The Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch is increasingly hard to find but is often one of the best bourbon releases of the year. Last fall's release was a combination of the following four Four Roses bourbons: 16 year old OBSK, 15 and 14 year old OESK, and 11 year old OBSV (the B recipes have a higher rye content than the Es).Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition 2015, 54.3% ($100)
The nose has deep rich caramel with some orange rind and lots of oak. The palate opens with huge caramel, then oak, followed by some tannic notes. The finish picks up anise, rye and some medicinal notes. There is some astringency on the late palate, but it fades with air.
This is a very nice, well balanced bourbon. It has a degree of complexity that was lacking in the 2014 Four Roses Small Batch, though I wouldn't say it rises to the level of the stellar releases of 2012 and 2013. Still, it's very good and worth buying if you can find it at a decent price (which I know is a challenge).
BRILLIANT observation. “Disaster Whiskies” of the human sort. Makes one wonder how much legitimate legends like the “accidental” Springbank “Double Dark” were to blame for this contemporary marketing ploy. If only most distillery errors resulted in such grandeur.
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