This past June, I sat down with a few of my fellow whisk(e)y lovers to select a single barrel from Four Roses Distillery. We had 4 samples from which to make our selection. We tasted blind so that our initial impressions would not be influenced by stats like proof, recipe, etc. After some discussion and debate, we selected a 10-year-old OBSV which we feature as this quarter’s club selection. Longtime club member (and recently awarded Master of Bourbon) Kevin Malta was among those who selected the barrel with me, and he was kind enough to provide his tasting notes as well as some history of Four Roses. Here’s wishing you a wonderful holiday season. See you in 2025!
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Four Roses Private Selection Single Barrel OBSV (Aged 10 years 1 month) |
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Location: Lawrenceburg, KY |
Four Roses, an iconic Kentucky Bourbon started in the late 1880s, has a storied history marked by resilience and innovation. After surviving Prohibition as one of six distilleries with a medicinal license, the brand thrived through the 1930s and 1940s before being acquired by Seagrams. Under Seagrams’ ownership, Four Roses became an export-only product, and began to prioritize bottom-shelf blends, tarnishing its domestic reputation. However, the passion and dedication of industry legends like Jim Rutledge and Al Young brought Four Roses back to the US in the early 2000s, and restored Four Roses’ legacy. Today, Four Roses is iconic for its 10 recipes derived from two mashbills and five yeast strains—a nod to Seagrams’ five historic bourbon-producing sites. Their whiskey is aged in single-story “flathouses,” which minimize temperature fluctuations between the barrels, ensuring a consistent maturation process. These flathouses allow their yeast-derived flavors to shine. This month's club pick is a Tier 3 OBSV Four Roses Single Barrel pick, aged 10 years and 1 month, and bottled at 58.4% ABV. While we initially hesitated to choose the OBSV, because it mirrors the recipe of the 50% ABV core expression, we had no choice after trying this flavor bomb! As a big Four Roses fan, I can confidently say this is one of the best OBSVs I've had the pleasure of trying—I hope you enjoy it too. Cheers! -Kevin Malta, Master of Bourbon (https://www.whiskeymasters.org/master-of-bourbon) |
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Price: $114.99 |
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Proof/ABV: 116.8/58.4% |
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Tasting Notes: The nose welcomes you with notes of vanilla, spearmint, tart raspberry, and fresh flower stems. Deeper undertones of leather, sweet oak, caramel, and a hint of nougat add richness and depth. The palate opens boldly with a burst of spicy black pepper, polished leather, cooling mint, juicy pear, dark cherries, and vanilla. As it develops, layers of caramel, ripe apricot, raspberry, and creamy nougat sweetness unfold, culminating in a long, lingering finish. (Sampled after resting 30 minutes in the glass. I recommend letting this whiskey breathe before sampling.) |
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