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