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Four Roses Single Barrel

24 Days of Christmas: Day 11!

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@SquidgyAshReview by @SquidgyAsh

18th Jan 2013

0

Four Roses Single Barrel
  • Nose
    23
  • Taste
    21
  • Finish
    21
  • Balance
    21
  • Overall
    86

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

So tonight after a long day at work, hell after a long week at work I got home and decided to try yet another whisky from my awesome whisky calender from Master of Malt.

This time I've decided to jump across the pound back to the good ol' US of A!

Bourbon!

Maybe it's in response to all the people I hear each week that say Americans can't make whiskey, maybe it's because I'm tired of hearing about people pouring bourbon into coke, I just don't know why, but when I got home tonight, I looked at several imperial stouts in the fridge, a couple Belgian strong ales, a few Scotch blends and a lot of single malts and the Four Roses just called out to me.

Now this surprised me, quite a bit, because the last time I'd had Four Roses, while it wasn't bad, my brother in law and myself both found it too syrupy, too sweet, almost sickly so.

But this one was sitting at cask strength, and was the Single Barrel from 2012 and like I said, I knew that I needed to crack it open it tonight.

So I crack open the sample bottle and pour it into my glencairn where it pours a very sexy dark golden color, with long thick thick legs that almost hang onto the side of the glass, ever so slowly going down the glass sides.

Sweeeeet.

Lovely little nose on this, very typical bourbon nose, but still lovely. There's something so nice about taking a whisky, nosing it, and going that's a nose of the homeland.

Coconut, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Honey, Vanilla, faint hints of cherries and cocoa.

Loving it! Just the thing that I needed tonight to get me in the mood.

What a lovely taste!

Spicy, but sweet, a strong oak presence, quite a bit of vanilla and coconut.

It's very easy drinking, especially for almost 55% ABV, very sweet though, but not sickly so.

A nice long finish with cherries and vanilla that lingers a good long time. Lovely. Just lovely.

Now for the sad part, I've yet to see a cask strength Four Rose for sale in Australia, and the 50% ABV version that is standard over here, yeah that one I've seen go for $120-$145 AUS, when you can find it, and it's very difficult to know which batch of that Four Roses your drinking.

That sadly makes me suspect a bottle of the cask strength will hit at least $150 AUS, just guessing, or more and once you start reaching those prices, especially $200 plus, you might as well start staring at a Stagg.

It's a pity, because I'd like to own a bottle of this. I can think of a few friends who'd get a kick out it.

Que cera cera, sadly what will be, will be.

If you get a chance to try this batch, this strength, do so, you won't regret it.

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7 comments

@JeffC
JeffC commented

I really enjoyed a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel. It comes in many varieties though as you noted and it is hard to tell what you are getting with the more standard 50% bottling. In my part of the United States (Virginia), I have only seen it at 50%, not the higher proof cask strength you have and the price is a lot lower than what you quote (US$40) notwithstanding of course higher taxes, import duties, etc. for Australia. I'm sure the cask strength one would be more expensive were it available in my area, but the regular 50% single barrel was quite excellent when I had it.

11 years ago 0

@SquidgyAsh
SquidgyAsh commented

@JeffC I actually grabbed one of the 50% ABV's and I wish I could figured out how to track which batch is which batch because my bottle didn't have any of the information that they usually have to say this is what yeast strain, etc was used in the distillation of the whisky. My bottle was so syrupy with coconut that my brother in law and I just kinda looked at one another and went "too much, too sweet" It wasn't bad, but it wasn't a bottle I'd buy again, I'm so happy to find that this sample was much more balanced!

11 years ago 0

bennibarrel commented

The Four Roses Single Barrel is one of my favorite bourbons. I cant believe its so expensive where you are. here id pay 50 Euros for a bottle, which is not much for a good bourbon.

11 years ago 0

@SquidgyAsh
SquidgyAsh commented

@Bennibarrel just so you know a small tear trickled down my cheek when I saw 50 euros there. Sadly so very many of the good whiskies run so much in Australia (and the poor Canadians have it even worse then we do!)

Thank god there are some very nice whiskies over here that run for quite reasonably such as Talisker 10 yr old, Highland Park, etc. It helps keep me sane :D

11 years ago 0

@JeffC
JeffC commented

It seems like each part of the world has their own pros and cons when it comes to whiskies. US definitely has inexpensive and good variety bourbons. Europe has great Scotch variety. Canada has great selection on Canadian whiskies and seemingly better on Scotch than the US. I am not sure I detect any unique Australian benefits in whisky yet--of course the 25oz cans of Fosters, great wine and port, and climate make up for that.

11 years ago 0

bennibarrel commented

yeah whisky is not that expensive here. for example: Lagavulin Distillers Edition 70 Euros and Booker´Bourbon 60 Euros. You get a Talisker 10 for 30 Euros.

11 years ago 0

bennibarrel commented

but I guess you didnt want to hear that...sorry!

11 years ago 0