Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye

Just about one month ago, my wife and I each had a birthday. Because our birthdays are within a couple of days of each other, we tend to celebrate them together. Usually, we’ll go out to eat, see a movie, and maybe buy a bottle of our favorite “Special Occasion” bourbon (Wild Turkey Rare Breed).

Well, this year we didn’t go out to eat. Instead, I smoked a couple of Ribeye steaks. We didn’t go out to see a movie. Instead, we bought the new Bill & Ted movie and watched that at home. I did buy a bottle of Rare Breed Bourbon, but as I was looking up the price ahead of my trip to the liquor store, I noticed that Total Wine was also listing the new Rare Breed Rye as being in stock at a few of the stores in the area.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon is one of our favorites and one that we will often celebrate special occasions with. I also really like Wild Turkey 101 Rye whiskey. So I was pretty excited to bring the new bird into our birthday celebration. Unfortunately, it wasn’t at my usual store. Luckily it was at a location a few suburbs away.

I consider that extra drive part of my wife’s birthday present.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Rye

Purchase Price: $61.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Chanhassen, MN

Price per Drink (50mL): $4.13

Details: 56.1% ABV

Nose: Mint, a hint of dill, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cedar

Mouth: Bright and lively. Mint, ginger, citrus zest, cinnamon

Finish: Medium and warm. Cedar and cinnamon notes linger.

Thoughts: This might just be my new favorite sipping rye. I really like the 100 proof Old Forester rye, but the added proof on this one raises Rare Breed Rye above that. Rare Breed Bourbon is my favorite Wild Turkey Bourbon. Depending on the day, I can see this competing with that for my favorite Wild Turkey product.

So, how does this newcomer compare to the other Ryes in the Wild Turkey lineup? In case you were curious, I’ve done a mini If You’ve Had… for the Wild Turkey Ryes below.

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Comparison to Other Turkey Ryes

Rare Breed Rye vs 101 Rye:

Noses are very similar. Rare Breed is bright and lively whereas 101 tends more toward sweet caramel flavors

Rare Breed Rye vs Russell’s Reserve Rye

Russell’s Reserve is sweeter and fruitier on the nose. On the mouth, Russell's Reserve shows more ripe fruit compared to the citrus zest of Rare Breed. Russell's Reserve also shows more oak.

Rare Breed Rye vs 81 Rye:

The nose on 81 is less concentrated. Much like 101, 81 is sweeter in presentation and obviously Rare Breed Rye has much more burn due to the 30 point proof difference.

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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.

Vintage Bourbon Ads

Well, we’ve made it through another September’s worth of Kentucky Bourbon Heritage. I’ve spent most of it talking about bourbons I bought a while ago or bourbons that are just coming out. But I thought to close out the month, it might be fun to look at some actual Bourbon Heritage. And since I like to decorate my house with both vintage advertising and bourbon, I thought I might wander through eBay to see what I could find at that intersection. I even picked up a few to hang in the living room.

1943 Four Roses

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I’m not going to lie…that looks a hell of a lot better than the garden we planted. Though I’m guessing that with all that ice, these don’t have the longest shelf life.

1952 Early Times

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I’d like to draw your attention to the subhead. Apparently, no women were allowed to drink Early Times? This one amused and irritated my wife in equal parts. “Man’s Whiskey!” she spat.

1957 Four Roses Gin

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Nothing to say about this one except that I had no idea there was ever a Four Roses Gin.

1965 Four Roses

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This one made me giggle so I had to buy it. Apparently, Four Roses finally figured out how to make their whiskey taste good about 1965. Imagine putting out an ad that says: ”We don’t suck anymore!” Wait I guess Domino’s did that a few years ago.

1967 Canada Dry Bourbon

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Canada Dry was feeling the snark in the late sixties. The first ad is talking about how other bourbons have a fancy name and nothing fancy in the bottle and the other…well they were making fun of the “folksy” marketing that other bourbons were using. Not sure that calling Kentuckians incestuous is a good marketing decision but maybe questionable decisions are part of why the brand no longer exists? Though there is a brand named “Kissing Cousins” on the market today should you want it.

1968 Old Fitzgerald

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People who drink Old Fitzgerald don’t know any better. See because those guys know bourbon and Old Fitzgerald is the best? Right? That’s what you got from that, right? Yeah me either. But the ad makes me laugh so that is something.

1970 Early Times

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I literally only included this one so you would get the song stuck in your head too. You’re welcome.

1972 Four Roses Premium

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I know that light whiskey was a thing in the 1970s since no one was buying bourbon but this one underscores that they really didn’t understand the reason whiskey was losing market share. I’m pretty sure that people still wanted what they drank to taste good. They just didn’t want it to be whiskey.

1980 Benchmark

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I’ve known more than a few bourbon-lovers who seem to have taken this headline to heart. (Not you, of course, by reading this far you’ve shown that you are the very embodiment of kindness.)

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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.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2020: Stave Profile SE4 x PR5

I’d like to thank the PR folks at Maker’s Mark for providing a review sample to me with no strings attached. Please note that the proof of the provided sample is slightly less than the finished product will be (110.0° proof vs 110.8° proof).

