Single barrel bourbons are special for a variety of reasons, mainly because they are truly a limited edition. The bourbon that comes out of a single barrel is distinctly unique and once it is gone its gone. So many different factors go into the final product in an aged bourbon it is remarkable. The staves in each barrel are unique, the seasons year to year have different lengths and temperatures, location in the rickhouse, length of time the bourbon is in wood, the mash bill, the yeast strain, the water used. Private Selection Single Barrels are a cask strength offering that in my opinion Four Roses has perfected. Four Roses distills two different mash bills and combines those with five different yeast strains to craft 10 unique and special bourbon recipes. Each of these 10 recipes are released as Single Barrels that can be privately selected by liquor stores or groups. You can compare the same recipe with the same age and get two very different but equally enjoyable products.
Master distiller Brent Elliott, who is in charge of blending the Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, has used OESV in this super premium release eight times since its inception in 2008 and each year since 2017. Having OESV being included so many times in Four Roses Distillery’s annual premium offering says just how much they appreciate the flavors that come from this recipe. At higher age statements OESV can develop notes of caramel, vanilla, oak and dried fruits.
OESV barrel strength single barrel is a fan favorite and I would say one of the top two recipes that bourbon fans try to hunt down the most (the other being OESO). The E mash bill (75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley) providing more sweetness when paired with the V yeast strain, adding a delicate fruitiness and creamy mouthfeel, is a great combination.
The Four Roses OESV single barrel I am about to review was picked by Pour Vous, a wine, spirits and beer store located in Hendersonville, Tennessee. I am not very familiar with their other single barrel selections and have no idea what notes in bourbons the person or group picking this barrels prefers. We will soon find out!
The label on the side of the bottle shows the age, recipe, mash bill and some tasting notes. This barrel was aged 10 years and 10 months leading me to think there will be a decent amount of oak to it. OESV normally has a decent amount of sweetness with some rye spice and some light fruity notes. The small label on the bottom front of the bottle tells us that this barrel is 53.6% ABV (107.2 proof, right in my palate’s sweet spot!), was aged on the first tier on the east (E) side Four Roses warehouse L and it was in position #20 (T). The transparency and amount of information Four Roses provides is second to none. Lets go ahead and dive in!
Four Roses OESV Bourbon Single Barrel 10 year 10 month 53.6% LE 65-1T
Color – Light copper
Aroma – Scent of oak, slight hints of alcohol that tinge your nose not to be confused with the spiciness from the 20% rye in the mashbill. I don’t get much fruit which I was hoping for with the V yeast.
Taste – Decent mouthfeel, heavy oak but not dry or overpowering, the rye hits perfectly and leaves your mid and back pallet tingling
Finish – Nice finish, fairly quick but warming
Rating – 8.1/10
This is a good but not great single barrel. I was really hoping for more fruit and a thicker mouthfeel and this was somewhat lacking in both. The oak is the star of this barrel but it lacks complexity and in my opinion not your quintessential OESV. It is an easy sipper and if you like oaky bourbon this would be right in your wheelhouse. I would give this a 8.1/10 because there are many other Four Roses Single Barrels I would prefer to have but this is still a solid bourbon.
If you would like to read about the 16 year old Four Roses OESV Kentucky Strong release you can read my review here!
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect
Debonair Gentlemen 
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