Up tonight should have been part 9 of 10, OBSQ but instead I thought I would mix things up a bit and head for a bottle that I know I love but technically still fits in the series. I just recently reviewed a private selection of the OBSK recipe and while it was good it wasn't the best of the series so far. Let's see how much difference choice barrel selection at the hands of the master Jim Rutledge can make care of last year's limited edition single barrel with the same OBSK recipe.
57.3% ABV; Aged 13 years; OBSK Recipe; Bottle 2790/6559; $75
Nose: Deep toasted oak. Slight fruit like strawberries and some spicy corn ala peppercorn. Typical wood sap sweets are there as well like caramel and maple syrup. Also getting barbecue? That's a new one for me in a bourbon. Heat is extremely tempered. I get something new with every whiff. It's complex.
Taste: Like the previous OBSK I reviewed, the rye spice is very forward but nowhere near as dominant. It's nicely balanced by an intense amount of vanilla and honey. Very thick, true to the Four Roses notes for this recipe as "full body".
Finish: Cinnamon on the front of the finish but then deep dark chocolate cocoa sweets come in. Vanilla and honey from the initial palette are still there. Charred oak compliments with some nice bitterness as well so it isn't all sweet and spice. It's a crazy amalgamation of flavors but the amazing part is it all just works together. The sweet, spicy, and bitter finish lasts for a long time as does a belly warming glow.
Notes: Wow, what a difference between this bottle and the previous OBSK I reviewed. There are so many more interesting nuances and much more complexity in this pour. The spice is still there but less dominant and more balanced. The sweetness has more range of depth and more interesting flavors. It's no secret I am a Jim Rutledge fanboy and this bottle really is a testament to his skills. Considering how enamored I am with this release and the quality of the LE Small Batch showings over the past couple of years I might go out on a limb and say I think he has the best palette for picking out barrels and blending batches of any Master Distiller I know right now. It's going to take all I have not to polish off this bottle tonight.
Rating: A- / A
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