whiskey review

Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey (2013) Review

As part of their annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Buffalo Trace releases two rye whiskies:  Thomas Handy Sazerac, a barrel strength version of their regular Sazerac release and Sazerac 18 Year Old.  Both George T Stagg and Sazerac 18 are considered by many the best of the collection.

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Normally a review of this whiskey happens in the fall when this is released, but  I happened to run across a bottle of this recently… and I’m sure glad I did.  This was distilled in the spring of 1985.  When it matured at 18 years, they stopped the aging process by storing the whiskey in stainless steel vats.  This process isn’t uncommon.  Sazerac 18 is also considerably rarer than George T Stagg – 27 barrels versus 157 barrels.  That’s a large variance.  I hear some stores only get 1-2 bottles each fall.

Enough jabbering – how is it?  In a word, refined.  I smell some toffee, a little citrus (orange peel)  and rye earthiness.  When I taste it, this 90 proof Sazerac 18 comes in sweet (fruit & honey) and coats your mouth.  Heck, I even get a tiny hint of chocolate here.  Now, don’t go expecting a Hershey Bar.  The rye spice builds up and tickles the tongue.  There’s also a little oak, but just enough to balance it.  The finish is sweet and slowly fades away.  There is nothing harsh about this whiskey.

Make no mistake, this is one outstanding whiskey.  It’s price tag is about $70, but you’ll probably find it marked up in stores. Is it worth the price? That depends on your budget and how much you enjoy rye whiskey. I’ll easily purchase another bottle IF I run across it again.

One of my new favorite whiskies.

9.5/10

Four Roses Bourbon Review

The Four Roses series ends with a review of their entry label, Four Roses Bourbon.  It’s referred to as their Yellow Label.  This can usually be found in the <$20 price range, and is available almost everywhere. (Thanks to the Baddish Group for the samples.)

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Usually, bourbons under $20 are rough around the edges.  This one not so much.  It is more refined than others I’ve tasted at the same price range.  Four Roses Yellow Label is a lighter style whiskey, like their Small Batch, just not as refined.  When it’s first poured, I get alcohol fumes, slight caramel and corn.  After 5 – 10 minutes the caramel smell really comes out.  Taste-wise, it’s just what I expected – a slightly less refined version of their small batch, which offers a little more complexity. This one, however, isn’t just one note –  Rye earthiness, caramel, corn, spiciness.  The finish is short and spicy with a slightly sweet aftertaste.

This is the only Four Roses label that contains a blend of all 10 of their bourbons.  The Small Batch is a blend of 4, and their Single Barrel is, well, one.    Four Roses Yellow Label is a great value at under $20.  I haven’t tried this one as a mixer because it’s darn good neat and on the rocks.

Cheap and tasty

8/10

Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Last week I posted about Four Roses Small Batch.  Now I’m looking at their Single Barrel offering.  Their Small Batch bourbon was light and delicate.  How does this Single Barrel compare?  (Thanks to the Baddish Group for the sample.)

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Four Roses Single Barrel is exactly that – a single barrel of one of their 10 bourbon recipes.  There was no recipe designation on the sample bottle I received, but it was probably their OBSV recipe, which their website describes as “delicate fruit, spicy, creamy.”  That’s pretty spot on.  Where their Small Batch was a light bourbon, Four Roses Single Barrel has a bit more body to it.  Maybe it’s due to the proof (100, by the way) or the particular bourbon recipe.  There’s a little more depth in the smell – caramel, brown sugar, spiciness and oak.   This is thicker and a bit more syrupy than the small batch.  Taste-wise, it starts sweet (toffee and caramel) and builds up some spiciness.  The finish is moderate, sweet and spicy.

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All in all, this is a solid bourbon, especially at the $35 – $40 price point.  Four Roses does put out a yearly limited edition Single Barrel at a much higher cost.  Some stores buy a barrel and have it bottled at barrel strength.  I bought one such bottle in Nashville for $50, which I’ll get to at some point soon.  I eagerly recommend the standard Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon to anyone looking for a nice, full bourbon.

8.5/10