Some folks have regular drinks they pair with cigars. When I enjoy a stogie, I like to switch it up a bit between scotch, rum, bourbon and, most recently, beer.
I’ll drink most of these with cigars, but to be honest, I’m not a regular bourbon drinker. My first real foray into the whisky world was scotch, mostly thanks to Jason Falls, and I’ve pretty much stuck with that. So when the folks at Four Roses offered me a sample of their Single Barrel bourbon, I saw it as an opportunity to expand my whisky horizons. (Or, in this case, whiskey.)
First off, some background on the Four Roses Single Barrel: it’s a winner, several times over, of the WHISKY MAGAZINE World Whiskies Award in the “Whiskey: No age” category. Four Roses Distillery, one of Kentucky’s largest distilleries, is owned by Kirin Brewing Company. My local liquor store, Binny’s Beverage Depot, prices it at $38.99, which is slightly more than Basil Hayden. And it packs a bit of a punch, at 50% ABV
While CigarJack is a cigar blog, I decided to forego the stogie while sampling this bourbon. (Forgive me, o cigar gods and fellow cigar bloggers!)
The Nose: Four Roses has a layered scent; the vanilla was strong, but not overpowering, and gave way to honey and a bit of spice.
How it Tasted: On the palate, the sweetness is balanced by notes of licorice, and honey.
The Finish Line: A long, great, well-rounded, sweet and spicy finish.
Overall: A worthwhile companion during an episode of “Justified.” Raylan Givens would be proud. Buy, and don’t look back.
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