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Sooo…I was really dumb. I’m cold smoking some cheese using the A-Maze-N pellet smoker tray inside my new smoker, right? It smolders at a much cooler temp than the lowest temp I can set the smoker itself for. Well, I wasn’t wearing gloves. And when I went to pick up the tray, I used one hand to grab the cold side and then the other to steady the hot side.

Yeah. I have a nice dimple pattern melted into the tips of the thumb and forefinger of one of my left hand. It’ll be a nice reminder to WEAR FUCKING GLOVES from now on. And since it happened just before I set out to write this, I am going to type as little as possible during the review of the new Maker’s Mark Limited Release tonight. Here are a few pertinent quotes from the Press Release.

“Since the introduction of Maker’s Mark 46, wood staves have become our tool of choice for unlocking and amplifying natural flavors already present in our classic Maker’s Mark – always purposefully and with a specific taste vision in mind,” says Jane Bowie, Director of Innovation at Maker’s Mark. “Where Maker’s Mark 46 was about creating a ‘bolder’ Maker’s, and the 2019 release was all about boosting the notes of baking spice and fruit, our 2020 Limited Release has been a quest to amp up those rich vanilla and buttery-caramel flavors that typically stem from our unique approach to seasoning our barrel wood outside for a full year.” 

This year’s limited offering differs from its 2019 predecessor by utilizing two stave styles – one drawing on vanilla, the other on caramel – that when married together yield a rich Maker’s Mark reminiscent of butter pecan. The multi-stave approach was the result of more than twelve months of experimentation with Maker’s Mark barrel producer Independent Stave Company. The first stave in the 2020 Limited Release, SE4, is made from Virgin French Oak, convection cooked at medium heat with a short toast period and responsible for much of the caramel flavor. The second stave, PR5, is made from Virgin American Oak and convection cooked at low heat very slowly over time to bring out vanilla.

Bottled at 110.8 proof, each 750mL bottle of the Maker’s Mark 2020 Limited Release will retail for a suggested $59.99 and will be available nationwide beginning in September, while supplies last.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series 2020: Stave Profile SE4 x PR5

Purchase Price: This was graciously provided by Maker’s Mark for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $59.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $4.00

Details: 55% ABV (final release proof will be 55.4% ABV). Uses two new staves made from Virgin Toasted American and French Oak (SE4 and PR5, not sure which is which).

Nose: Spearmint, lots of toffee, some oak, and herbal cherry notes.

Mouth: Toffee, herbal cherry, cinnamon, oak, and nutmeg.

Finish: Medium to long and spicy. Strong notes of cinnamon along with herbal cherry and nutmeg.

Thoughts: This is really good. At first, there is just a ton of toffee. The herbal cherry notes threw me at first, but after a couple of sips, those spicy, herbal notes drew me in. Water amps up the sweetness and tames some of the herbal notes, bringing out even more toffee. I really like this one.

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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.

Little Book 2020: Chapter 4 "Lessons Honored"

I’d like to thank the PR folks at Jim Beam for providing a review sample to me with no strings attached.

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It’ll be there next time.

It seems that is my mantra these last few years. It’s a message of putting off what I really want for what is good enough. Rationalizing away my desires due to my schedule being busy or being too frugal. Or, in my case, an anxiety attack. I can’t tell you how many times “next time” has robbed me of not only “this time” but of any time.

The times I thought I might give my Grandpa a visit but got busy with something.

We’ll go next time. But next time was after Grandpa had a heart attack so I only got to see him in the hospital that last time.

The concert that I had tickets to, but my anxiety wouldn’t let me go to.

I’ll catch them the next time they come through. But then COVID came through and who knows when concerts will happen as they did before.

Even something as small as deciding to not pull the trigger on a Limited Release whiskey that I was coveting.

No, I don’t want to spend the money this time. I’ll grab it next time. But next time it was gone. Someone else bought it for their “this time” before my “next time” arrived.

There are plenty more examples in my past, but you get the idea. And honestly, we all do this. Maybe you are a Grandson with no regrets. Maybe you don’t have sometimes crippling anxiety attacks at the most inopportune moments. But I bet we’ve all done that last one. I think that with the world the way it is right now and with how much uncertainty, I’m going to try to grab moments I can. Whether it is time with family or just a special bottle of whiskey now and then.

Little Book Chapter 4: Lessons Honored

Purchase Price: This was graciously provided by Jim Beam for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $124.99 for a 750 mL bottle.

Price per Drink (50 mL): $8.33

Details: 61.4% ABV. A blend of 4-year-old Brown Rice Bourbon, 8-year-old "high rye" Rye Whiskey, 7-year-old Bourbon

Nose: Cinnamon, ginger, mint, a bready note, a floral note, and some oak

Mouth: Cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, oak, and a hint of mint.

Finish: Medium to long. Lingering notes of ginger, mint, and barrel char.

Thoughts: I really like this one. I'd happily pick up a bottle if I was going to the store with a $100 + budget. That doesn't happen to me very often, but happens enough that I'm hoping to get my hands on a bottle. I've now had Chapters 2 and 4 and have been very happy with both of them. Really wishing I'd have grabbed a Chapter 3 all those times I walked past it and said “next time.” Lesson learned.

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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.