Four Roses K&L Exclusive OBSQ Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon 750ml

Every now and again we'll taste a barrel of Four Roses that really showcases what the yeast can bring to a Bourbon in terms of flavor. While we tend to focus on the inherent grains or the mature flavor imparted from the oak aging, the yeast is commonly overlooked as a major factor. This barrel of OBSQ brings the red fruits and the banana to flavortown. The fantastic part of Four Roses' single barrel program is that it allows us as consumers to select samples from the five different strains of yeast being employed at the distillery. Cherry and banana aren't flavors usually associated with corn, rye, or toasted new oak - they're the result of fermentation. Once distilled into a spirit these fruit-filled distillates are filled into charred wood where they sit for a decade before finding their way into a box of samples. When I catch one of these super-fun whiskies crossing my desk, I'll almost always pull the trigger. There's something simply delicious about that combination of barrel spice, rich vanilla, and flavor when it comes to Bourbon. Our customers seem to agree, as these barrels have without a doubt been the most popular in our history. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer).