Bourbon Heritage Month 2020 Day 25: Four Roses Private Select OESF Total Wine Pick

Four Roses Private Select OESF Total Wine Pick

Total Wine, Westbury NY

Four Roses Distillery

58.1% ABV/116.2 Proof

NAS, Warehouse MW, Cask 79.3P

Eye: Dark amber, medium rim holds slow, thick legs. 

Nose: Red fruits and berries. A tangy, yeasty note. Very rounded, no burn, lots of caramel. Deep bourbon smell builds, like putting your nose in a candle. Nut skins and shells in the background, with milk chocolate. 

Palate: Proof shows itself a bit more here, dancing through the mouth with red fruit and berries sliding in. Roasted peanuts follow up. Mouthfeel is coating, lightly astringent, toasty. 

Finish: Medium-length, strawberries and peanuts. 

Overall: Very different from other Four Roses picks I’ve had. I like this pick a lot, reminds me of a PB&J where you don’t get both at the same time.

Rating: 6.8

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)

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