September was indeed a big festival month for World of Beer, with the GCBF falling at the front of the month (see feature article) and the 14th annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival appearing right in the middle. Never one to pass on a glass or two of premium spirits, I made my way to Bardstown, Kentucky, to see what was happening in world of high-end bourbons.
A lot, as it turns out. Now about a decade into the explosive growth of ultra-premium segment of the market, Kentucky's distillers show no inclination to ease up on the release of elite whiskeys, including Barton's 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, a repackaged Russell's Reserve from Wild Turkey, and this month's TOTM, Four Roses Single Barrel.
Only recently repatriated to the United States after decades spent as an exclusively overseas brand, Four Roses is the curious new/old player in Kentucky bourbon, and the less than one year old Single Barrel their first domestic entry in the premium field. And what an entry it is!
Distilled from an impressing 35% rye - most Kentucky bourbons use much less rye grain to complement their barley malt and mandated minimum 51% corn content - the Single Barrel is as spicy as one might expect, but also surprisingly mellow and smooth on the palate. I was impressed by the medium-weight floral, spicy, peachy aroma, juiced a bit by undertones of vanilla, charred wood and maybe a hint of cocoa, and the sweetly spicy body holding notes of cinnamon, vanilla, orange peel, nutmeg, black pepper and perhaps even a hint of cumin. And unlike some other heavily ryed bourbons, the finish on the Single Barrel is very gentle and soft, making it an ideal whiskey for drinking neat.
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