Four Roses 2013 Limited Edition – Small Batch 125 Anniversary Edition [Re-Review]

Thanks to /u/devoz for pouring a sample for me.

A few years ago one of those “odd” moments happened with Bourbon.

Four Roses 2013 Limited Edition – Small Batch 125 Anniversary Edition, a special edition from a large company, was released in large enough quantities that most could have it. It wasn’t NAS, it wasn’t watered down, and it wasn’t bad.

This was their anniversary edition. Taters around the world would have bought it even if it only contained brown water. It could have been priced higher with younger components. And multiple reviewers named it the whiskey of the year. Best of the world.

As such, to start a tasting we had, it was time to revisit this bourbon. If only as a palate opener.

Price: Sold out

Region: Kentucky

Abv: 51.6%

Colour: 5YR 3/8

Nose: Caramelized pear, mint ice cream, strawberry & cream, melon honey, thyme, cinnamon cake

Immediately there’s burnt sugar, creamy mint, and more fruit and cream. It’s a dram that turns your head so much that Linda Blair is concerned about employment.

Water brings out more floral sweets, herbal, and a well-developed cereal/spice element.

Taste: Creme de menthe, thyme, fried banana, turnip crumble, Autumn

More mint and cream. More interesting notes. A burnt sugar element, molasses. There’s something that screams Autumn, and for once it isn’t /u/Throzen.

Finish: Mint syrup, Madeleine, hot cereal, wood polish/oak, roasted corn

Mint, sugar, more cereal, well-developed desert, and a chemical note but nothing that turns me away.

Conclusion: Still amazing. Turns out all those people were right. What a surprise, am I right?

Look, this may seem silly, but it’s good to go back to amazing whiskies you’ve had some times. I typically do without a review, but this is just too fun to not. This evokes writing in anyone, even the fingerless.

It’s fruity, there’s developed aspects of cream and mint, and all in all it’s amazing. This is what sold me on Four Roses, and if they can make something like this, they’re worth taking a risk on.

90/100

Bourbon review #255, Kentucky review #165, Whiskey review #1783