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4R Small Batch Select


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4 hours ago, JoeTerp said:

But this has the K's in there.  OBSK seems to be as absent as either of the O's on barrel picks and the K's frequently are contributors to the LESmB's.

I seem to have seen a fair few K picks this last year. But no Os - alas.

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While initially intrigued by this release, as I thought more about the timing of it and the tales of strained stocks prior to its announcement, I couldn't help but wonder, why?  I gave it a shot but couldn't justify a purchase based on my tastings. On the other hand the YL showed much better than I remember as did the std smb. but the smb SL reminds me of a pack of dogs all vying for attention. Where the std smb rolls out its various recipes in a linear fashion the smb select is more like whack a mole, recipes popping up randomly and disappearing then reappearing... just not the harmony I was looking for.

It appears to be a rather polarizing release, its has its fans and detractors but not much middle ground. I am certainly a big time 4R fan but this is just a miss for me, not bad but not good enough to either spend less than a good PS or more than a good std SB. 

This release actually made me think again about the YL at barrel proof, a topic that was a popular "what if" a few years back. I even tried one when I had all 10 open. If beyond a certain number of recipes and above a certain proof, with all those strong flavors bouncing around, perhaps its too much of a good thing and 80p is where YL belongs? The balance is quite nice and after having Smb SL I question whether YLBS would suffer a similar fate, but I would certainly LOVE to try it.

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7 minutes ago, kcgumbohead said:

While initially intrigued by this release, as I thought more about the timing of it and the tales of strained stocks prior to its announcement, I couldn't help but wonder, why?  I gave it a shot but couldn't justify a purchase based on my tastings. On the other hand the YL showed much better than I remember as did the std smb. but the smb SL reminds me of a pack of dogs all vying for attention. Where the std smb rolls out its various recipes in a linear fashion the smb select is more like whack a mole, recipes popping up randomly and disappearing then reappearing... just not the harmony I was looking for.

It appears to be a rather polarizing release, its has its fans and detractors but not much middle ground. I am certainly a big time 4R fan but this is just a miss for me, not bad but not good enough to either spend less than a good PS or more than a good std SB. 

This release actually made me think again about the YL at barrel proof, a topic that was a popular "what if" a few years back. I even tried one when I had all 10 open. If beyond a certain number of recipes and above a certain proof, with all those strong flavors bouncing around, perhaps its too much of a good thing and 80p is where YL belongs? The balance is quite nice and after having Smb SL I question whether YLBS would suffer a similar fate, but I would certainly LOVE to try it.

I'd love to try a BIB YL (maybe it would be difficult to have a consistent product having all 10 recipes being distilled in one season, so maybe do a 100 proof aged 5-6 years)

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2 hours ago, JCwhammie said:

I'd love to try a BIB YL (maybe it would be difficult to have a consistent product having all 10 recipes being distilled in one season, so maybe do a 100 proof aged 5-6 years)

A cask strength YL would be easier as there wouldn't be any of the constraints of BiB not to mention that labor intensive proofing down with water business. Oh and lets NCF while we're at it LOL!!

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1 hour ago, kcgumbohead said:

A cask strength YL would be easier as there wouldn't be any of the constraints of BiB not to mention that labor intensive proofing down with water business. Oh and lets NCF while we're at it LOL!!

If you want to try cask strength yellow label, grab some Bulliet barrel strength. It's pretty close.

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5 hours ago, kcgumbohead said:

A cask strength YL would be easier as there wouldn't be any of the constraints of BiB not to mention that labor intensive proofing down with water business. Oh and lets NCF while we're at it LOL!!

If they'd just give us free rein of Cox Creek for 1 day we could have some fun! 

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On 5/16/2019 at 12:43 AM, Mako254 said:

Making anothe run at this...

 

Saw an interview w/ BE that (I think) one of the pursuit boys posted:

-F makes up less thab 5% of yellow/mellow label

-F production was bumped with the idea of a new offering in mind

-reading between the lines, 104 wasn’t random. They needed flexibility with available stocks and something 110+ would have painted them in a corner so to speak. 

 

Mako254 thinks:

-OBSK, OESK, OBSV, OESV are immediate buys if a decent price. 

-This is devastatingly sippable. It has enough proof and mouthfeel to satisfy. I still find the finish lacking 

-at $49.99 I’m absolutely a buyer and pouring frequently 

-at $59.99 it falls into the 1920 slot. A solid and consistent bottle but at $65 otd, I’m buying a store pick Russell’s or private select Roses. 

 

Mako

Team OBSK here (and the V’s are my second favorite as well). 

