Recently, my niece and nephew took a trip to Japan. They asked before they went “What Bourbons would you like for us to bring home?” I immediately said the Four Roses Black Label. I love this whiskey. My friend Al Young gave me a bottle many years ago and I loved it. They also brought back a bottle of Four Roses Super Premium Bourbon, also known as the “Platinum Label”. Both are excellent whiskeys in my opinion.

The Black Label is an 80 proof whiskey but still full of flavor. It is a combination of the Four Roses mash bills of OBSK and OESK. The “K” yeast strain is their lightly spice flavor yeast strain. It is bottled at least six years old. The Super Premium is a combination of four mash bills – OBSK, OBEK, OBSV, OBEV. The “V” yeast strain is their delicate fruit yeast. It is bottled at 86 proof and uses a minimum of eight year old, but as high as ten year old Bourbons. 

Matt and I sat down and tasted these Bourbons the other day and here are our tasting notes.

Four Roses Black Label

Proof: 80

Age: No Age Statement, but Four Roses told Susan Reigler it is at least six years old.

Nose:

  • Mike: Vanilla, pears, baking spices and oak wood.
  • Matt: Vanilla, cinnamon. nutmeg and oak wood.

Taste:

  • Mike: Vanilla, pears, cinnamon, cardamom and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the spice becomes a black pepper. Tasted with a pecan and the vanilla becomes a butter caramel.
  • Matt: Vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out a ripe apple flavor. The pecan made the vanilla a butter caramel.

Finish:

  • Mike: Medium long with oak and spice. The dried cranberry made the finish long with oak and black pepper. The pecan made the finish long with oak, white pepper and lingering caramel.
  • Matt: Medium long with oak and cinnamon. The dried cranberry added some lingering ripe apple. The pecan made the finish long with oak and caramel.

Four Roses Super Premium

Proof: 86

Age: No Age Statement, but Four Roses told Susan Reigler that it is 80% eight year old and 20% up to ten year old Bourbon.

Nose: 

  • Mike: Caramel, baking spices, pears and oak wood.
  • Matt: Caramel, nuts, cardamom, pepper and oak wood.

Taste:

  • Mike: Caramel, pears, cinnamon, nutmeg and oak wood. The dried cranberry brought out rich caramel toffee and cinnamon red hot candy. The pecan brought out milk chocolate, caramel and cinnamon.
  • Matt: Caramel, cherries, cardamom, pepper and oak wood. The dried cranberry added apple and red pepper. The pecan brought out milk chocolate, caramel and red delicious apples.

Finish:

  • Mike: Medium long with oak wood and baking spices. The dried cranberry added red hot cinnamon candy to the finish. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, cinnamon and chocolate.
  • Matt: Medium long with oak wood and pepper. The dried cranberry made the spice a red pepper. The pecan made the finish long with oak wood, pepper and lingering chocolate.

I would pair these fine Bourbons with a cigar that is rich in vanilla and tobacco in the smoke. I would reach for a Padron 1964 Anniversary Maduro cigar.

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller