Four Roses Bourbon Small Batch Select--thoughts

[The Knize]

My local store seems to be discounting all the higher end Four Roses. Must be a manufacturer special.

Anyone have any thoughts on this one. I bought a bottle on Saturday for less than $50, which is a very good price. I do not really know any of the Four Roses expressions, but have heard good things. I was disappointed in this one. At 104 proof to me it comes across as a bit hot. A lot of alcohol in the nose. So "smooth" does not come to mind as a descriptor. (I generally like a higher proof bourbon.)

And this may be more personal tastes item, but it seems over-oaked to me. That is, a sip gives me the impression that I have put my tongue on a burnt piece of wood. I have had this impression from higher end bourbons before. Most notably Peerless. I have not tried the double oaked Woodford.

Anyone else have any thoughts or tasting notes on this one. I really wanted to like it. Other than the above, it showed nice complexity, with the right bourbon notes--caramel, honey, vanilla, toffee. It is apparently a mix of two whiskies, one with a relatively high rye grain bill, and one with some malt barley in it. I suppose I am not really looking to have barley in my bourbon either, but this one came across to me as pretty classically bourbon.

 

[ByMyBeard]

I've not had the 4R Select. I generally like their single barrel. 4R is a bit different from other bourbon distillers. They have 10 different recipes - 2 mash bills and 5 different yeast strains. Both have 5% malted barley, which is fairly standard for most bourbons. The 4R Select uses 6 of the 10 recipes. They also utilize single level rick houses for consistency. Below is a link to their different recipes.
Our Recipes - Four Roses Bourbon - https://fourrosesbourbon.com/our-recipes/
While the single barrel is OBSV, you can sometimes find store picks of other recipes.

All that to say, all whiskey is YMMV. I just thought you might appreciate that info.

RE: Woodford Double Oaked - I've had it, but don't recall it being overly burnt oak tasting. I find it sweeter than the standard woodford, almost like a toasted marshmallow.

 

[Whisky]

I personally have never really liked anything I've had under the Four Roses brand name.. I have had a few of their single barrels that were ok, but not great.

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

Make an Old Fashioned out of it!

Honestly, I find all bourbons over-oaked. By law, the white dog has to sit in fresh oak barrels for 3 years minimum. That right there imparts lots of oakiness into the whiskey.

This is why I prefer scotch!

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

Make an Old Fashioned out of it!

Honestly, I find all bourbons over-oaked. By law, the white dog has to sit in fresh oak barrels for 3 years minimum. That right there imparts lots of oakiness into the whiskey.

This is why I prefer scotch!

Plain old bourbon doesn't have a minimum aging requirement. Two years is the minimum for straight bourbon though. Interestingly, scotch actually has to be aged for three years.

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

Plain old bourbon doesn't have a minimum aging requirement. Two years is the minimum for straight bourbon though. Interestingly, scotch actually has to be aged for three years.

Scotch does not require the barrels to be fresh, big difference!

 

[Tirvine]

It is ok, but for half the price I'd rather have a 1.75L of EW BIB. For a single bottle in that range I'd rather have Knob Creek rye.

 

[The Knize]

I've not had the 4R Select. I generally like their single barrel. 4R is a bit different from other bourbon distillers. They have 10 different recipes - 2 mash bills and 5 different yeast strains. Both have 5% malted barley, which is fairly standard for most bourbons. The 4R Select uses 6 of the 10 recipes. They also utilize single level rick houses for consistency. Below is a link to their different recipes.
Our Recipes - Four Roses Bourbon - https://fourrosesbourbon.com/our-recipes/
While the single barrel is OBSV, you can sometimes find store picks of other recipes.

All that to say, all whiskey is YMMV. I just thought you might appreciate that info.

RE: Woodford Double Oaked - I've had it, but don't recall it being overly burnt oak tasting. I find it sweeter than the standard woodford, almost like a toasted marshmallow.

Thanks, BeMyBeard. All that is good information. I was thinking there was more malted barley than that in one of the whiskies in the blend, but I guess not. I drink a fair amount of bourbon. I am not at all saying all bourbon is overoaked. And I like lots of them.

I like single malts, too, but I would say bourbon, and rye specifically, is closer to my heart.

 

[The Knize]

I looked at some more reviews for this 4 Roses expression. There were a couple of references to the char that seemed too intense to me. One review referred to barrel char and another toasted oak. But neither seemed to see this as a flaw. Interestingly the reviews of the Peerless small batch bourbon I think of as also having too much char did not seem to mention it. BTW, this is the Peerless bourbon I am talking about. Peerless rye is one of my very favorites.

Make an Old Fashioned out of it!

Actually I made a Paper Plane out of it. It is probably wrong of me, but I tend not to hesitate to use expensive spirits in mixed drinks constructed of excellent ingredients. I think a Paper Plane fits that!

 

[kjbarth]

Everyone's palate is different. You like what you like and what suits your palate. And, your palate changes over time. What you like or don't like today, you may feel differently about next week or next year. I like FR SBS, a lot. But that's me. I also think Woodford Double Oak tastes like wet cardboard and I almost drain poured it (and it was a private barrel selection from someone who's palate I trusted). But again, that's me and my palate.

