Four Roses Limited Edition Bourbon Elliott's Select (2016)

This is a Four Roses Elliott’s Select from 2016 of which there were 8000 bottles produced and this one comes in at 120.2 proof from warehouse QN, barrel number 53-4C. I have heard a lot of good things about Four Roses, but don’t think I’ve been able to taste one of their single barrels from them before now. Here’s hoping this one lives up to the legend of these. The nose started off with a ton of ethanol burn when I opened my sample but then after a few minutes that alcohol blast calmed down and started to open up. On the nose the first note I get is a big blast of caramel covered pecan clusters, then came fruit notes of stewed cinnamon apples, peaches, vanilla ice cream, milk chocolate, finishing off with barrel spices, leather and old polished oak with a light ethanol burn. The taste is very viscous and mouth coating with those caramel pecan clusters wrapping around your tongue with milk chocolate and back to those fruits of stewed cinnamon apples, peaches, vanilla ice cream leading to leather, old polished oak and finally barrel spices with a medium ethanol burn before finishing off with a long caramel pecan hug, stewed cinnamon apples, peaches, milk chocolate, leather and old polished oak that lingers for minutes. Wow, this one was incredible!!! The flavors just flow harmoniously together with not one overpowering the other. At 14 years old and with that 120.2 proof, this is a something that was aged just right and bottled at the right proof to get all those great flavors and viscosity. After I finished my tasting notes I had it do a trial by fire against my other 5 star whiskeys I have in stock (Garrison Cowboy and Old Carter Batch 4) and it basically punched out their teeth and crushed their skulls. This one is a monster that I would like to have in my cabinet, but the secondary has gone nuts with the only place I found that had it wanting almost 800 pounds for a bottle. So I’ll be happy with my sample of this and look for a single barrel from Four Roses in the 120 proof range to add to my collection in the future.

So good, just so good. This is all Four Roses' OESK recipe, which is arguably the bourbon community's favorite variation. Because of the use of multiple single barrels, the proof varied from bottle to bottle between 100 and 120 proof. I'm not exactly sure the proof of the sample I tried, although judging by its lack of significant heat, I'd estimate it was in that 50-53% range rather than the higher end. This is (or was, since it's no longer widely available in stores) a stunning bourbon, and the best I've had from Four Roses. The nose exhibits the clarity and potency of flavor that comes only when everything -- distillation, aging, selection -- goes right. Vanilla latte, coconut, strawberry, butterscotch, banana crepe, and oak all have their turn. Then the palate turns to a rich breakfast spread: maple syrup drizzled over vanilla french toast, banana caramel crepes, and a few flecks of chocolate (which I find to be a signature of the OESK recipe). The age manifests as a sweet, lightly spicy oak that provides the frame for the other flavors. Elliott's Select finishes with a balanced conclusion of oak, rye spice, peach, apricot, and honey. This bourbon was $125 at retail, and multiples of that on the secondary market now. If I'd had a chance to buy this at retail, I'd have purchased 2 or 3 bottles.

One pour. The nose - disappointing. Just too subtle. Sun dried oak, brown tobacco... that’s about it. Sun, wood and ethanol. The color is surprisingly light. For what it is worth this bottle probably ha 2-3oz left so excessive oxidation could be playing a role. Entry is soft and flavors start out with vanilla, butterscotch, slight oak astringency, pear, faint tobacco. Second sip just gets better with more caramel and floral notes. More cinnamon, more allspice. I would put this on par with other 4R limited editions I’ve tried. The astringency is its Achilles heel for me. I expect no flaws in this range of fine bottles. Barterhouse 20 territory, slightly better perhaps. Lovely, balanced. But does it meet expectations? Not really, but expectations are a *****.

108 proof. Stupendous nose, rich caramel, honey, vanilla, herbs. Great spice on the tongue, nice mouthfeel. Cinnamon, apples, wood, dark chocolate. Mouth watering with a very long finish. Some sharp (good) flavors but this is well balanced. A credit to Brent Elliott. 6/16/17 Still very good, but this has chanced with air time, and unfortunately to my palate, not for the better. There is a more noticeable bitter note on the palate and the other flavors seem more muted than before. Some might welcome this change but I liked it better the first few times I poured from this bottle. But again, still a very good bourbon. Very warm going down, deep Kentucky hug. 10/8/17

N- carmel - vanilla- oak- cinnamon- chocolate- wonderul- warm- not too strong - close to perfect P- mild- enjoyable- little thin- coukd be that the bottle has been open for years F- sugar- chocolate- tobacco- leather - slow ans low- only way it woikd be better if it had more bite- rhe skow burn / release would last longer It one of the best-delicious- well balanced- amazinf nose and long/warm enjoyable finish

E = The mashbill that is 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley B = The mashbill that is 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley K = Yeast K rich in spiciness, full bodied Q = Yeast Q slightly fruity, spicy, medium bodied O = Yeast O is floral (rose petal), spicy, medium bodied F = Yeast F is more herbal V = Yeast V is delicate fruit, spicy and creamy