As you are probably aware, this is the last installment of a five-part series where I pit various Limited Edition bottles of Four Roses against each other, bracket-style. The idea grew out of a conversation I had with Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot last September. When I mentioned that I had bottles of this release going back to 2012, he asked what I was saving them for. Not having a good answer to that, I decided then and there that he was right and that I needed to have some fun with them. And since I couldn't get a bottle of 2020's version, it seemed like the right time to open them up and revisit a little yummy goodness.
Tonight we get to see which of these I liked best. My friend Fred Minnick picked 2013 as his Best Bourbon of the 21st Century So Far. If you’ve been following along, you will know that 2013 lost in the first round in a head-to-head taste-off. But, we all have different palates and we all like different things. This is what makes whiskey so much fun to talk about. Besides, 2013 was delicious. It came so close to winning its matchup.
Tonight we are looking at Round2 and the Championship all at once. I’ve been sitting on these results for over a month now and I can’t take it anymore. So without further adieu, let’s get down to it. We aren’t going to go into tasting notes, since we already did that. This is just comparative thoughts for each matchup. And remember, these were tasted completely blind from identical bottles labeled only with an alphanumeric code.
Four Roses Brackets Limited Edition Small Batch, Round 2
2015 vs. 2017
2015 has a nicer nose. Both are fruity but 2015 has more depth to the nose. 2015 has a better mouthfeel and leads with more spicy notes. 2017 is more fruit-forward and has a thinner mouthfeel relative to 2015. But, I love the way that the fruit presents on the 2017 edition. This is super tough but I think I have to give the nod to 2015.
2019 vs. 2012
The noses on these two are fairly similar. Sweet notes and oak. On the mouth, the 2019 edition is richer than the 2012 one. On my first sip of 2019, I just sighed and said "that tastes like classic Four Roses." And because of all that, 2019 advances.
Championship: 2019 vs. 2015
Once again, 2015 has a nicer nose. Sweeter and very slightly richer. On the mouth, 2019 is richer, spicier, and hotter. 2015 is fruitier but still brings the spice." But in the end, 2019 and that "classic Four Roses" flavor wins the day.
So there you have it. In my estimation, last year’s version of Four Roses Limited Small Batch was the best to that point. It was shocking since I remember liking some of them, like 2016, so much in the initial tasting. If asked ahead of time, I would have sworn that 2016 was going to with the whole thing. In fact, I even told Brent Elliot when I talked to him about last year’s, that I preferred 2018. The same 2018 that didn’t make it out of the first round. I guess it just goes to show that memories are fallible and tasting isn’t a science. As I always say, this is what I thought of and how much I liked a whiskey on that day. Another day might bring another mood which might bring another feeling about what is in my glass.
But before we close out this competition, I saved just a taste of the 2020 sample to compare against the eventual winner. And I have to say, although it was tough and both were delicious, 2020 was the winner for both of us. It had all the spice and heat of 2019, but brought just a touch more fruit to the party. Which, when we are talking about Four Roses, is totally what I come for. Congrats to Brent Elliot and crew.
Ok. Regular posts return Thursday. Thanks for coming along on this exploration with me and allowing me to miss my trip to Kentucky a little less.
Special thanks to Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot for inspiring this series of posts.
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