

Details/Original Price: A blend of 18-year-old OBSV, 13-year-old OBSK, and 13-year-old OESK. Purchase Price: $99.

Nose: Raspberry preserves, oak, vanilla.

Mouth: Oak, raspberry preserves, Juicy Fruit gum, baking spice

Finish: Medium length. Lingering Wintergreen, raspberry preserves, oak, and cinnamon.

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2017

Original Review: 2017 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Review

Pertinent Quote: “I know what you are thinking. "Obviously Eric loves this, he's a Four Roses fanboy." Well, you are half right. I am a fanboy. But this doesn't rate a heart from me (my wife disagrees most vehemently). It does, however, rate a very high "like." It's thick and rich and the finish lasts for days.”

Original Details/Price: 54% ABV. A blend of 20% 15-year-old OESK, 40% 13-year-old OESK, and 12-year-old OESV bourbons. MSRP: $130.

Nose: Juicy Fruit Gum, Orange Creamsicle, caramel, vanilla, baking spice, and a hint of oak.

Mouth: Fruity, creamy, and spicy. Cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, vanilla, red fruits, and oak.

Finish: Medium to long and warm. Cinnamon, vanilla, oak, and orange Creamsicle.

Thoughts:

This is a hard one. Both of these are fruit-forward. The obvious difference is that one reminds me of rich, cooked raspberries while the other is bright and refreshing in its fruit presentation. I really like both of these and I could see either one winning in a different matchup. But I'm giving 2017 the nod.

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Thanks to Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot for inspiring this series of posts.

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Did you enjoy this post? If so, maybe you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee in return. Go to ko-fi.com/bourbonguy to support. And thank you, BourbonGuy.com is solely supported via your generosity.

Of course, if you want to support BourbonGuy.com and get a little something back in return, you can always head over to BourbonGuyGifts.com and purchase some merch. I’ve made tasting journals, stickers, pins, and more.

Fall Brackets 2020: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Edition: Round 1a, 2018 vs 2015

This is the first September since 2013 that I haven’t had a vacation to Kentucky to look forward to. And, for that reason, it is also the first year since 2013 that I have no shot of getting a bottle of Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch. I mean, I’m in the drawing like everyone else, but I know how I usually fare in drawings of that sort. Here’s a hint: not well.

Back in 2013, I had a lucky break when a friend in Las Vegas was able to find a bottle for me. This was back when, in some areas, you could still find it on the store shelves now and then. This year, I’ll have to be happy with the taste I got when they sent me a sample. Oh, and the seven unopened bottles that I’ve saved from years past.

Which brings me to this little bracket I’ve decided to throw together. It all started last year when I was talking to Brent Elliot at the breakfast that Four Roses usually holds the Friday of BourbonFest. I’m not intentionally name dropping here, just giving credit where due. In a way, this series of posts is all his fault. See we were discussing what I thought of the 2019 Small Batch release when it came up that I had a bottle of almost every edition back to 2012 and that I had gotten most of them at that very event.

His very good question was: “What are you saving them for?” Well, I didn’t have a good answer for that. I had this vague idea that I wanted to be able to open them up all at once and share the experience with friends. But I didn’t have any firm idea for what to do with them. So I decided that at some point in 2020, I was going to gather a few like minded-friends to give them all a taste. Yeah…so much for that. 2020 kinda put the kibosh on that thought, but I was inspired to open them all up anyway as a way to “console myself” for not getting a bottle this year. And since they are open anyway why not see which one is the best?

These were tasted blind. In order to remove any preconceived notions, I poured samples of each into 100mL bottle bottles that were only labeled with a 10 digit alphanumeric code. I then shuffled them around as best as possible, seeded them, and then waited a week so that I would no longer even have a hint of what year went with what code. Over the course of a week, we tasted all the way through to the winner before we revealed what bourbon went with what code.

I was determined to make this into an event for ourselves. And now I’ve decided to share the results with you over the course of the next month. (Don’t worry, if you find a challenge between bourbons that you are unlikely to have to be boring, I am not running all the posts consecutively.)

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2018

Original Review: 2018 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Review

Pertinent Quote: “This is a hot and spicy beast of a dram. It is hot. The caramel is at the forefront, and the spice will bite you if you aren't prepared for it. The fruit is still there, but this year it plays more in the ripe, juicy peaches and cherry range. This is not a "mellow" bourbon.”

Details/Original Price: A blend of 10-year-old OBSV, a 13-year-old OBSF, a 14-year-old OESV, and 16-year-old OESK. 54.2% ABV. $140 MSRP.

Nose: Caramel, nutmeg, vanilla, and almond.

Mouth: Caramel, brown sugar, cinnamon, red fruits, and oak.

Finish: Sweet and spicy. Medium length. Cinnamon, oak, and almond.

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2015

Original Review: 2015 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Review

Pertinent Quote: “Oh. My. God! I hesitate to say this for fear of fanning the fervor, but this might be my favorite Limited Small Batch yet. This is Mr. Rutledge’s last outing on this and he has outdone himself. Standing ovation on this one. Amazing!”

Original Details/Price: A mix of 16-year-old OBSK, 15-year-old OESK, 14-year-old OESK and 11-year-old OBSV. 54.3% ABV. $120 MSRP.

Nose: Very rich. This smells like a baking cinnamon roll. Bready, sweet brown sugar and cinnamon.

Mouth: Bright and floral. Cinnamon, cherry, brown sugar, and oak.

Finish: Medium to long. Oak, oak, oak. Brown sugar

Thoughts:

2015 is my clear winner in this matchup. The nose is amazing. Extremely rich. The bright floral mouth is a pleasant addition. 2018 is also very good, obviously. It just isn't as complex as 2015. The Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2015 moves to round 2.

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Thanks to Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot for inspiring this series of posts.

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