Four Roses Small Batch Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon

The limited-edition releases from Four Roses are always top-notch but this bourbon—a permanently available addition to the lineup—proves itself every bit the equal of its rarer brethren. Made with the distillery’s F yeast strain among others it has a perfumed nose with orange blossom cedar chest berries spearmint tobacco leaves sassafras licorice and layers of earthy spice. The palate is consistent and deep with flavors of cherry Coke cough syrup orange oil leathery dark fruit black pepper chili flakes and chocolate shifting into a minty finish replete with pepper cinnamon dark chocolate cooked berries and roasted walnuts. Full rich and utterly satisfying. Number 3 in the 2019 Top 20