Tastes

Vanilla for days on the nose. No ethanol burn. Cinnamon, raspberries, apples, finishes with a perfect, long-lasting warmth. Probably one of the best Four Roses you’ll ever try. A fitting tribute to Al.

If this isn’t a perfect bourbon, there isn’t one out there. Beautiful deep amber color matches the thick and rich mouthfeel. All your favorite baking scents on the nose - honey, vanilla, brown sugar. On the palate a bit of cherry and blackberry join the mix and add some dimension but this is not a fruity bourbon. Finish lasts for days and introduces leather and a touch of spice to go along with the sweetness. Heat is very much in check despite weighing in at 114 proof, as is the oak for a bourbon that has rested in the barrel for 20 years. Everything is balanced to perfection. It kills me knowing how inaccessible this bourbon is and how little of it I will get to enjoy in this lifetime.

It’s amazing how much of an improvement this is over regular Maker’s Mark. Creamy, vanilla, fruit, oak. Pleasant and approachable yet still full-bodied.

Inviting nose. Vanilla and oak initially, but letting it sit in the glass for a good while really allows the fruit to open up. On the palate, less honey than last year’s release. Caramelized sugar and a delightful warming spice give way to the dark fruits that seem to be so characteristic of Buffalo Trace. But then they exit for a finish that is the oak and leather you’d expect from an 18 year bourbon. Once again I think this line has really benefited from the proof bumping up to 101 a couple years back. It’s no brute compared to some of its BTAC siblings but the extra 11 points really give it some character. If you’ve ever had Blanton’s Gold compared to regular Blanton’s, you know what I’m talking about.

Trash. The nose is uninviting and it doesn’t get any better from there. Gasoline, band-aids, and some awful smokiness. I’d rather drink Malört.

Pretty bold on the nose. Cinnamon and cherry, but also a little funky spice, like ginger. A sleeper on the palate... it gets off to a really slow start. For the first second or two, I don’t taste much of anything, just a little warmth, and then it starts to blossom. Stays true to the cherries and brown sugar, but it goes out with a whimper. The finish is shorter and with an herbal oak spice, but not a powerful one. It’s pleasant and has no offensive qualities but I have a hard time with the price tag on this one.

Beautiful dark copper color. Sweet, citrusy nose... orange? After that, it gets very different. Vanilla, oak... smooth, dry, spicy... no burn to be found anywhere.

Dreamy. Nose full of honey, wood, and dark fruit. Don’t stick your nose in the glass, let this one come to you, because it really blossoms... and if you get too big of a nose it can overwhelm. Cherry and vanilla on the palate, sweet and smooth with just the right amount of spice joining the party late... neither syrupy, nor punchy, nor over-oaked. Finish lasts forever, with the fruit exiting first and wood/spice lingering with a pleasant warmth. Unlike some of its barrel proof BTAC siblings, this one’s a soft-spoken all-star.

Not fantastic on the nose, smoky and even slightly astringent. Better on the palate, notes of chocolate, marshmallow, oak. Sweet without fruit. Long oak finish.