Four Roses Small Batch Limited 2012

A quarter way into my second bottle of this most outstanding bourbon. I was lucky enough to catch wind of the quality of 2012's offering just before the insanity hit, and was able to sample, then procure a respectable stash. It's that good. This bourbon did for me what the Balvenie Tun 1401 did for me with scotch - it rocked my world.

Nose: At 55%, alcohol, to be sure, followed closely by toasted coconut. Promises of a brittle sweetness. Cocoa butter?

Taste: A quick sip burns all the way down, with a lasting sweet, burning finish. Rock candy and hot melted butter. Popcorn - movie theater popcorn with obscene amounts of melted butter. And still, the burn. I take a bigger sip, and hold it in. Let the saliva glands do their work. Total mouth numbness, but easier swallow with less burn. Lingers in the mouth as the numbness slowly dissipates. More butterscotchy now.

I get many of the same notes that I love in the Evan Williams 2000 single barrel, but this is more complex and at a staggering ABV that just ramps everything up. To quote Tommy Chong: "Toke. Toke it out man. Kind of grabs you by booboo don't it?" Yes Tommy. Yes it does.

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