Four Roses Single Barrel (Vons) Warehouse SN, Barrel 36-4 U

Color: Media Copper-Amber Nose: Sweet! I always want to say molasses, but this might be that elusive "vanilla" I'm always hearing about but never quite get. The Mrs. says, "candy corn". Some vague "fruit" is coming through... I stepped away for a minute to let my nostrils reset, and yes — first sniff back hit me with "citrus", as in orange peel. Nice nose on this one... Palate: (Drank with an ice cube) First sip is a nice balance of sweet and spicy. Mild chest hug. Oaky... woody... spicy. There's something "menthol-y" that I get from some pours, and this is one of them. Hard to describe, but it's almost "cooling" on the tongue. Interesting juxtaposition with the (slight) heat in the chest. The melting ice is bringing out more... some "pepper" Finish: This is a fairly long one with spice, oak, and that "cool menthol" thing going on. Final Thoughts: This is quite good. What makes it even better is that my wife surprised me with it this week. Someone she works with had a few bottles sitting around on his shelf, and he gave her one... she doesn't drink, but accepted it knowing I do. It's a solid textbook bourbon with some added depth thrown in. I don't often use the word, "balanced" when reviewing bourbon. But I will here — this sports a very balanced flavor profile. One more thing... disregard the "$$$$" price range. I mistakenly entered the Barrel Proof price when I created this bottle in Distiller. It's a $50-ish bottle. I never know if there's really any point in posting a review for what is a very specific bottle. But, if you reside in Southern California, and come across this or any other SiB from Vons/Albertsons/Pavilions... grab one!