Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2015 Review

I've said many times that Four Roses is my favorite distillery and along those lines, my favorite master distiller is Jim Rutledge. Jim retired from Four Roses last Fall but the final stamp on his legacy is one last release of their Limited Edition Small Batch. The 2014 release of this product didn't really get bad reviews but most agreed it was a step down from the previous releases. To be fair, the 2012 and 2013 releases are regarded by many as some of the best bourbons made in the last 5 years so it had some large shoes to fill. Jim was on record as saying he had a hard time selecting the 2014 release but he felt the 2015 was a return to previous form. The 2015 release is a blend of 16 year OBSK, 15 year OESK, 14 year OESK, and 11 year OBSV. That runs the gamut of my three favorite Four Roses recipes so my expectations are very high.

Aged 11 to 16 years; 54.3% ABV; $100

Nose: Classic Four Roses. Woody, sweet, spicy, and red fruits. Smells like cinnamon caramel covered red apples. 

Taste: Spot on with the nose. It's surprisingly sweet despite the high ages. Their high rye comes through with touches of cinnamon and anise spices. The red apple fruit notes are very prominent and there is a tremendous amount of wood depth. It's incredibly rich and drinks easy considering the proof. My only criticism is a little dry bitterness towards the finish but you really have to dig to get that. 

Thoughts: Four Roses has such a distinctive taste that separates their bourbon from everyone else. This takes all those great distinguishing characteristics and ramps them up even more. This is almost as good as bourbon it gets. I'm not ready to put it up there with the 2012 or 2013 Small Batch but it's not far behind. Cheers to you Mr. Rutledge, you went out with a bang. 

Rating: A

Note that price is not considered when assigning a rating.