Four Roses Review

Country: USA

Brand: Four Roses

Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Age: NAS (Said to be around 5-6 Years)

ABV: 40 % 

Date: 03/10/2013

Colour: Amber with Orange Notes

Nose: Relatively Light and Clean and with a bit of Alcohol but pleasant enough. I find Orange, Sweet Grains, Bread Dough, Grandma's Furniture Polish, Honey, Toffee, Banana, Vanilla, light Oak and Spices like Cinnamon and Cloves. A Hint of Butterscotch Chocolate.

Palate: The delivery is a bit thin. This Four Roses would benefit from an ABV of 43-46%. I find Sweet Grains, Coconut, Oak, Vanilla, Honey, Citrus Peel, Toffee, Pear Drops and Spices like Cloves, Cinnamon and Aniseed.

Finish: On the Short side, Sweet and Dry with Oak, Pepper, Ginger, Orange and Nut Casks.

With a bit of Water the Nose gets lots of extra Honey. Try it out! But Palate and Finish do not accept H2O very well. Better sip it neat or over an ice cube or two.

Rating: 82.5

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 20.5

General Remarks: The Four Roses Brand was established in 1888. It is probably named after founder Rufus Mathewson Rose, his brother and their two sons although there are other stories around that could be true as well. Four Roses is distilled and aged by Four Roses Distillery LLC, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky that is nowadays owned by the Kirin Brewery Company from Japan. The distillery produces 10 different Bourbons using 2 Mash Bills (60-75% Corn) and 5 Yeast Strains. The Standard Yellow Label expression we are tasting today is a blend of these ten Bourbons. The price varies from 20 to 30 US Dollars, depending on where you live.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

Drinking Experience On the Rocks: Good

Conclusion: A well-crafted Bourbon at a very attractive price level. The Nose is soft but pleasant. The Palate deserves a higher ABV but that would make it much more expensive of course. This standard Four Roses won't surprise you but will not disappoint you either. And it proves once again that, on average, low priced Bourbon is a better buy than low priced Scotch.

Jan van den Ende                                                         October 2013

Russell's Reserve 10 Years Review

Country: USA

Brand: Russell's Reserve Small Batch

Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 

Age: 10 Years

ABV: 45 %

Sample Provided By: Derek, USA. Thanks!  

Date: 17/09/2013

Colour: Deep Amber with Orange tones

Nose: Sweet, quite Fruity and Spicy with Orange Peel, Peach, Vanilla, Caramel, Cinnamon and Cardamom. I suspect a high Rye content in the Mash Bill. I also find Acetone, Butter, Brown Sugar and traces of Peanut Butter and Mint. Some Alcohol is present as well. All in all a solid Bourbon Nose.

Palate: Bitter-Sweet, Spicy, Woody and Waxy with Sweet Corn, Rye, Saw Dust, Pepper, Cardamom, Almonds, Caramel and Orange Peel.

Finish: Bitter-Sweet and Spicy with Oak, Caramel, Sweet Grain, Raisins, Menthol, Orange-Peel, Cinnamon, Pepper and Cardamom.

With a bit of Water the Nose gets Sweeter while the Spices and Acetone retreat. Instead I find Buttered Toast and Honey and some Apricot. The Alcohol is toned down. I would advise you to Nose the Russell's Reserve both with - and without some Water. Palate and Finish however get a bit Watery. Better sip it neat or (preferably) on the Rocks.

Rating: 81.5

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20  Finish: 20  - Overall: 20.5 

Derek's Bottle that produced the Sample!

General Remarks: Russell's Reserve is distilled at - and bottled by Austin Nichols Distilling Company at Lawrenceburg Kentucky, the makers of Wild Turkey. It matures in deeply Charred American White Oak barrels and is stored in the centre part of the rick house. The barrels eventually used for Russell's Reserve are hand picked. Russell's Reserve was created by - and named after Jimmy Russell, master distiller at Wild Turkey and his son and associate distiller Eddie Russell. Today, Austin Nichols is owned by the Italian Campari Group. Russell's Reserve 10 Years sells at between 30 and 35 US Dollars.

Drinking Experience Neat: Okay/Good

Conclusion: I had expected more from this Bourbon after a promising and solid Nose. Maybe 10 years in the barrel was a bit too much. Bitter Oak and Wood Spice are a tad too dominant on the Palate and in the Finish. It's not too expensive though and certainly okay on the Rocks. But I would not consider the Russell's Reserve 10 years as my day-to-day sipping Bourbon.

Jan van den Ende                                                         September 2013

Jimmy Russell and his Creation!

Wild Turkey 81 Review

Country: USA

Brand: Wild Turkey 81 

Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon 

Age: 6-8 Years

Alcohol: 40,5%

Colour: Amber/Dark Gold

Nose: No surprises in this department. We get the usual Sweet Grains, Charred Oak, Roasted Coffee, Vanilla, Caramel, Orange, Cinnamon, Honey, Pepper and a fair amount of Rye. The Alcohol is not completely integrated. There's nothing really wrong here but I find it somewhat bland.

Taste: On the Thin side and Bitter-Sweet with Oak, Cherry flavoured Cough Syrup, Rye (Spices), Caramel, Cinnamon, Roasted Coffee, Black Tea, Orange, Brown Sugar, Mint, Clove, Nutmeg and Honey.

Finish: Dry with Charred Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint, Vanilla, Caramel, Honey, Roasted Coffee, and Strong Black Tea. The 81 Proof leaves a burning sensation on the tongue.

Rating: 79.5 

Nose: 20 – Taste: 20 – Finish: 19.5 – Overall: 20

General Remarks: Wild Turkey is produced in Lawrenceburg Kentucky. Nowadays the Brand is owned by the Campari Group. The distillery produces the 81 Proof, the 101 Proof, the Single Barrel Kentucky Spirit at 101 Proof, Russell's Reserve 10 Years named after Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, Rare Breed a blend of 6, 8 and 12 old Wild Turkey at 108.4 Proof, a Rye Whiskey  made with 65% Rye, 23 % Corn and 12% Barley and a Honey Liqueur by the name of American Honey. The 81 Proof costs around 20 US Dollars, was created by Eddie Russell as a Mixing Whiskey and has a high Rye percentage in the Mash Bill. 

Drinking Experience Neat: Average

Drinking Experience on the Rocks : Good

Conclusion: I really liked the 101 and it's my favourite Bourbon so far. Unfortunately I can't say the same about the 81. On the Nose it's your average standard Bourbon. On the Palate it's rather Bitter and offers too many Cough Syrup associations. The finish is very dry and leaves you with a burning sensation on the tongue. The Wild Turkey 81 is okay on the Rocks and for mixing but not interesting enough to be considered as a sipping Bourbon.

Jan van den Ende                                                                   August 9, 2013