2016 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch
Decadently sweet with plenty of rye spice, Four Roses continues its amazing streak of fantastic releases in this line.
*Special Thanks to Chip D. for acquiring this bottle.*
What it is
The granddaddy of the Four Roses lineup, the Limited Edition Small Batch is amongst the most sought after releases each year. Limited to under 10,000 bottles, the 2016 variant is a mixture of 12 year old OESO recipe, 12 year old OBSV recipe, and 16 year old OESK recipe.
This is the first Small Batch Limited Edition released since the retirement of long-time Master Distiller, Jim Rutledge. And while Brent Elliott is the Master Distiller today, this is still a combination of bourbons distilled under Rutledge’s watch.
- 55.6% ABV (111.2°)
- Style: Straight Bourbon
- Mash Bill: Combination of three Four Roses recipes
- Recipes: OESO (12 years), OBSV (12 years), and OESK (16 years)
- Age: 12 Years
- Availability: Limited
- Bottle # 48 of 9,258 total bottles
- MSRP: $100/750ML
- Producer: Four Roses, Lawrenceburg, KY
Appearance
Reddish Amber
Nose
The first whiff from a Glencairn is strong bananas, but there is an underlying sweetness from caramel immediately as well. Behind that, there are notes of oak, vanilla, peaches, and apricots.
Palate
Sweet fruits dominate the front palate with , oranges, cherries, and peaches. The mid palate is hit with smooth oak, The rear palate gets rye, black pepper underplayed with a decadent white vanilla bean and custard note that adds a rich creaminess to the palate.
Finish
This is a long finish, but it is devoid of bitterness. There are strong peppery flavors with the vanilla custard notes lingering.
Synopsis
Easy drinking and decadently sweet, this is classic Four Roses. The OESK plays strongly on the nose with lots of banana, and adds to the custard sweetness on the finish as well. All in all, this is a very interesting sip in the juxtaposition of spice versus sweet, as both sensations are prominent, and yet don’t compete with each other in the glass. One of the better releases of the season.
ModernThirst.com rating: 93 out of 100 points.
6 Comments
Good review Bill.
Is it worth the $100 price tag?
If any bourbon is, then yes. It’s excellent.
10,000 bottles
not
10,000 cases
Fixed. Thanks for the heads up!
Thanks for the great review. Can’t wait to try it! This is the only limited allocation I can get each year, and that’s fine by me. I’ll be eager to see how it stands up to the ’14 and ’15. Elliot has some big barrels to fill after Mr. Rutledge, but I liked the Elliot’s Select, so I expect this to be stellar as well.
You mentioned OESF instead of OESK twice, which is a mistake on your part. There is 16 yr OESK, and no OESF at all in this blended bottle.