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On 5/16/2019 at 1:44 AM, The Black Tot said:

I seem to have seen a fair few K picks this last year. But no Os - alas.

All the K’s I’ve seen have been OESK. I haven’t seen any OBSK (otherwise they would likely follow me home). 

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2 minutes ago, JoeTerp said:

All the K’s I’ve seen have been OESK. I haven’t seen any OBSK (otherwise they would likely follow me home). 

 

Yes, come to think of it, the ones I've seen were OESK as well.

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1 hour ago, JoeTerp said:

All the K’s I’ve seen have been OESK. I haven’t seen any OBSK (otherwise they would likely follow me home). 

 

1 hour ago, The Black Tot said:

 

Yes, come to think of it, the ones I've seen were OESK as well.

OBSK has been out of the program for a while.

As of a couple weeks ago it's back in, though it's young.

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2 hours ago, flahute said:

 

OBSK has been out of the program for a while.

As of a couple weeks ago it's back in, though it's young.

While going through Tennessee in January I found an OESO.  I hadn't seen any O's in a while (although living in Virginia I only see the 100 proof OBSV's).  This one was just at the minimum 8 years.

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With a bunker full of Rutledge era 11-15 year old PS bottles purchased for under $50, I'm still having a hard time getting on this train. 

 

Anyone got anything yet that's going to change my opinion?  So far, the posts look like it's kind of meh. 

 

Until someone (I trust) tells me that the $52 (current local) is better than a WTKS or ECBP, ima gonna keep dropping that fiddy+(when I'm in the market for a stock addition) on something else. 

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17 minutes ago, Paddy said:

With a bunker full of Rutledge era 11-15 year old PS bottles purchased for under $50, I'm still having a hard time getting on this train. 

 

Anyone got anything yet that's going to change my opinion?  So far, the posts look like it's kind of meh. Thanks 

 

Until someone (I trust) tells me that the $52 (current local) is better than a WTKS or ECBP, ima gonna keep dropping that fiddy+(when I'm in the market for a stock addition) on something else. 

This 4R is nowhere in the same league as ECBP for my tastes (and money).  ECBP is superior in every measurable category, to me.  I keep trying to find a connection to this 4R bottling, but just haven’t so far.  

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19 minutes ago, Paddy said:

.Until someone (I trust) tells me that the $52 (current local) is better than a WTKS or ECBP, ima gonna keep dropping that fiddy+(when I'm in the market for a stock addition) on something else. 

Welp...........I see more ECBP in your future. 

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25 minutes ago, Paddy said:

With a bunker full of Rutledge era 11-15 year old PS bottles purchased for under $50, I'm still having a hard time getting on this train. 

My stash is mostly 10-12yr PS bottles, but otherwise I'm right there with you. I tried the Select during the Sampler and while I liked it, there was nothing special enough about it to make me want to buy any. 

 

I'm spoiled

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What Joe and Gary said. The one positive to me is that I do find this marginally better than regular FRSmB. But then again, FRSmB is my least favorite FR expression. :mellow:

 

Biba! Joe

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I seem to have seen a fair few K picks this last year. But no Os - alas.


Oddly enough when I was back home last Thanksgiving I stumbled upon a liquor store that had several barrel strength 4R BS picks that didn’t have the side stickers. The clerk showed me a printed out email that had the recipes listed. I was in a rush, and had hit my allocation of bottles to bring back home so snapped a picture and left.

Was cleaning out pictures today and finally took a look. Holy crap the email was from early 2016 one of there customers emailed 4R with the barrel numbers to get recipe information. In 2016 they had nine barrels and as of last November still had a 12yr 1month OESO. Picks most be ore 2016. May need to call my relatives to run an errand for me...
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Mako graciously provided me a sample yesterday so I hastily opened it. I liked it a lot! It’s 4R, of course I liked it. Random thoughts on it:

I was disappointed I didn’t get even a slight mint note from it. I’ll have to rely on finding PS SiBs when I want to scratch that itch.

 

I agree with Mako on the finish; pretty fleeting. 

 

Decent mouthfeel but nothing special. 

 

It had a little more spice and proof heat that was noticeable over the standard SiB. 

 

I followed it with a small pour of the standard SiB and I can’t say my enjoyment of the Select was much more than the standard. Certainly not $25-30 more. I’ll buy a bottle when I come across it because I don’t want to write it off based on one sample. 

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10 hours ago, CUfan99 said:

Mako graciously provided me a sample yesterday so I hastily opened it. I liked it a lot! It’s 4R, of course I liked it. Random thoughts on it:

I was disappointed I didn’t get even a slight mint note from it. I’ll have to rely on finding PS SiBs when I want to scratch that itch.

