4 Roses Single Barrel 2011 Limited Edition

[DreamTheater]

Let me start off by saying it takes precious little to impress me with bourbon. I currently have 40 bottles of bourbon sitting behind me on my desk ranging from Cabin Still all the way to a couple bottles of Woodford Reserve Master's Collection; all four of this year's high-end releases from Buffalo Trace; etc.

I bought this as I've been trying to collect all of the great rare bourbons in my state (Nebraska) which has abysmal selection for the most part.

I paid $70 for it.

And my god. I am so disappointed. So at full cask strength I find it undrinkable unless cut. That is totally reasonable so far. But as I cut it down, carefully tasting it as I go so as to try and find the perfect point of water to whiskey, I find that it noses alright. But as I taste it, all the way up until the point where I feel like it is adequately cut all I get is Isopropyl Alcohol flavor. Bad.

So fine one may argue. "keep cutting". No. I finally get it where it tastes "decent". And I am left with a drinkable bourbon but it tastes very heavy on the wheat side (not inherently a bad thing at ALL) but absolutely single-faceted.

I just cannot find my way into this bottle. I'm going to shelve it for a number of months and hope to hell it ceases being so bad.

Do you guys have any thoughts?

[WhiskyToWhiskey]

Sounds like something was not right. Mark down the info on front of bottle and email the 4 roses site maybe. It could be their error at distillery, in maybe bottling a barrel too young or a chemical got into the batch. I haven't heard of too many bourbons being "undrinkable" especially by someone with a large collection.

[White Dog]

FWIW, I loved my bottle. Loved it so much that it lasted less than a month.

[T Comp]

Do you guys have any thoughts?

How many other FR products are you familiar with and what do you think of those? It is a distinctly different tasting bourbon and non-chill filtered cask strength also adds another dimension. There are noticeable variations in FR depending on the yeast and age combos but up front and bold fruit, flowers, spice and wood are common. I haven't had the pleasure of this one yet but it has had high praise from many tongues I respect as in White Dog above. I seriously seriously doubt there is anything wrong or tainted about the bottle or batch other than a very remote possible cork issue. And just because something is liked by many others or highly rated doesn't mean you may like it. I'm glad I never bought a Whistle Pig once I got to taste it but many loved it.

[DreamTheater]

Shit. It sounds like something is wrong with this bottle. Or at least that is what I hope.

Admittedly, I have never had any of their other stuff. I would say that this is like the one major label I am totally unfamiliar with.

And look, I'm not going to say I'm a Michael Jackson (the whiskey guy - not the singer) but with over 150 whiskies in my possession I know my stuff and this is just not good.

Let me see for you guys that do like it - do you get a TON of isopropyl? Is it just insanely raw and then when you finally do get it "right" is it incredibly single-dimensional? Mine sure is.

And I've all sorts of different bourbons: corn, rye, wheat, hell, I even have some blue hopi corn.

[Josh]

It should be noted that this bourbon contains no wheat at all.

I love this bourbon, it's one of my favorite bottles ever, up there with the 40th and 120th imo.

As for the tasting problem, I suspect a palate issue. Just let it sit for a while and then taste it under different circumstances.

[nivto]

I think the 2011 LE SB is excellent at barrel proof. It has this sticky apple jolly rancher thing going on that I love. Very unique bourbon!

[StraightNoChaser]

I got spoiled on the 100th Anniversary 1B. This one didn't really live up to it, I should have bought more of the 100th when I had the chance! :smiley_acbt:

[Josh]

I got spoiled on the 100th Anniversary 1B. This one didn't really live up to it, I should have bought more of the 100th when I had the chance! :smiley_acbt:

Really? YMMV of course, but I thought the 100th anniversary was all wood. Hands down my least favorite of the bunch.

[StraightNoChaser]

Really? YMMV of course, but I thought the 100th anniversary was all wood. Hands down my least favorite of the bunch.

The 2011 and the 100th are the only two I've had but the 100th definitely wins in a huge way for me.

[Josh]

The 2011 and the 100th are the only two I've had but the 100th definitely wins in a huge way for me.

Well if you are craving some, I know a guy with an unopened bottle.:grin:

[StraightNoChaser]

Well if you are craving some, I know a guy with an unopened bottle.:grin:

Damn, I just found a bottle online for only $42 but they won't ship to TX :smiley_acbt: Anyone in NJ wanna hook me up? :cool:

[DreamTheater]

At all costs, understand that I am not being either huffy or obtuse about the situation. Someone here brought into question my palate. I'd sound juvenile if I were to trumpet up how masterfully I understand whiskey, etc.

But dammit, i know my stuff. Really I do.

I highly suspect something is off. It simply has to be. All, and I mean ALL my other single-barrel, cask strength whiskeys are my favorite. From the four special editions from Buffalo Trace (Eagle Rare 17; William Larue; George T Stagg) to the Woodford Reserve to Jack Daniel Single Barrel (dont think that's cask strenght though) to my 40 bottles of scotch cask strengths. I typically enjoy them both uncut and then cut.

