Four Roses - Small Batch

I picked up a bottle of this just recently, along with the Knob Creek Small Batch. I'm a big fan of Four Roses, from the Yellow Label to all other expressions.

The color is a nice deep amber, with red and orange throughout. On the initial nose, you pick up some nice apple and wood scents, along with a background of caramel. A lot of spice comes through in the scent. I had this neat, and the first sip is quite complex. Very creamy, with a full mouthfeel. This is not a "thin" bourbon, and really needs to be savored to experience all the flavors. It's like taking a bite of candy, but nothing is overly sweet. You pick up all the flavors at the start - vanilla, caramel, some creme brulee/caramelized sugar and an overall rich taste. There is also some heat and pepper spice in there. The mid-palate is where the leather and wood flavors come in, and that in combination with the candy/spice flavors, leaves you with an aftertaste that is surprisingly shorter than I would have expected. As an aside, I had this with a Romeo y Julieta Reserve cigar, and the pairing was perfect. The cigar is a medium bodied, creamy one, with a not too complex flavor profile. A puff of this, and a sip of the Four Roses immediately after was a great combination.

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