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

Iowa pick. 11 years 2 months . Fruity, wonderful Aroma and great balanced palette.

France 44 2021 store pick. Strong vanilla cake. Oak tannins. Faint pine needle. Some rye spice. Sweet.

OESO (11 yr 11 mo 111.6 proof) vs OBSO (8 yr 11 mo 116.6 proof). Recording the matchup here. Never had either recipe but I’m excited to give it a shot! OESO nose: very dark and sweet nose. Like pure strawberries almost. I can understand why people pay so much for this strain. Delicate but rich at the same time. OBSO nose: honestly very very similar to the OESO nose. Maybe a tiny bit more caramel and spice and a little less fruit forward. Some juicy fruit gum on the second go. OESO palate: holy cow. So rich and bold and super sweet. Very thick mouthfeel. Drinks right at its proof id say. Not as oily as some bourbons I’ve had but this is very good. OBSO palate: sweet initially but a big ol burn from the middle palate to the throat. Not overbearing honestly. Just the rye showing itself. Might be a bit thicker mouthfeel than the OESO but the spice definitely comes through and is significant. OESO finish: honestly a strange finish. A little on the bitter side. But medium/long length. OBSO finish: sweet and a bit minty finish. Medium length. Overall: both are very good bourbons. This matchup probably has the most difference between the two as opposed to the other recipes I’ve tried. For me, I enjoy a little pepper but it’s not my go-to favorite. The mellow sweetness of the OESO wins it for me. Still both are great

Reviewing a Kroger pick at 8 years, 7 months. Nose is maple syrup and cinnamon. I poured this into a grappa glass, drank half, got distracted by life, and came back an hour later. It has opened up incredibly. Flavor is spicy, peppery, and winey, almost like this has a Pinot noir finish with long-lasting notes of honey and red berries in the finish that just lingers and lingers. With my very last sip of the last few drops in the glass, I was left with a delicious impression of butterscotch pudding. Fantastic

Mw25 binnys. Superb.