Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon (2019)

I thought I was going to reserve the 5 star rating for Bookers 30th, but here we are again. Raise the glass slowly at a tilt, breathe in with the nose. You'll smell a smell so wonderful that they make candles out of it. It smells like a rickhouse with vanilla candles scattered throughout. The palate extends fully on the spectrum: berries and cream, tobacco, butterscotch with a slight hint of citrus. The finish hits every note perfectly with a long, warm oak and raspberry finish. Oily mouthfeel to keep it going. This is Four Roses version of Craft Your Perfect Bourbon and they hit the nail right on the head. It's perfect.

N: Gingerbread cookies and orange zest. T: Cinnamon, honey and a hint of fresh peach. F: Bold rye spice and spicy oak.

Neat. Neck pour. A fresh cinnamon roll to start. Quite a bit of delicious oak and vanilla. The nose has this rich and creamy presence within that vanilla. There is a sweetness that takes over the longer I sit with it. Dark cherries emerge. Creamy and smooth on the tongue. Quite oily. Oh that is good. Waves of flavors that just keep coming. First on the tongue, it’s brighter than I was expecting with that rich vanillas and hit of apple dominating rather than the spice, cinnamon or oak. On the taste it transitioned to this delightful chocolate then into oak and cinnamon. It mutes for a second and then you get a second wave of oak and vanilla. The tannins dry the mouth a bit. Just when you think it’s over the vanilla finds it’s way back as your mouth tries to counter balance the drying. Then in my mouth I can still chew on the cherry. What a delightful ride. The nose is still changing too. That chocolate note and oak are taking center stage. This is perfect.

Great! If you like small batch Four Roses, you wont be disappointed here. For the price I think there is a lot of competition to fight with and would have to cut it against it’s price weight class.