I’d like to thank Four Roses and their PR partners for providing this sample with no strings attached.
My friends! Four Roses is experimenting again, and this time they came up with something that is near and dear to my heart. There are four types of food and beverages that I hope I never need to live without. One is coffee. I mean, you don't even want to speak to me before coffee. I'm not grumpy or anything, I just won't remember a damn thing you said, as I wouldn't be able to hear you over the constant repetition of "I'm so tired…" over and over in my head.
The second is pizza. I've spent the last twenty-five years developing and tweaking a crust and sauce combo that is right up the alley of this Midwestern boy. Richly spiced and cooked sauce on a sourdough crust. Definitely something that will be hated by New York-style purists who only want their sauce to have tomato, salt, and maybe a little oil or basil if they are feeling fancy. Nope, I'm loving my Midwestern roots here, and my sauce reflects the style of the places I grew up with.
Of course, there is bourbon. Though if you expanded that to aged spirits, you'd be more on the nose these days. I do love me some bourbon and rye, but I also love me some brandy as well. Though the brandies I like tend to be the more expensive expressions.
And finally, there is honey. I know, it's not really in line with the rest of these. I can do without most sweeteners in my daily life. I don't really sweeten things too much unless I'm making a cocktail or a dessert. And the cocktail? I'm probably making that on the drier side of what is considered normal. But if I had to pick one sweetener to keep for the rest of my life, forsaking all others? That one would be honey. Now, I've had the thought, "I bet this bourbon would be good with some honey in it!" But I've never organically had the thought, "Boy, I bet this honey would be great with some bourbon in it!"
I say that, even though there are at least three bourbon barrel-aged honeys on the site, one of which is from Four Roses and plays into the creation of tonight's bourbon. See, Four Roses' Honey is aged in Four Roses bourbon barrels. And once those barrels were emptied of honey, some of them got some bourbon put back in them. Here is what the company has to say about the release:
“One of the things I love most about this release is how naturally it came together, ” said Master Distiller Brent Elliott. “It simply started with barrels that had already taken on a unique character. The honey is there from the moment you bring the glass to your nose, but it’s never artificial or overpowering. If you have the chance to taste it alongside our Bourbon Barrel Aged Honey, you can really appreciate the journey those barrels have taken and the role they’ve played in both products.”
Experimental Series No. 002 blends six-, seven- , and eight-year-old bourbons from the OESQ and OBSK recipes before finishing in the honey-seasoned barrels for three to nine months. The selected barrels were blended and bottled at 104 proof to preserve the balance between classic Four Roses character and the subtle influence of the honey casks.
This bourbon went on sale at both Four Roses Visitor Centers starting on September 18th at a suggested retail price of $55 per 375 mL bottle. Since I'm about a month late posting this, I don't know if they still have them, but it never hurts to stop in and check them out if you are in the area.
Four Roses Experimental Series No. 002 Honey Casts Finish
Purchase Info: This was provided by the producer for review purposes at no charge. The suggested retail price is $55 for a 375 mL bottle.
Price per Drink (50 mL): $7.33
Details: 52% ABV. Finished in honey casks.
Nose: Lots of honey right off the bat. Under that are notes of oak, floral vanilla, and baking spice.
Mouth: Spicy and hot in the mouth with notes of cinnamon, honey, nutmeg, vanilla, and oak.
Finish: Warm and on the longer side of medium length. Notes of honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and floral vanilla.
Thoughts: I wasn't sure what to expect with this. The idea of putting honey in a bourbon barrel, emptying it, and refilling it with bourbon might have led to a very sweet drink. "So, a liqueur," I thought to myself upon opening the box. Then I noticed the proof. 104 proof. "So, not a liqueur then," I said aloud.
Upon sitting down to nose the liquid in my glass, I was struck by honey so strong that at first I didn't notice anything else. But little by little, other notes appeared. My first sip was spicy. Just super hot. "Nope, definitely not a liqueur," I thought.
Subsequent sips would start cool, gentle even. But as you held it in your mouth to try to tease out the notes on the palate, it just got hotter and hotter and hotter until you were forced to swallow just so you didn't burn out your taste buds. Finally, I was able to tease out other notes hiding under the honey and spicy cinnamon.
The finish sticks with you for a while, too. I went with a longer medium length but could be talked into just saying it's long, too. I quite like this. It's sweet and spicy. There are lovely floral notes throughout. I'm really shocked at just how hot this is. And that heat makes it a lovely bourbon for an Old Fashioned. Especially if you use the Four Roses Honey. Really like this one.