Penny for Your Thoughts - Four Roses Single Barrel, Evan Williams Single Barrel, Lot No. 40
Here are some quick notes on the three whiskies I enjoyed at Taurus Whiskey Bar on the Fourth of July.
(From left to right: Four Roses, Evan Williams, Lot No. 40)
Four Roses Single Barrel (50% ABV) - I've been a longtime Four Roses fan, even dating back to the days before I reflected much on what I was tasting. This bourbon is one of the best values in the market at the moment at around $40-45 a bottle (or even as low as $35 in some locales). Four Roses Single Barrel stands out not only because of the high quality-to-price ratio, but also because it's distinctive as a high-rye bourbon. More than 30% of the mashbill here is rye, compared to a more typical 10-18% in most other brands' flagship products. What's the effect of that change on this whiskey? It opens with a unique nose, which reminded me of the honey glaze on great barbecue (to be clear, the glaze itself, not the meat). There's a nice floral touch to it as well, along with the baking spices one would expect due to the high rye content. Compared with Evan Williams Single Barrel (see below), Four Roses won in complexity, bringing much more than the standard vanilla, caramel, and oak scents. The palate has great texture without being at all "chewy," like some well-oaked bourbons like Elijah Craig can be. The baking spices are much more pronounced, but that honey sweetness is complemented by some hint of fruit -- pear, perhaps -- that is also an unusual flavor to pick up in a bourbon. Four Roses is noticeably richer in flavor than lower ABV whiskies. The finish is, to fall back on a cliché, sugar, spice, and everything nice. Look out for the barrel strength, private selection versions of this offering too, which I suspect would easily merit an A grade. A-
Evan Williams Single Barrel (43.3%) - Evan Williams Single Barrel is kind of like the Glenlivet 12 or Glenfiddich 12 of the bourbon world -- a good comparison point for the bourbons a whiskey lover spends the rest of his or her life enjoying. It's some seriously good juice at its price point, which is right around $30. One interesting aspect of this bourbon is that it's the same mashbill that eventually goes into Elijah Craig (one of my all-time favorite bourbons, both in its now-discontinued 12-year rendition and its limited barrel proof releases). However, this bourbon is a few years younger and presumably aged in a different location. The result of their selection is that Elijah Craig ends up much oakier and mustier (more tobacco and charcoal), while Evan Williams has a light, carefree character. The predominant notes are vanilla and lots of it, but also brown sugar, a dash of caramel, and cream. Oak or woodiness plays a supporting role here, almost receding to the backstage. Each sip ends with a quick, clean finish with a little bit of playful warmth. Unfortunately, while older vintages of this bourbon were aged more than 9 years, the most recent versions I've seen, distilled in 2009 and bottled in early 2017, were aged for under eight years. I'm not sure what older versions tasted like, but what's on the market now is a great template for bourbon's classic flavor profile, albeit lacking a real wow factor. B
Lot No. 40 (43%) - I don't have much experience with Canadian whiskies so I'm hesitant to give this an authoritative rating right now, and may circle back and provide an updated score at a later date. My only reference point is years-old memories of what Canadian Club tastes like (not good). The nose is unlike anything I've experienced before, with a bourbon vanilla note but depleted of the usual caramel and brown sugar. There's a bit of dill or some other unusual seasoning. In addition, it has a scent of soap or some kind of household cleaning product -- which sounds terrible, but in fact is soothing and intriguing. The palate is fruity and has a spicy tingle to it, but with a crisp character. Papaya? (I may just be pulling that out of thin air.) Smooth finish, without many distinct notes in it to my recollection. Perhaps tasted more slowly at home I'd be able to pick out more, but that's why these post-bar reviews come in with a bit less detail. The taste is unlike anything I've ever had in the bourbon or scotch worlds, so definitely worth a try. Lot No. 40 has a ton of critical acclaim and is priced at a premium relative to its other northern brethren. It's worth a pour if you can find it at a bar for $5-6 a dram, which is what I paid. B