Oh Taste & See: Four Roses Small Batch

A few months back I took a trip to the Four Roses Distillery in Kentucky. While there I picked up a bottle of Four Roses Small Batch in the gift shop - mostly because it came packaged with a really nice rocks glass and muddler. Well I finally got around to opening up the bottle a few days ago, and given how much respect I have for Four Roses Yellow Label, I was a bit disappointed at my first few drams of the Small Batch. However, now that I'm sitting down to really taste and review it I have to say it has grown on me and it's not a bad bourbon at all.

Like all Four Roses expressions, the Small Batch is very smooth, so if you drink bourbon for the 'bite and burn' this one might not appeal to you. But if you like a nice smooth, relaxed whiskey you'll probably like it, although I'm not sure if the Small Batch (about $36) is worth the premium over the Yellow Label (about $18). My initial reaction to it was that it was medicinal and watery, but I'm coming around after a few subsequent drinks, so maybe I just need to give it some time. In any case, my impression from my current glass is below.

Color: Honey brown with orange shades here and there. A perfectly middle-of-the-road bourbon color, neither light or dark.

Nose: Light and thin in aroma, not much at all to the nose. What is there is a hint of orange and some light vanilla and caramel notes.

Flavor: The Four Roses Small Batch is smooth and easy-sipping, especially for a 90 proof, 'higher-rye' recipe. It does have some peppery notes, but I wouldn't call it spicy. There are also some vanilla, leather, and grain flavors. I am impressed that it manages to be so smooth without being overly sweet, since many bourbons use excessive sweetness to smooth out their rough edges.

Finish: This is where the Small Batch sets itself apart from the standard Four Roses Yellow Label. The finish is long and slow with all the flavors bouncing around for a good while, especially the peppery and grainy tastes. There's even a hint of pine flavor that gives it a really clean-feeling finish. Unlike some other 90+ proof bourbons the long-finish is not just alcohol burn, but is really full of nice flavors.

Overall Four Roses Small Batch is a nice bourbon, especially if you're looking for something super smooth, but still interesting to sip. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's worth double the cost of Four Roses Yellow Label which I consider a top-notch value, but it's worth a try if you get a chance.

Distillery Tour: Maker's Mark

On the same trip during which I visited MB Roland Distillery I also had a chance to tour the Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto, KY about an hour south of Louisville. Maker's has long been my go-to whiskey when I'm at a new bar or restaurant because it is consistently delicious - straight-up, on the rocks, or as a Manhattan - and it is available almost everywhere you go. Seeing the place where this iconic, red-wax-capped whiskey is made would be a nice treat indeed.

I missed the first few minutes of the 3:30pm tour because this distillery is really tucked away into the rolling hills of Kentucky's bluegrass region, and it took a few minutes longer to get there than my GPS predicted. I was cutting it close to begin with because I couldn't help but stop at for a few minutes at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site which you pass on the way to Loretto when approaching from the south. As I rolled through the small town of Loretto I could tell we were getting close to the distillery because I started to see large complexes of barrel-houses along the side of the road. The red-and-black paint-jobs on the barrel houses indicated to me that they must belong to Maker's Mark, but it was still a winding 10 minute drive from the time I saw the first barrel-house until I crossed a small bridge across a burbling brook and saw the sign welcoming me to the Maker's Mark Distillery.

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