This one tastes like crap. I refuse to believe this is possible.

[White Dog]

Really? YMMV of course, but I thought the 100th anniversary was all wood. Hands down my least favorite of the bunch.

I liked the 100th. It was woody, but after 17 years in barrel, I'm willing to accept some chards of oak slicing my throat.:grin:

The 2009 really did it for me. Cut slightly, it was extremely hedonistic, for my palate at least.

[DreamTheater]

So i just called 4 Roses and I owe it to them very much to make a quick report here.

I got a guy by the name of Brent on the phone. He was incredibly courteous and heard my story about the 2011 Limited Edition and agrees that it sounds more like a problem with the whiskey. He suspects cork rot.

He mentioned that with cork rot the whiskey will taste very sharp but it IS possible to cut it to a palatable level. That describes my experience exactly. When cut it isnt good at all but I can drink it.

And one last thing I pointed out to him is, in my collection of 50 bourbons from Cabin Still's $12 bottle to my collection of $80-$150 cost bourbons that I've already enumerated, I like them all. Yes, some taste cheap but they all taste at minimum "good". This one is not even on its best day meeting that which speaks to me of prima facie evidence that it is defective.

Brent and 4 Roses is going to make this thing right and I for one am looking forward to picking up a different bottle of theirs sometime tonight.

[bad_scientist]

To me, sometimes it tastes like chewed up aspirin mixed with rubbing alcohol (like you noted), and other times it's like delicious fruit. I can't figure it, but it's really, really dependent on what I've had that day or something about my body chemistry. What's the info on your bottle?

[smokinjoe]

At all costs, understand that I am not being either huffy or obtuse about the situation. Someone here brought into question my palate. I'd sound juvenile if I were to trumpet up how masterfully I understand whiskey, etc.

But dammit, i know my stuff. Really I do.

I highly suspect something is off. It simply has to be. All, and I mean ALL my other single-barrel, cask strength whiskeys are my favorite. From the four special editions from Buffalo Trace (Eagle Rare 17; William Larue; George T Stagg) to the Woodford Reserve to Jack Daniel Single Barrel (dont think that's cask strenght though) to my 40 bottles of scotch cask strengths. I typically enjoy them both uncut and then cut.

This one tastes like crap. I refuse to believe this is possible.

Eagle Rare 17 is not barrel proof.

[wripvanwrinkle]

At all costs, understand that I am not being either huffy or obtuse about the situation. Someone here brought into question my palate. I'd sound juvenile if I were to trumpet up how masterfully I understand whiskey, etc.

I don't mean to speak for Josh...but I don't think that he was trying to be critical. I think that he just meant that you should wait a little while and give it another try. We all have nights/weeks where something just doesn't work for us for one reason or another.

[Josh]

I don't mean to speak for Josh...but I don't think that he was trying to be critical. I think that he just meant that you should wait a little while and give it another try. We all have nights/weeks where something just doesn't work for us for one reason or another.

What he said.:grin:

I meant that something might have altered your palate at that time. If I eat certain things or drink whiskeys in a particular order or have the sniffles or change a particularly funky diaper that day it can change the way I taste. My advice was to give it some time to open up or your palate to shift back to normal and it might taste better. Sorry for coming across as condescending.

For the record, I don't believe this business of certain people having better palates than others. Everybody's palate is different. In my experience, people who claim to have better palates than others are usually trying to sell me something.

[Josh]

I liked the 100th. It was woody, but after 17 years in barrel, I'm willing to accept some chards of oak slicing my throat.:grin:

The 2009 really did it for me. Cut slightly, it was extremely hedonistic, for my palate at least.

I have a bottle of the 2009 open right now and hedonistic is the perfect word for it. It's downright debaucherous!

[White Dog]

I have a bottle of the 2009 open right now and hedonistic is the perfect word for it. It's downright debaucherous!

Enjoy!! Wish I had another bottle.

[bad_scientist]

So i just called 4 Roses and I owe it to them very much to make a quick report here.

I got a guy by the name of Brent on the phone. He was incredibly courteous and heard my story about the 2011 Limited Edition and agrees that it sounds more like a problem with the whiskey. He suspects cork rot.

He mentioned that with cork rot the whiskey will taste very sharp but it IS possible to cut it to a palatable level. That describes my experience exactly. When cut it isnt good at all but I can drink it.

And one last thing I pointed out to him is, in my collection of 50 bourbons from Cabin Still's $12 bottle to my collection of $80-$150 cost bourbons that I've already enumerated, I like them all. Yes, some taste cheap but they all taste at minimum "good". This one is not even on its best day meeting that which speaks to me of prima facie evidence that it is defective.

Brent and 4 Roses is going to make this thing right and I for one am looking forward to picking up a different bottle of theirs sometime tonight.

My bottle says warehouse QN, barrel 17-3F. What about your bottle?

[White Dog]

Mine is QN, 17-3T.

[Special Reserve]

Mine is QN 17-30

[Chimay]

mine is 61.4% warehouse QN barrel 17-4w still unopened.