Vwown3d Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Strange, I luckily picked up a bottle in CT 2 weeks ago... It is not out in NY yet. I have been told that it will be out next month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elonepb Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 It is not out in NY yet. I have been told that it will be out next month.Good to know. This is the one missing item from this year's collection I need. Would prefer not to trade for it if I can just buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Michigan is receiving the Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition 2013 (125th Anniversary) this year. 144 bottles for the entire state.Good Day-Any idea how one can find one of these in Michigan?Best regards, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerlam92 Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I am still shocked how tight the allocation is for this year. Most store I know literally got one bottle!Sorry for repeating myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAINWRIGHT Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 (edited) I am still shocked how tight the allocation is for this year. Most store I know literally got one bottle!Sorry for repeating myself.You an me both,considering the increased release numbers this year. Edited November 23, 2013 by WAINWRIGHT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil T Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I am still shocked how tight the allocation is for this year. Most store I know literally got one bottle!.I was told of one Ohio store that got 6 bottles..now that's shocking, and basically unheard of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theglobalguy Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 Reading Mellow Moments email today, referenced 68% YOY increase in demand...on top of prior year @ 58% over the year before. Massive increases given the aging aspect....so i suspect each and every store who carries the product being dangled the carrot that is the sBLE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CL Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I have been on the waiting list at a small store in KY since Sept. They tell me they hadn't received any yet, but still expect to. In the past, I have seen the 2013 SiB LE on the shelf and other hard to get stuff like Angel's Envy (when it first came out). Thought I was in a good place to get one from them, but no luck yet.I was fortunate enough to decipher a post here on SB.com a month or so ago and secure one bottle at a different location. Just got it in my hands a couple weeks ago. Still deciding on when to open it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P&MLiquorsEric Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I have been on the waiting list at a small store in KY since Sept. They tell me they hadn't received any yet, but still expect to. In the past, I have seen the 2013 SiB LE on the shelf and other hard to get stuff like Angel's Envy (when it first came out). Thought I was in a good place to get one from them, but no luck yet.I was fortunate enough to decipher a post here on SB.com a month or so ago and secure one bottle at a different location. Just got it in my hands a couple weeks ago. Still deciding on when to open it.It was released in KY during the KBF 2 months ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theglobalguy Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 It was released in KY during the KBF 2 months ago.And gone just about everywhere a week or less later. A lot of the smaller stores expecting allocation based on prior years appear to have struck out. Even larger stores got way less than 2012. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smknjoe Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I am still shocked how tight the allocation is for this year. Most store I know literally got one bottle!Sorry for repeating myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 The top releases from Cognac and Scottish houses have always been in short supply and priced accordingly, Bourbon is just catching up as it establishes itself on the World stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 This year was my first time experiencing any of the Four Roses Limited Edition bourbons. I really like the FR SB (regular) and the FR SmB (regular), both of which, I believe are among the best bourbon values for what you get. They could easily charge $40 for the FR SmB which far outclasses (IMHO) other bourbons in that price range. I have tried several store select SB (various recipes) and to be honest, OBSV is still my favorite.I initially tasted the 2013 LE SmB at a release party in Indy. I really liked it. I chose to wait to open the bottle that I purchased since I want to share it with other rather than drink it alone. I have friends who love bourbon but aren't as into it as I am. I want them to experience bourbons that they otherwise might not. Rather than drink from my bottle, I opened it several times over the past month to allow it air time. Of course, smells are free so I enjoyed those. Tonight was the first time that I tasted a pour from my bottle. I am not great at tasting notes but I find moderate hints of cinnamon and an interesting spiciness. It also has a creamy, syrupy richness to it. Four Roses all the way! However, it is very different from the typical FR fare. I really like it. I can certainly taste the OBSV influence. It would be interesting to try the OBSV 18 year old component by itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restaurant man Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 This year was my first time experiencing any of the Four Roses Limited Edition bourbons. I really like the FR SB (regular) and the FR SmB (regular), both of which, I believe are among the best bourbon values for what you get. They could easily charge $40 for the FR SmB which far outclasses (IMHO) other bourbons in that price range. I have tried several store select SB (various recipes) and to be honest, OBSV is still my favorite.I initially tasted the 2013 LE SmB at a release party in Indy. I really liked it. I chose to wait to open the bottle that I purchased since I want to share it with other rather than drink it alone. I have friends who love bourbon but aren't as into it as I am. I want them to experience bourbons that they otherwise might not. Rather than drink from my bottle, I opened it several times over the past month to allow it air time. Of course, smells are free so I enjoyed those. Tonight was the first time that I tasted a pour from my bottle. I am not great at tasting notes but I find moderate hints of cinnamon and an interesting spiciness. It also has a creamy, syrupy richness to it. Four Roses all the way! However, it is very different from the typical FR fare. I really like it. I can certainly taste the OBSV influence. It would be interesting to try the OBSV 18 year old component by itself.Had lunch with Jim Rutledge on Thursday at the restaurant and we talked about this bourbon quite a bit. He told me the 18 year OBSV was 95 proof. He didn't want to produce a LE at less than 100 proof