Adaminak
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed
April 16, 2017 (edited February 10, 2023)
My initial "3" rating was based on a very young palate. A palate that was woefully inexperienced with regard to good bourbon as a whole, and so enamored with the boldness of peaty Scotch that little else failed to impress. Now, four years and probably 20 different bourbons later, I can confidently say my palate has grown, and a whisky doesn't have to be sherry-casked or peated for me to appreciate what it offers. I also recognize my 2013 rating definitely didn't do this bottle justice. This is bottling 49-2R, still at 50% ABV. Nose is sweet, with vanilla and caramel leading the way before an undercurrent of alcohol heat takes over and obscures pretty much everything else. A few minutes in the glass and pushing past the vanilla I can discern vegetals that remind me strongly of dried English breakfast tea, and then the smell of my high school shop class after working on wood; a whiff of fine sawdust, glue, hot oily machinery and faintly burned wood from the friction of the blades. After a moment, that too fades to demerara sugar and vanilla again. Very nice, and a pretty good blast of nostalgia for me as well! Palate is smooth and creamy, and leads with heat, but it's a slow, smooth heat that coats your tongue from front to back before it gets hot. Sweet and tart follow, arriving in the form of toffee and dark bitter chocolate. As the chocolate fades, I recognize quite a bit of oak, and then I realize it's actually been there in the background all along, as if tying things together. The finish falls apart just slightly when the wood overpowers the sweet, syrupy flavors, and gives a flash of bitter that diminishes the otherwise smooth and sweet fade . Were it not for the woodiness popping out to scream "HELLO!!" in the finish, this would be on the edge of a 5. As it is, it's still a 4.5, and something that will be a regular member of whisky rack. Paired to music, this would be Midnight Rider, by Greg Allman; lively and upbeat, but with depth, character and passion.
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If you enjoyed the Taylor, you might try to find a bottle of Elijah Craig 18 year, or dip into the Canadian pool and find a bottle of the Crown Royal Cornerstone Blend or their Hand Selected Barrel.
Adam, very impressed with Col. EH Taylor. Gave it a 4 star rating; thanks for recommendation.
Rick; I'm envious that you can find any Weller's! They're very, very different in profile, but both very good. The Weller 107 is much sweeter, but it's young and has a fair amount of heat. It also has a lot of cinnamon, which is very unusual for a wheated bourbon. At $22 a bottle, I'd buy two just because :-) The Taylor is a good old-fashioned bourbon; rich, sweet, oily, and filled with vanilla, caramel and brown sugar. I would start with this bottle, and see what you think. If you want a little lighter, go to the Wellers; if you like what you find, the next stop would probably be a bottle of Jim Beam 12yr or Elijah Craig 18yr.
Adam, thanks for your lengthy response. I know what you mean about drinking the good stuff versus the bad. I found an old bottle Woodford Reserve Bourbon in my war chest that hasn't touched in a decade. The cork stopper was dried out and loose, so it probably lost an inch to evaporation. It smelled so much like paint remover I didn’t know whether to drink it or use it to refinish the cabinets. It tasted a little better than the nose, but not high on my list of likables. Locally, I’ve found Old Weller Antique 107 for $22 and Col. E.H. Taylor Small Batch for $35. Both are highly rated, but which would you recommend?
Rick; The biggest reason I tried bourbon and rye again was availability and variability. My stock up here in Alaska is simply too small for me to find new and interesting Scotch every couple of months. I also took it as a chance to see how far my palate had shifted over the years, as well as give a few of the new offerings a chance. I tried a variety of bottles that I hadn't had previously as well as a few that I recalled well, and after being honest with myself I realized I'd been short-changing bourbon based on my younger experiences with cheaper mid-range drinks. Just like I won't pre-judge a Tobermory based on a bottle of JW Red or Dewars, I also won't let the horror of Jack Daniels detract from the potential in a bottle of Booker's or Fitzgerald's. I just read a few of your reviews and it seems you have a wide-ranging preference in Scotch. Someone who equally enjoys Dalwhinnie (sweet/floral/honey) and Lagavulin (peat/smoke/leather) must be able to discern the unique flavors in each and enjoy those flavors individually because based on my experience, the two share nothing other than country of origin! That being said, I suggest you start your trip back to bourbon with something rich and heavy in body. Try the E. H. Taylor Small Batch or the Bottled in Bond. If you can find a bottle of Weller's 107 or Weller's 12 year, those are exceptional in their own right, and quite a bit different from typical bourbon and rye. You might also consider a bottle of the Beam 12 year if you want a little more sweetness, or the Woodford Reserve Rye if you want a lot more spice. Of course, any of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection would be exceptional as well, but good luck finding any.
Hi Adam, your review is probably a good description of someone like me; however, I started my whisky journey with bourbon and rye and transitioned to scotch based on personal preference. I still read the bourbon reviews with interest but wonder if there’s any going back. It’s like telling someone who enjoys a dry white wine that they need to like Riesling. My plan is to give bourbon another try, so what do you recommend based on my comments.
This is really a great bourbon. I was sipping on some all Friday night. It had been a while since I had some and the mood struck me so I had a glass. I loved it so much I took a picture of the glass and changed my profile picture lol. One of my favorite bourbons. Great review