Four Roses – Small Batch Select (75cl, 52%)

This is a non-chill-filtered Kentucky straight bourbon from Four Roses, bottled at 52% (104 proof) in a 750ml bottle. It is blended from six of the distillery's ten bourbon recipes, each aged for a minimum of six years. The ten recipes come from two mashbills and five yeast strains, and the blend leans towards rye. The whisky is aged in single-story warehouses, where temperatures vary far less than in traditional multi-storey rickhouses. The nose is fresh raspberry with clove and nutmeg, then candied fruit and light vanilla. The palate offers apricot and mixed berries, creamy vanilla and soft caramel, with gentle peppery warmth. The finish is medium to long, ending on spearmint and cinnamon with a slightly oily texture.