so he boosted it up with the others. He also dismissed the idea of bourbon changing with "air time" but to each his own. He said he's been asked about it a lot lately. Asked me "has an article been written on this lately or something?" He said whiskey in a bottle with a top on it shouldn't change any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smknjoe Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 Had lunch with Jim Rutledge on Thursday at the restaurant and we talked about this bourbon quite a bit. He told me the 18 year OBSV was 95 proof. He didn't want to produce a LE at less than 100 proof so he boosted it up with the others. He also dismissed the idea of bourbon changing with "air time" but to each his own. He said he's been asked about it a lot lately. Asked me "has an article been written on this lately or something?" He said whiskey in a bottle with a top on it shouldn't change any.I've never really understood how it could change with the top on either. It's not like the air (and oxygen) is being exchanged with fresh air while sealed/closed. I've not noticed a big difference with open bottles vs freshly opened bottles from the same batch. Maybe if you opened and poured from the bottle a lot (a few times a day?) over the course of a year or five it might make a difference. The same as if you leave a pour in a glass over night. Anyway, I had some more of this bottle tonight and I enjoyed it even more. The finish is still not as strong as I would like. It's there, but you have to look for it after ~15-20 seconds. Side by side with the 2012 and 2011 it stood out as top dog. Not by much. They are all really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portwood Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 I've never really understood how it could change with the top on either. It's not like the air (and oxygen) is being exchanged with fresh air while sealed/closed. The cork, just like the wood barrel, allows air to get in and out, though not to the same extent as the larger barrel. Also, glass is not a completely inert substance. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect the liquid inside a glass bottle to change over time - though admittedly at a much slower pace than inside a wood barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 I understand what he is saying and he is certainly much more knowledgeable on the subject than I am. I actually let the bottle (FR SmB LE 2013) air out for brief periods of time with the cork out (about 45 minutes to an hour). I have noticed that it makes the nose richer and more pronounced with each airing. The effect is most noticeable after the first two airings and less pronounced with each subsequent airing. I only do this a few times over the course of a few days before pouring. I have opened bottles where the initial nose in the bottle is horrendous only to find a very sweet, rich nose after it airs out a few times. A great example is a bottle of WSR 7 Year (99) that I recently bought. When I first opened it, the initial nose for about 20 minutes smelled like a magic marker. I let it sit open for about an hour. The nose started transitioning into a faint butterscotch, caramel smell. I was anxious to try it so I tasted it and it had a faint butterscotch, caramel taste (go figure!). I also had a little bit of a bite to it. I then noticed the next morning that after sitting over night (with the cap on) that the butterscotch, caramel smell was more pronounced. So, I aired it out a few more times over the next few days with the cap open. The butterscotch, caramel characteristics are much more pronounced now.Longer term, I have noticed improvement in other bottles (Angel's Envy being one) after the bottle had been open for awhile. Of course, some of that could be due to the type of cork (not sealing as well, I don't recall AE's cork) or a variation in my palate.Now with other bottles, FR SB (regular), I don't notice any difference in the nose or taste from first opening and pour to subsequent openings and pours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
393foureyedfox Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 this is what ive found of OGD114 as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Comp Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 He also dismissed the idea of bourbon changing with "air time" but to each his own. He said he's been asked about it a lot lately. Asked me "has an article been written on this lately or something?" He said whiskey in a bottle with a top on it shouldn't change any. I've not noticed a big difference with open bottles vs freshly opened bottles from the same batch. As a prior "air time" skeptic poster what can I say. Mr. Rutledge makes great whiskey and has great thoughts :grin:. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 As a prior "air time" skeptic poster what can I say. Mr. Rutledge makes great whiskey and has great thoughts :grin:. +1. On his advice, my counsel speaks on my behalf... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbroo5880i Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 As a prior "air time" skeptic poster what can I say. Mr. Rutledge makes great whiskey and has great thoughts :grin:.I am with you. We all do what we "think" works. The end point of any discussion about Four Roses ends up being how good it is, regardless of the recipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smknjoe Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 The cork, just like the wood barrel, allows air to get in and out, though not to the same extent as the larger barrel. Also, glass is not a completely inert substance. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect the liquid inside a glass bottle to change over time - though admittedly at a much slower pace than inside a wood barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quantum Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 I have never noticed much of a change with 4R, but there is no denying that some do change significantly with a little air time. I have never tried just opening and closing a bottle, but I'll usually have about a half ounce pour when I first open it. That doesn't create a ton of air room, but at least all of the air in the bottle is fresh. I used to drink a lot of scotch, and Balvenie 12 was one that really benefited from air time. Did a blind taste with a fresh bottle, a bottle that had been opened the day before, and one that had been open for a week. The open bottles had each had about an ounce poured when they were first opened, then re-corked until the test. All 3 of us were able to pick out the fresh bottle, and two of us could match all 3. Even though fresh air is not being continuously added, I guess it takes time for that small amount of additional oxygen to react with the whisky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bingstein Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Of course, smells are free so I enjoyed those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Trying to amuse an unamused wife is an exercise in futility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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