Four Gate The Bluegrass Trilogy (Batch 15.3)

Served neat. First pour. This completes the trilogy. Each installment introduces a new finishing layer. I managed to acquire this specific bottle individually, naturally opting for the maximum finishing treatment. Port, Sherry, and Dark Rum. Delightful. The bourbon is a combination of 6, 9, and 12-year-old Kentucky bourbons. Based on the mash bill, the 12-year-old is likely Barton. For a $200 bottle, one hopes it contains more 12-year-old than 6-year-old. A slight apprehension given the price, but Four Gate consistently amazes me. On the nose, it's much more understated than I expected. My initial impression was raisin cinnamon bread. The port is evident, almost like plum juice. I'm detecting a pleasant layer of raspberry-infused milk chocolate. It's similar to Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chip ice cream. Oh, there's also a note of cheesecake. This possesses more complexity than first apparent. Abundant fruit, very dark, and the bourbon is certainly masked by all the finishing. The aroma is wonderful. On the palate, the texture is quite velvety. The initial tastes on the tongue are superb. Very, intensely sweet. Vanilla ice cream and that cheesecake flavor hit immediately. The raisin cinnamon bread is present too. The mid-palate is dominated by that Black Raspberry Chip. Those flavors carry through to the finish, which lasts for ages. That chocolate really lingers. I'm noticing a hint of vanilla frosting with subsequent sips. I'm also detecting a root beer note on the finish. An absolute explosion of flavor. The flavors here are potent and finely tuned. The finish truly endures. You can almost chew it. I've never encountered anything that delivers these specific notes; I'm very fond of it. The finish is still with me; it's been about 2 minutes since the last sip, and I'm experiencing waves of flavors. I'm not inclined to purchase the entire trilogy, but this is intriguing enough to warrant consideration. I'm curious to see how each finishing layer contributes.

Nose: Plums and raisins with oak spice and layers of dark fruity elements over a caramel base. Make ZERO mistake, alcohol is here and it's NOT subtle. There's an element of pretty young heaven hill based bourbon to me. Still it's pretty darn fruity and very nice. Taste: BIG, really bold bourbon with huge layers of vanilla and dark fruits, light chocolates, and all kinds of sweet sweet elements here. But then we get all this really aggressive pure bourbon elements. I have to say, this has really improved since opening and drinking about 40% of it. It's really nicely done and I have to give credit here, the younger bourbons have with time become less prevalent and I'm digging this one a lot more. Surprisingly strong score here at 3.0. Even the smallest drop of water really mellows some of bitter oak notes and pushes more sweetness and creamy mouthfeel out.

A very smooth rum introduction with a lingering tawny finish. Rich, warm, and with vanilla notes.