Four Roses Private Selection Single Barrel Barrel Strength Bourbon

OESQ - 9yrs 9mos - 120.8 proof. The notes from Four Roses state the Q is floral, banana, refreshing, and medium body. Tried this one neat in glencairn and also a 2nd with splash of water. Nose - caramel, floral, a sweet red fruit aroma, and a little bit of tobacco. For 120.8 proof does not come across as harsh as I would expect. Overall very sweet fragrant. Palate - neat is was mostly caramel on the front end, there was a sugary sweetness, but couldn’t really place it for what kind of fruit, mid palate definitely picked up the floral notes as well as the banana. Did have a nice mouth coating. With the water added it kicked up the sweetness, a strong strawberry jam flavor, the mid spiciness picked up as well. Cinnamon, clove, and pepper. Finish - got a banana nut flavor initially, it fades pretty quick and gives way to little bit of oak, leather, and rose. Is a moderate finish that did dry out the longer it went. It does have a refreshing quality to it, but where I would normally associate refreshing/cooling to mint this didn’t come across as mint to me. It was almost like you had an ice cube sitting in your mouth and then when you spit it out you had that cold mouth sensation. As this is a single barrel and basically a store pick these are going to vary and especially with the different recipes Four Roses has. This pick and the OESQ was one of the more unique bourbons I’ve had recently, and was absolutely spectacular in my opinion. The description from Four Roses is spot on, all of those notes are there, but I thought there was so much more going on. This was a store pick from Crown Liquors in Indianapolis and this was maybe the best store pick I’ve had. For the neat taste this was smooth for 120.8, a lot of flavors, the splash of water also stepped this one up, unique finish with the cooling. If I ever saw an OESQ I would buy it no question. Cheers!

OBSK - vanilla without much heat. Smooth taste without any alcoholic finish.

Very well balance bourbon