Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon (2016)

Sweet and a little lighter. Vanilla leads the eay

Let’s just start by saying I already know that this is going to be good. Four Roses is the type of bourbon I seek. Cherries, oak, cinnamon, etc. I stumbled onto them by pure circumstance and chance while in Nashville and have been a fan ever since. The nose is vibrant and bright. A balance of spearmint and dill blend initially arrive. As it settles down, candy corn, maraschino cherries and oak come through and change or transform into more. This time baking spices: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg with worn leather. And yet the previous aromas still trickle through. A rich, Thanksgiving or late autumn aromas as a whole. The draw onto the palate is warming but not sharp. The body is weighty but not overly thick. It takes the palate a moment to acclimate. Then begins the polar flavorings of sweetness and spice: Brown sugar with grated cinnamon. Vanilla with nutmeg. Orange rind with butterscotch. Caramel popcorn and white pepper. The counter play of flavors are not in any linear flow but dance in pairs and weave amongst each other. As it fades, after some time, the tongue is prickled and senses pins and needles, which subsides in the finish. What remains on the palate lasts quite long. Charred oak, orange bitters, brown sugar that, again, tingles with spicy cinnamon, black pepper and yet a touch of caramel. I reiterate: Four Roses creates bourbons that fall into my wheelhouse. Baking spices, sweet and warming and all with balance. Another wonder creation. Thanks again @PBMichigamWolverine for the chance to sample this quality bourbon. [Tasted: 11/5/18][90/100]

Nose - (w/o water) Fruity, oaky vanilla, dark chocolate covered cherries, light cinnamon (w/ water) no change Taste - (w/o water) Nice cinnamon heat, fruity/floral vanilla, dry vanilla caramel, light dark chocolate bitter, tannic oak, cherries (w/ water) Cinnamon is more muted, more floral than fruity vanilla, caramel, more tannic. Finish - (w/o water) Lingering fruity cinnamon heat, tannic vanilla caramel, light cherry cough drops (w/ water) Less cinnamon burn, more tannic cherry cough drop. Score - 77/100 Final Thoughts - I wasn't too huge a fan of this one. It's not unpleasant, but at the same time it's not amazing. It tastes like a cinnamon/oak forward fruity/floral bourbon. Not any really off-putting flavors, but it tastes a bit over oaked with the tannins on the palate that continue on to the finish. Water doesn't really change it drastically one way or the other. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - No Would I buy a bottle? - No