Review by: The Muskox

This was the first whisky poured for me by one of my new American friends. My all-time favourite bourbon is a Four Roses pick, so I’m very excited to try another one, albeit a different recipe.

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Distillery: Four Roses.

Bottler: Official bottling.

Style/Region: Straight Bourbon / Kentucky.

ABV: 62.6%. Barrel strength.

Age: 10 years and 5 months.

Cask type: New charred oak.

Price: N/A, sample.

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Nose: Earthy and fragrant. Lots of old dusty leather, along with black licorice, black pepper, moss, and a surprising salty character. Pancakes with maple syrup and fresh berries. Fragrant citrus peels, orange in particular. There’s a surprisingly floral character here, which I understand is sort of a thing with Four Roses. Dark-roast coffee and salted chocolate. Muddy cowboy boots – American enough for you?.

Palate: Medium texture. Arrives with earth, juicy dark cherries, black licorice, browned butter, chocolate-covered coffee beans, and rich baking spices. Develops to word leather and oak that’s strong but not overly tannic. Some rye here, sarsaparilla, cumin, and smoky dried chilis.

Finish: Medium-length. Caramel and brown bananas. Lingering leather and earth. Rye, fennel, and black pepper. A little vanilla.

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Conclusion: This is great! I’m definitely one of those scotch drinkers who likes to say that “all bourbon tastes the same” to piss people off. Of course, that isn’t true, and I proved it to myself by pouring this whiskey immediately after the Maker’s Private Selection that I reviewed yesterday. This Four Roses is so much drier, earthier, and more herbal. It scratches that depth-and-complexity itch for me in a way that American whisky rarely does. The Maker’s pick might have been a gorgeously sweet dessert, but this thing is an all-the-fixings Thanksgiving dinner. And now I’m hungry.

Final Score: 90.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.