I was very fortunate to be able to pick up this year’s Four Roses Limited Edition and to be able to do a side by side tasting with one of my favorite Four Roses releases the 2019 LE.
The 2021 Four Roses LE is a blend of 12 year OESK, 14 year OBSQ, 16 year OESV and 16 year OBSV weighing in at 114.2 proof 🔥Older OESV and OESK were the main components of the 2019 LE and I am usually a fan of OBSQs so I am definitely excited about the recipe this year.
Four Roses 2021 Small Batch Limited Edition
Age: 12-16 years
Proof: 114.2
Neat
Nose: Rich oak and dark fruit backed by rye spice and vanilla cream with a slight hint of herbal or maybe floral notes.
Taste: Caramel and cherry, then rye spice and pepper with a surge of oak at the end. That same subtle herbal/floral note from the nose. Very nice mouthfeel especially for 114 proof.
Finish: Long, warm and dry with rye spice, pepper, oak and vanilla extract plus a bit of dried fruit.
Conclusion
Overall this is an amazing pour. It is on the hotter and spicier side for a Four Roses LE though. I also tried it with a couple drops of water and the palate improved with richer fruit notes and less pepper but the finish was a bit heavier on the oak front with a touch of bitterness.
3 Stars - Excellent whiskey: I would be willing to hunt down a bottle
TL;DR: Didn’t quite hit the 2019 high water mark but it is close.