Four Roses Private Selection Single Barrel Barrel Strength Bourbon (OBSK)

Citi Wines and Liquors Pick 10y8mo 117.6 Proof 8.8/10 Treble, smarties, vanilla

Liquor City Uncorked pick, "Gallenstein Selection #17" Barrel No. 90-1H; Warehouse No. VW Age - 8 years, 6 months 56.8% abv; 113.6 proof Open 3 months Nose - Spicy caramel, cinnamon, allspice, clove, black pepper, toasted vanilla bean, eucalyptus, mint, medicinal cherry, orange peel, medium oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Toffee, burnt vanilla, heavy rye spice, black pepper, tobacco, mint, burnt orange peel, and cherry cough syrup. Finish is medium-long with spicy oak, brown sugar, black pepper, clove, herbs, and strong ethanol. This is the third Four Roses barrel strength recipe I've had in the last 2 years after years of coming up short. Each time, I'm less impressed, and the price keeps going up. At $75-80, which these were a few years ago, I would have no problem buying any pick. But now they're roughly $100. I don't think the price matches what you're getting. This OBSK pick has some great notes, but I think it is too young. It finishes really hot given the proof. I actually passed up the opportunity to buy two other picks locally this week because of my disappointment with this bottle.

Daveco/5280 pock. 9 yrs 7 mo, 52.9%, warehoise PN, barrel 16-1K Nose: cedar, pins, marshmellow Palette: not too spicy but subtle sweetness like vanilla and marshmellow, mid palette has nutty flavors, more rye mint in the back with oak lingering. Well done

The Four Roses I had was not this private selection but it was an OBSK and oddly enough the first time I tried it I did not like it. After a few weeks it quickly became a favorite of mine and I enjoyed finishing it off with my brother. The spicy profile of the OBSK is right up my alley and I will always buy one of these if I can find it.