Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon (2017)

A kind person shared this at a gathering. The host then brought out his 2018, which was also wonderful, but not quite as good as this. I purchased my own bottle, and this pour comes from my mostly full personal bottle. Nose: sweet, menthol, cherry, brown sugar, oak, red fruits, caramel, leather, plum - okay, I can't wait any longer to taste this - cinnamon, with a faint bubble gum aroma. What an incredible nose. I adore this aroma. More cherry, with some spice. Palate: oaky sweetness with a mild burn that lets you hold it in your mouth for an extended period; on the nose and palate, I'm reminded of those popular jolly rancher lollipops, and the flavor alternates between cherry and strawberry. Mmm, this tastes amazing. Finish: it leaves your mouth feeling oily, which I really enjoy. Oaky, a slight tingle, but that's mostly what I detect. The tannins certainly linger for a while, but that's the primary taste on the finish, with a faint strawberry or cherry hint. I really don't want to do this, but I've heard that adding a little water changes this and unlocks more flavors, so, though I hesitate, I'm adding a couple drops (of filtered water from the fridge). After 3 drops of water notes: wow, it's milk chocolate...it still has that rye spice, but now it has an herbal milk chocolate aroma. It's like smelling chocolate gin, if that's a thing. Cherry is returning. I'm getting more spice on the finish. I didn't notice much but spice on the palate. There's a bit more tingle to the palate and less of the oak tannins lingering. The aroma is somewhat like a salted cherry milk chocolate. On the palate, after adding water, I'm not really picking up much besides the mild spice. Maybe some very faint herbal notes? Some spicy banana on the nose. Oh my, it's almost like a banana split smell. You have the gentle vanilla (ice cream), banana, and then the cherry and milk chocolate could be the toppings. Argh, this aroma is so good!! Some butterscotch oak on the palate now. Moving on to the last sip, though I really want another pour... Mmm, more cherry coming through with vanilla bean sweetness. Man, that was so good! I love this bourbon and I believe it's my all-time favorite. I have high hopes that the bottle will continue to improve as I drink it down - maybe I should have a second pour... no, I must resist! Stay strong! This is so good. I might have ordered two backup bottles.... 96/100 - Backups required

Aroma - (without water) Dark leather, vanilla, dark oaky caramel, lightly herbal, hint of dried cherries, dark cocoa powder. (with water) Softens the aroma slightly, more fruity/floral compared to dark tones, more caramel sweetness. Taste - (without water) Fruity cinnamon heat, dry, cherry vanilla, dark caramel, cocoa nib bittersweet. (with water) Light sweet mint, dry, cinnamon spice, sweet vanilla caramels, light cherry. Finish - (without water) Lingering fruity cinnamon heat, light toasted sweet oak bitterness/tannins, dark chocolate cherry, dry. (with water) Mouth feels drier somehow, light herbal/minty cherry, light tannic cherry. Score - 85/100 Final Thoughts - This was an interesting one in that the aroma suggested dark leather, dark fruits, and oak, but the palate was something entirely different. It had a 'dark' vibe, but it was subtle and quite pleasant, aside from the mouth-drying qualities. Nice taste and finish throughout, and the addition of water altered the dynamic, but not significantly. It revealed some herbal, almost rye-like notes on the palate, but paradoxically made it more mouth-drying than neat. Nevertheless, a tasty dram, but the mouth-drying nature was quite peculiar. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes. Would I specifically order it? - No. Would I buy a bottle? - No.

This is the fifth of six tasted this evening. I've longed to try this, and it met my expectations. It immediately brought to mind some excellent single barrels, but with a bit more aged character and dustiness on the nose. The bubblegum and buttered toast are very prominent. The palate has a medium thickness in consistency but is soft and almost lively. There's no heat, and a burst of Juicy Fruit, candy necklaces, and a spice reminiscent of sandalwood. I could drink this all day. Interestingly, it reminds me in some ways of the balance achieved with Cream of Kentucky 13y. The profile is quite different, of course, but the easygoing and balanced palate is present. While Jim Rutledge departed Four Roses in 2015, and this limited edition is the craft of Brent Elliott, I would argue there's a positive legacy that carries over, at least to this 2017 blend, which has Jim’s influence.

Nose: vanilla and caramel, as well as a spice I can't quite identify but it evokes Christmas... Color is unimportant to me as it doesn't really affect my enjoyment of this or any other beverage. Taste: very light oil initially, then slight vanilla again. Most of the flavor disappears for me, leaving only a burn, an enjoyable burn but still a burn. Adding water is almost essential, just a few drops and it transforms completely; the burn takes longer to start, allowing for longer enjoyment of the subtlety. Overall, it's too subtle for me. I find myself searching for the complexity but never quite grasping it.

Initially not to my liking. It was hot with much spice, but it lacked the sweetness of proper bourbon and the complexity of a high rye. I imagine it would be good in an old fashioned, but one wouldn't select this bottle for that purpose. It improves significantly as it sits. The sweetness increases, and the spice softens to notes of cinnamon, warm oak, black pepper, and chocolate. The finish is adequate at best.

It begins sweetly with notes of dark fruit, stewed fruit, sweet vanilla, soft oak, a touch of menthol, allspice, and vanilla bean. Its rich character adds caramel, oiled orange sweets, hints of raspberry, cherry, milk chocolate, butterscotch, and charred oak. It finishes long with hints of brown sugar, ginger, spice, clove, and cinnamon. September 2018 / January 2019 / August 2022