Four Roses Spoilage

[Dolph Lundgren]

I opened a bottle of a retailer FRSB (barrel strength, OBSV), and on first pour it was amazing. I got sick and couldn't tap it for a couple days. When I went back to the bottle a couple days later, the first sip almost made me puke. I confirmed it's awfulness with a second opinion. Thing is, this isn't the first FR bottle to break-bad. I had the same problem a couple months ago with a bottle of FRSmB that was open for a couple of weeks. The integrity of both corks looked fine when I looked the over (to the naked eye, anyways).

Has anyone else had spoiliation problems with FR?

[MyOldKyDram]

No sir, can't say that I have.

There were some articles awhile back about the 2012 LE SmB "turning" on people, but can't say that I've experience it.

[smknjoe]

No problems here. If anything, I like my bottle of SmB better than the day I opened it ~10 weeks ago.

[MauiSon]

DL, did you post this question somewhere else? I'm sure I've seen it before... Maybe you posted about the FRSmB, eh?

When I check for your prior posts (46) only 2 appear - hey, what's up with that, admin?

[Merkin]

How soon after the first pour did you get sick? Sometimes we make an association between recently ingested items and "feeling sick." Had yogurt once...got sick soon after (not due to yogurt) and could not eat yogurt for well over a year. Hope its just a fluke.

[ramblinman]

Haven't had it occur, and I've had a FRSB open for at least 6 months. I have seen it happen once to a friends bottle of Gentleman Jack, he got for birthday in November and by mid December, with only about a quarter of the bottle drunk it had turned. Color was off, and it had an almost rusty nasty taste to it.

[Dolph Lundgren]

What I meant when I said I got sick was that I caught a cold - I didn't get sick from the FRSB. I didn't drink while I recovered. A couple days later, when I felt better, I poured a glass and I tasted horible - all fire. The wife (an avid FR fan) tried some, too, and she spit it right out.

I find it odd that this has happened to two FR bottles I've opened. I was wondering if there was something going on with the corks (that's all I can think of) and if other people were having the same problem. Out of 8 FR bottles I've opened over the last year, I've had 2 (25%) go bad pretty quickly. My 2012 FRSmB LE aged quite fine.

I've brought up this issue before in an active thread a while back, where I addressed the FRSmB. I thought it merited further discussion b/c its happened to me twice now.

[jburlowski]

Contact the folks at Four Roses. Distillers want to know if there is a problem with their product. They may have you send the bottle to them for analysis.

[Yeti]

I have a friend with a well stocked bar who doesn't really drink liquor himself. He has a 4R SmB that's probably been open in the neighborhood of 2 years, at over half-fill. I had a small glass a few months back and thought it was horrible. Very piney and unpleasant. I've always had a good opinion about the single barrel, and never had another bad experience with any 4R.

[squire]

Can't say what's going on but if the bottle were mine I'd certainly contact Four Roses.

[Gillman]

Not this brand, but I've had a few others that went off over a year or two when partly filled. Perhaps it's related to being stored in a certain kind of cabinet (the pine or other wood used?), or is possibly an oxidation thing, or both. It's very hard to know why this happens, but when it does the whiskey (in my experience) acquires a metallic dirty taste. It happens more frequently when very small amounts in the bottle sit for a long time, but for most that will never happen since bottles are drunk up and replaced, it is the way of the enthusiast...

Gary

[squire]

After thinking about it and reading Gary's post I wonder if there might be something in the micro climate around the whisky storage area, ambient airborne local wild yeast or bacteria, that could have caused the whisky to turn.

[ThirstyinOhio]

I would have to agree with Squire regarding the environment as the likely culprit.

[HighHorse]

Jim Rutledge is coming down for a weekend get together this weekend. I'll bring the subject up and share any info he may have in the matter.

[squire]

Would be very interested in hearing what Jim has to say.

[HighHorse]

Would be very interested in hearing what Jim has to say.

Come on down, Squire. It's only a 7-hour drive & I'll save a spot for you!

[SFS]

And I'll buy your first OGD.

[rndenks]

All this talk makes me worry about my open bottles at home. I better drink up tonight to prevent spoilage

Are there other open bottles stored in the same area that have been fine? If so it would lead me to the bottle/cork or the juice.

This is like CSI: Bourbon

[squire]

You guys sure know how to make a fella feel welcome.

[Dolph Lundgren]

Thanks for the responses, guys. I'd send the most recent bottle but I brought it with me on vacation and couldn't bring it back. The thing that really gets me is that, both times, the liquid was amazing right out of the bottle. I was sharing with some non-bourbon enthusiasts and they loved it.

The nastiness that came a couple of days later tasted like a mix between isopropyl alcohol and acidic cinnamon. I almost puked after a tiny little sip. It was completely different from that metalic taste you get with too much oxidation.

BTW, be sure to tell Jim that he makes some of the best bourbon, and that this, in no way, will affect my opinion of FR.

Not this brand, but I've had a few others that went off over a year or two when partly filled. Perhaps it's related to being stored in a certain kind of cabinet (the pine or other wood used?), or is possibly an oxidation thing, or both. It's very hard to know why this happens, but when it does the whiskey (in my experience) acquires a metallic dirty taste. It happens more frequently when very small amounts in the bottle sit for a long time, but for most that will never happen since bottles are drunk up and replaced, it is the way of the enthusiast...

Gary

[Lazer]

I haven't had any spoiled FR bottles, but if you're afraid any others might be spoiled, you can send them to me and I'll inspect them for you. I'm experienced at tasting bourbon and know the good ones from the bad. I just want to save you the trouble.

[squire]

It couldn't be cork taint, that would've been apparent when the bottle was opened.

[Gillman]

Cork taint imparts an almost corrosive-like taste (like hot peppers), but one would think you would have snared that on the first toss.

I am with Squire on the microclimate as imparting early oxidation sometimes, but here it sounds like something different.

Gary