Penny for Your Thoughts - Room 901
- Jan 2, 2018
- 3 min read
Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2006, and an Eagle Rare Old Fashioned
We reached St. Petersburg toward the end of the night, after a four-hour drive, and enjoyed two welcome drams.
Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2016 (55.6% ABV) - Before trying out Room 901, I hadn't found a bar that carries Four Roses' annual, coveted Limited Edition Small Batch. Happily, it was worth the wait and worth the search. This bourbon's signature characteristic is balance. It's not an extreme, hair-raising powerhouse, nor is it a light, simple pour. It has complexity, but it's not challenging and strange in its flavor profile. The nose introduces itself with peanut brittle before transitioning to a more classic profile of caramel, oak, and ripe pear. The palate proceeds differently, with citrus notes of orange and grapefruit, oak, burnt brown sugar, and maple syrup. It has a great, mouth-coating sensation. This limited edition concludes with a long, warming finish with nutty and oaky characteristics. In quality, it's not necessarily head and shoulders above the better Four Roses Private Selections that one can find around the country, but it's a matter of risk. If you purchase one of Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch versions, which are both expensive and rare (MSRP is $130 a bottle, and many liquor stores will slap a big markup on that price), you're getting the distillery's wisdom and a uniform flavor profile. If you opt for a store or bar pick, you're relying on one person's judgment, and hoping that your tastes are aligned. It's a tradeoff. Sometimes, Private Selections turn out to be spectacular bourbons that are better than any limited release from the distillery, which understandably is aiming at a more universally pleasing but less distinctive character, while, other times, you'll wind up with something that's just not for you. Don't hesitate to try this one if you're lucky enough to find it. A
1792 Full Proof (62.5%) - This is my first bourbon from Barton Distillery, which distills the 1792 lineup. This is not quite a barrel-proof bourbon, since every batch of it comes in at exactly 62.5% ABV. Instead, it's very high-proof 1792 that the distillery slightly waters down to get to exactly that ABV. For about $50, it's one of the least expensive, best-rated high-proof bourbons out there. The downside of that pricing is that there's a chance (actually a certainty) that Barton's mainly using young juice for this product. Despite that, it stacks up just fine. The nose has a wonderful aroma of vanilla coconut frosting, coffee and cream, and black tea. Its flavors with each sip are intense and rich caramel and a mouthful of tannins, so the wood influence is strong. Interestingly, there is little rye spice or grain in this bourbon, at least not much that I could detect. 1792 Full Proof has a composed finish of oak and caramel, with some stewed fruit accents. It gets prickly and grassy at the very end, which is a flaw, but an understandable one given the high proof and young age. Nonetheless, this represents a strong value in the increasingly crazy bourbon world. A-
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SMWS 48.43, "Pepper crop-dusted over orchards" (55.5%) - Bonus review! A 12-year-old scotch from my favorite independent bottler, and a new distillery for me. Here's the society's blurb: "The nose starts with tickling pepper then sawdust; then come blackcurrant chews, tinned pineapple, orange jelly and sun-kissed orchard fruits. The palate's pepper, nutmeg, and chili tingle balances honey, toffee, fruit pastilles, ice lolly sticks and hints of leather and tea." How accurate is that, in my limited discernment? Not too bad, although ironically I don't get that pepper until the end! The aromas are woody and replete with vanilla, with a slightly floral or ethereal character that reminds me of Glenmorangie, but better. The palate features more oak and then complex fruit, including orchard fruits, tart melon, and tropical fruit. This scotch winds up with a huge rush of raspberries and pepper. Another impressive effort from these guys -- I may just have to become a member before my upcoming trip to Scotland. A-
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