 

I agree with Mako on the finish; pretty fleeting. 

 

Decent mouthfeel but nothing special. 

 

It had a little more spice and proof heat that was noticeable over the standard SiB. 

 

I followed it with a small pour of the standard SiB and I can’t say my enjoyment of the Select was much more than the standard. Certainly not $25-30 more. I’ll buy a bottle when I come across it because I don’t want to write it off based on one sample. 

I haven't tried it yet.  I too am looking forward to some minty-ness.  I sure hope my enjoyment of Select is more than the standard SmB because the SmB is one bourbon I just can't stand. Tastes like wet dirt.

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I haven't tried it yet.  I too am looking forward to some minty-ness.  I sure hope my enjoyment of Select is more than the standard SmB because the SmB is one bourbon I just can't stand. Tastes like wet dirt.
I thought I had a defective bottle, I'm glad I'm not the only one who tasted that.
I mixed 2/3 SmB with 1/3 WT101 and it is an interesting flavor now.
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On 5/16/2019 at 1:44 AM, The Black Tot said:

I seem to have seen a fair few K picks this last year. But no Os - alas.

 

Elixir out of Nashville picked an OBSO yesterday. 

 

Still trying to decide if I like it ?‍♂️

(I do). 

 

There is a little pucker back of the palate...maybe the 6 yr stuff showing up?

 

 

525A08A5-7F7A-4D8F-B5A0-C10BF209292C.jpeg

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23 hours ago, CUfan99 said:

Mako graciously provided me a sample yesterday so I hastily opened it. I liked it a lot! It’s 4R, of course I liked it. Random thoughts on it:

I was disappointed I didn’t get even a slight mint note from it. I’ll have to rely on finding PS SiBs when I want to scratch that itch.

 

I agree with Mako on the finish; pretty fleeting. 

 

Decent mouthfeel but nothing special. 

 

It had a little more spice and proof heat that was noticeable over the standard SiB. 

 

I followed it with a small pour of the standard SiB and I can’t say my enjoyment of the Select was much more than the standard. Certainly not $25-30 more. I’ll buy a bottle when I come across it because I don’t want to write it off based on one sample. 

 

Fair assessment. I haven’t Sbs with 100 proof yet. 

 

I will say I have been enjoying it as an opening pour before deciding which recipe I want to have that night. 

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13 hours ago, jwperry said:

I thought I had a defective bottle, I'm glad I'm not the only one who tasted that.
I mixed 2/3 SmB with 1/3 WT101 and it is an interesting flavor now.

I was a long standing fan of Smb, then I hit a couple of TERRIBLE bottles, I didn't know if I, it or both changed. A bottle a buddy in CA bought tasted the same so it was a large and widespread batch. I had several from different time periods and found what I considered the standard (good) profile after opening and tasting 2 bad ones back to back. The recent distillery visit had smb showing well again. It should have a nice balance of sweet fruit and spice and what I call a "buttery" presentation that I most often find in OESO. A good 4R smb is quite good, layered and complex but the bad ones?? ooofffaahh , drain cleaner material!! I hope all that is out of the pipeline for good!! I still have a few unopened so it will be an interesting initial tentative sip as each is eventually opened. 

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14 minutes ago, kcgumbohead said:

I was a long standing fan of Smb, then I hit a couple of TERRIBLE bottles, I didn't know if I, it or both changed. A bottle a buddy in CA bought tasted the same so it was a large and widespread batch. I had several from different time periods and found what I considered the standard (good) profile after opening and tasting 2 bad ones back to back. The recent distillery visit had smb showing well again. It should have a nice balance of sweet fruit and spice and what I call a "buttery" presentation that I most often find in OESO. A good 4R smb is quite good, layered and complex but the bad ones?? ooofffaahh , drain cleaner material!! I hope all that is out of the pipeline for good!! I still have a few unopened so it will be an interesting initial tentative sip as each is eventually opened. 

I really like my Single Barrel from them, to the point I went and bought 2 spare bottles from that same barrel for when I finish my open one. I was really surprised and disappointed with the SMB. I'm not sure when I'll circle back around to trying another bottle, I realized recently that my purchasing in the last 6 months is grossly disproportionate to my consumption so I'll probably just work on my current stock until sometime next year. 

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Finally tried the select. Certainly better than the regular small batch. Quite different from the regular single barrel. Definitely doesn’t have the same spice as OBSV. But I like it for something different. It’s not available in my market yet but I can see myself buying one of these occasionally. 

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