A Tale of Two Bourbons (store selected SBs)

[Brisko]

My local store did a couple barrel selections this spring: 4R (standard OBSV 100 proof) and BT. I didn't taste all of the barrel samples (too damn busy with work) but I did get to try one of the 4R samples that they didn't pick.

Here are my impressions.

BT: very much within the BT profile, but better. More flavor, more balance, similar to CEHT Small Batch, I think.

4R: whoa. Way out of what I consider the normal 4RSB profile. Not bad, but minty, syrupy, anise... like someone dumped some Unicom or maybe Jagermeister in with the bourbon. Very odd. Now, I like Unicom (Hungarian liquer) and I like bourbons that are outside the norm. But I find it really interesting that one of these was exactly what I anticipated, and one was so unlike...

also should note that the other 4R sample was also kind of out of character. very minty, not unlike what HH was bottling a few years ago.

[sailor22]

Are you sure the two you tasted were the same recipe that 4R used for the standard 50% shelf bottling of the single barrel, the OBSV recipe? All the 4R selections I have been involved with have included a range of recipes selected seemingly at random from their folio of 10.

[Brisko]

Yes, the 4Rs were both OBSV. The owner wanted to keep the price down so he did OBSV/100 proof only.