Sunday, December 29, 2013

Four Roses Small Batch LE 2013 (125th Anniversary)

Hello from The Blundon Bourbon Review!  Four Roses is known for using a multitude of recipes in their small batch bourbon and the 2013 vintage contains the following: OBSV- 18 years/ OBSK- 13 years/ OESK 13 years.

As with all four roses LE releases, this 750ML bottle is barrel strength (uncut w/ water) and is 103.2 proof. It was purchased for $89.99

Color: Caramel and Amber

Nose: Sweet corn, creamy vanilla, cherries, cigars, oak.

Taste: Rye spice from beginning to end. Raspberries, cherries, apricot. Brown sugar, vanilla. The 18 year old in the blend adds a little oak tannin but it is balanced fairly well by the sweetness of the other two 13 year old blends.

Finish: Sweetness and fruitiness linger for gentle yet warming finish. 

Conclusion: There are a lot of subtle flavors that create an overall balanced bourbon. The fruit notes are delicious and live up to the Four Roses brand. It falls short on the depth expected for a limited release. This is very good and I enjoyed reviewing it, but It doesn't hold a candle to vintage 2012.

 My Rating: B+ (Very Good)

No comments:

Post a Comment