I apologize for my brief hiatus in posts.  I was in the Outer Banks, and I just felt like enjoying the moment rather than blogging about bourbon.  However, that does not mean I love blogging about bourbon any less.  To prove it, I have decided to review one of my favorite bourbons this evening: Four Roses Single Barrel (if you must know, I am currently enjoying Barrel 4-3K).

I have reviewed several Four Roses products before, and I have concluded that they are all very good value.  The Single Barrel is the top-shelf standard offering from Four Roses, and it does not disappoint.  It is bottled at 100 proof, higher than any other Four Roses product.  However, it does not drink like 100 proof whiskey.  It is the perfect combination of gentleness and power.

On the nose, Four Roses Single Barrel is mostly sweet, but it has some balancing notes of spices and flowers.  There are notes of cinnamon, rye, vanilla, dark chocolate, and roses.  On the palate, the Single Barrel is primarily sweet and rich.  It moves from lighter sweet flavors (berries, light vanilla) to denser, heavier sweet flavors (dark chocolate, sweet oak, toffee).  The finish is long, warming, and complex.  It begins with the oak integrating well with the sweet flavors of vanilla, cinnamon, and honey.  However, the whiskey finishes strong with a powerful burst of rich, bittersweet dark chocolate and cinnamon spice.

Overall, Four Roses Single Barrel is a phenomenal bourbon whiskey.  It is robust, complex, and unique.  The sweetness makes it a perfect dessert bourbon (if you are into that sort of thing), but it is the kind of whiskey that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.  My grade:  A-.  Price: $35-40/750ml.  This is a wonderful whiskey, worth every penny (in my opinion).

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