 

[TexLaw]

I like the regular Small Batch and some of the Single Barrel ones, but I don't think I've had the Small Batch Select. It sounds like they pushed to proof too far. How does it do with a splash or a bit of ice? I don't know too many whiskies out there that hit 100 proof and aren't at least a little better with a splash or an ice cube, and that's the first thing I go for when I find it too boozy.

Regardless, you got a decent price, so it's most certainly serviceable one way or another!

 

[TexLaw]

I suppose I am not really looking to have barley in my bourbon either, but this one came across to me as pretty classically bourbon.

Including somewhere around 5-8% malted barley is common (but not essential) in bourbons, ryes, and what-nots.

Scotch does not require the barrels to be fresh, big difference!

Aging it in Scotland also makes a big difference.

 

[The Knize]

Regardless, you got a decent price, so it's most certainly serviceable one way or another!

Sorry if I seem complaining! I am not discontent with the purchase. Just not what I am looking for in a bourbon. I get it if that level of barrel char was intentional! Artisanal stuff. I bow to the artist creating it!

 

[nortac]

I rather like 4RSBS and the other 4Rs as well. It's certainly a YMMV thing!

 

[Lightcs1776]

I had an opportunity to try Maker's Mark bourbon at the local store. The individual exclaimed how the caramel comes out of the 24 year old as opposed to the 26 year old. Both were way too hot for my taste, being 110 proof. I left the store empty handed. It is always a matter of what you like. I like Evan Williams, much more than Jack Daniel's. There are a few nicer bourbons I really like, such as Woodford, but for an every day enjoyment, Evan Williams is perfect on ice and not so hot.

 

[The Knize]

I thought the standard MM bottling was 90 proof. Evan Williams black label is 86 and the green 80, the minimum for something to be called bourbon.

I would say I like my bourbons and ryes to be 100 proof and I do not seem much used in their being above that.

I do not drink most bourbon or rye straight or on the rocks. I suppose one can adjust drinks to the proof to some extent. But I do like a Manhattan to have some substance!

 

[Lightcs1776]

I thought the standard MM bottling was 90 proof. Evan Williams black label is 86 and the green 80, the minimum for something to be called bourbon.

I would say I like my bourbons and ryes to be 100 proof and I do not seem much used in their being above that.

I do not drink most bourbon or rye straight or on the rocks. I suppose one can adjust drinks to the proof to some extent. But I do like a Manhattan to have some substance!

There was a MM trailer at our local store this weekend, so I went to try a nicer bourbon than I would buy for myself. They had a 24 year and 26 year version for tasting, both at 110 proof. I usually drink Evan Williams at 86 proof, on ice, if I have bourbon, which I personally like better than Jack Daniels. Turns out 110 proof was way too hot for my liking. The gentleman giving the samples mentioned caramel notes in the drink, but all I tasted was heat. I have tried a couple other bourbons I like better than Evan Williams, but can't see spending $60 or more per bottle.

 

[Whisky]

There was a MM trailer at our local store this weekend, so I went to try a nicer bourbon than I would buy for myself. They had a 24 year and 26 year version for tasting, both at 110 proof. I usually drink Evan Williams at 86 proof, on ice, if I have bourbon, which I personally like better than Jack Daniels. Turns out 110 proof was way too hot for my liking. The gentleman giving the samples mentioned caramel notes in the drink, but all I tasted was heat. I have tried a couple other bourbons I like better than Evan Williams, but can't see spending $60 or more per bottle.

Are you sure it was MM? I’m pretty familiar with their offerings and have never seen or heard of a 24 or 26yr Bourbon from them. If it was there’s going to be some damage done to my wallet, and possibly me as well when my wife finds out what I bought.
Just a sampling of the MM I have.

 

[Lightcs1776]

Are you sure it was MM? I’m pretty familiar with their offerings and have never seen or heard of a 24 or 26yr Bourbon from them. If it was there’s going to be some damage done to my wallet, and possibly me as well when my wife finds out what I bought.
Just a sampling of the MM I have.
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Yep, they were even doing bottle wax dipping at the trailer. I don't know what the price was for the two samples if I wanted a bottle, but I just didn't enjoy it. The store, Exit 9 Wine and Liquor, even had special bottles made with their logo on it. I have tried Woodford and Elijah Craig, both of which were incredibly tasty compared to Evan Williams, but I still wonder about bourbons like WhistlePig, but I doubt that will ever be sampled at the store. There is another store that has even more expensive bourbon, but I wonder if the price really is worth the likely minor improvement in flavor. But ... it is nice to dream.

 

[The Knize]

I like Evan Williams better than Jack Daniels, too. I sort of get JD. It seems intentionally harsh to me. I think you are on the right track in getting to know bourbons. I do not think Whistle Pig makes a bourbon. But I really do not make much of a distinction between bourbon and rye anyway. 110 proof is very hot, I agree. There are some who think that bourbon cannot handle 20 years plus of aging. You would probably like regular Makers. I suppose it has gone up in price over the years. You should not have to pay $60 for a good bourbon. But Evan Williams is certainly not bad.