Tastings: Four Roses Small Batch

A couple of good friends and fellow bourbon lovers have been telling me of their fondness for Four Roses Small Batch and one of them went as far as to declare it his current favorite bourbon.  Whenever I hear accolades about a certain bourbon, it's only a matter of time before I give it my full attention.  When I came across a 750 ml bottle at my local drug store for an amazing special price of $24.99, I knew it was time to try it out.

As I've said before, I don't give a new to me bourbon a final grade until I try it at least twice and in at least two different times of year.  The reason I do this is, I'm becoming more and more convinced that bourbons and whiskeys taste different in different environments and different seasons.  My first taste of FRSB came in the dead of an especially crappy Kentucky winter and I think that had some effect on my interpretation.  That said, I can honestly say FRSB is a very solid bourbon especially at the price I paid but, given my friends build up it was just a little below super bourbon status but, I'm looking forward to spring to see how some warm weather and blossoms might change my attitude.  Don't get me wrong, if this is all I had to drink any time of the year, I'd be more than happy.

My brief synopsis is, it's got a great nose that's almost like a perfume aroma and it's got a fairly long finish after a good chewy mouth feel that's got elements of char under some rye spice and vanilla flavors that were just a little less complex than I was expecting.  Still, it's a fantastic bourbon for the price point.

I'm not usually into packaging all that much but, I've got to say, they really knocked it out of the park on this one.  A nice heavy glass bottle that has a raised glass four roses in the cut out part of the label and, it's all topped off with a nice big cork and wood stopper on top.  It's a masterpiece of understated class.

The label declares FRSB is a blend of four selected bourbons and it's 90 proof.  If you like bourbon you'll appreciate what's inside the bottle as well as what's on the outside.