Four roses Single Barrel

[The_Bourbon_Boar]

Just recently tried this, was not pleased. At first was a great tasting bourbon and by the end I felt like I was chewing on a piece of firewood lol. No thanks this is the first thing I've learned about my likes when it comes to specifics 

[SebastianLloyd]

Could be the barrel it was poured from. I also read that with a new bottle of Four Roses single barrel is that it needs a lot of time to breathe and it takes a while to mellow out. Try it again in a few weeks and see if its changed much.

[amg]

Not everyone likes everything. It's okay if you don't.

[b1gcountry]

I would give it some time to air out though. Mine went from okay to awesome in about a week. It went to gone in another week.

[Flyfish]

Try to withhold judgment until you have tasted about half a bottle. Give your palate a chance to adjust to something new. But amg is right, you are not required to like anything. My father's dietary rule was "Nothing can ever be eaten for the first time." Or, you can give it to your friend "Mikey" who will drink anything.

[starhopper]

The first time I ever had a Four Roses product was when I accidentally found the Four Roses 2015 Limited Edition Small Batch a few months ago. I'd only been drinking bourbon for a month or so and was trying to build my collection.

When I first opened it, I thought the nose was harsh (to my tastes) and the first sip wasn't much better.  However, now, a few months later when I revisit it, the nose STILL seems a little harsh, but the sip and mouthfeel is very good, and the finish is very nice.

I think it was just an acquired taste.  Or, it also could be that I simply don't like the Four Roses mashbill - I'm admittedly new at this and simply don't have enough experience to know for sure!

Edited December 7, 2015 by starhopper

[Flyfish]

6 hours ago, starhopper said:

 

I think it was just an acquired taste.  Or, it also could be that I simply don't like the Four Roses mashbill - I'm admittedly new at this and simply don't have enough experience to know for sure!

4R has 10 mashbills--high and low rye and 5 different yeasts. The Small Batch is a mingling of four of them.  Yellow Label is all 10 but only 80 proof. Try the 4R single barrel and see if that is appealing. Each of the ten mashbills is available individually at barrel strength but they go for about $70 so looking for the one or more that satisfies could run into $$$. 

You might also want to consult the Premium Bourbon/Specialty Bottles section for a discussion of the Small Batch LE.

Edited December 7, 2015 by Flyfish

[starhopper]

2 hours ago, Flyfish said:

4R has 10 mashbills--high and low rye and 5 different yeasts. The Small Batch is a mingling of four of them.  Yellow Label is all 10 but only 80 proof. Try the 4R single barrel and see if that is appealing. Each of the ten mashbills is available individually at barrel strength but they go for about $70 so looking for the one or more that satisfies could run into $$$. 

You might also want to consult the Premium Bourbon/Specialty Bottles section for a discussion of the Small Batch LE.

Thanks for the great advice Flyfish!

[The Black Tot]

2 mashbills, 5 yeasts. 10 recipes.

[alink50]

I would give it some time. I have had a bottle since June and still have about half left. It just keeps changing, usually for the better, every time I have a pour. Definitely hang on to it and come back later. If you still don't like it, you can always send it to me ;-)

[flahute]

Four Roses Single Barrel is very highly revered here and for good reason. It is one of the best readily available and reasonably priced bourbons on the market bar none. That said, it doesn't mean that you should or will like it. We are all unique that way. As other have said, revisit it from time to time. Sometimes the whiskey changes, sometimes you change.

[fishnbowljoe]

My taste preferences usually lean towards wheaters, and BIB's. For some reason, I've branched out some in the last year or so. FRSB, amongst a couple of other things, is one of the bourbons I've developed a fondness for. I've had the regular FRSB, and also a couple of private selections. FWIW, I've never had a bottle I didn't like.

Cheers! Joe

[Special Reserve]

Joe,

It's easy to develop a fondness for FRSB it's great bourbon.

Will

[fishnbowljoe]

Just now, Special Reserve said:

Joe,

It's easy to develop a fondness for FRSB it's great bourbon.

Will

That it is Will. That it is.

[Spade]

I'd echo the advice others are giving. Give the bottle some time. I had a bottle of the standard FRSB that had such a strong floral thing going on that it almost tasted like how I imagine perfume tastes. That particular bottle never matched others I've had (which have ranged from good to excellent), but it definitely improved.

And if you don't like it by the end of the bottle, well then you'll know FRSB isn't one of your favorites.

[GAbiker]

I'm wondering if you got one of the OBSV 100 proofs that were so prevalent last year.  Honestly, I wasn't fond of any of ones I tried either.

That said, I was at Four Roses in September picking out a couple of barrels for the store.  We had 8 barrels in our tasting.  I'll tell you that the range of recipes and ages made EACH barrel COMPLETELY different.   I've always had a preference for the OESk's.  However, when doing the blind tasting, my favorite barrel turned out to be a nearly 12 YO OBSF, with a 10 YO OESK coming in second.  I would have never thought that.   And Cask Strength makes a tremendous difference.  We're having the OESK delivered this week, and are waiting for the OBSF to reach a full 12 year (and a couple of months) which will be late spring, to have delivered.

You might not like the FRSB you purchased.  That doesn't mean, however, that there aren't other recipes from FR that you might like a lot.

[T Comp]

2 hours ago, GAbiker said:

I'm wondering if you got one of the OBSV 100 proofs that were so prevalent last year.  Honestly, I wasn't fond of any of ones I tried either.

 

Aren't they always prevalent as that is the mash bill recipe for the 100 proof single barrel.

And if you posted about changes with air time,  how about some specific details as to what exact smells and tastes changed and when with regards to bottle volume and time. 

 

 

[b1gcountry]

For me, the strong alcohol taste mellowed significantly, and the delicate dried cherry and floral tastes really started coming through. At first the spiciness and pepper came through,but not the delicate sweetness.

For me...

 

 

 

[smokinjoe]

Interesting that the air-time discussion comes up in a 4R thread.  I remember reading a post about Jim Rutledge being asked about "airtime" effect in the bottle from a fan at a bottle signing event, and Rutledge didn't know what the guy was talking about.  I believe he responded with something like, Did you read that on the internet?, or something ...

 

 

[b1gcountry]

I'm always interested if the bottle changes or if I do. I guess there is no way to tell, but my enjoyment of the bottle definitely increased as the bottle was open longer

[GAbiker]

22 hours ago, T Comp said:

Aren't they always prevalent as that is the mash bill recipe for the 100 proof single barrel.

And if you posted about changes with air time,  how about some specific details as to what exact smells and tastes changed and when with regards to bottle volume and time. 

 

 

I meant prevalent as every liquor store seemed to have one as compared to the cask strengths that seems few and far between.

And I would assume with the 1000's of them out there I'd probably be able find a few that I liked.  Just wasn't willing to search for one I liked.

[Flyfish]

21 hours ago, b1gcountry said:

I'm always interested if the bottle changes or if I do. I guess there is no way to tell, but my enjoyment of the bottle definitely increased as the bottle was open longer

With a little more experience, you may find that many bourbons are at their very best when you are down to the last pour. Then, of course, you are required to start all over again.

Edited December 10, 2015 by Flyfish