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Preview: "Ron's Four Grain" is a vatting of George T. Stagg; Maker's Mark, and Evan Williams 1783 all in equal measure. My sample was thoughtfully provided courtesy of Bourbon Joe.

Glasware Used: Glencairn

Color: Honey toned amber.

Nose: Vibrant and sweet with candy topnotes of vanilla; candy corn, honey, and caramel. I allowed this one to breath quite a bit and then added a splash of spring water. This opened the nose a bit to reveal subtile pears and a hint of mint wafting in and out. Nutmeg is the only spice tone that I can pin down. So a very nicely complex nose indeed!

Mouthfeel: In the glass this bourbon exhibits excellent viscosity with a syrupy oiliness. In the mouth it is soft and coating with a pleasant tingle on the tip of the tongue.

Palate: The overall flavor is quite good with charred oak out front followed closely by an amalgamation of candy tones much like a good bourbon ball. Quite complex and tough to pull apart for analysis. Just think of it as a bourbon candy bar that you can drink. No chocolate though, but there is some tobbacco flavor coming through.

Finish: Of medium length with a faster decay than I would like. Drying oaken nuttiness with some tiny amount of mint and some warmth.

Overview: A nice experimental vatting and an excellent combination of wheat and rye recipe bourbons. This has got me thinking that Baker's and an Old Rip Van Winkle both at 107 proof would make a supurb 50/50 vatting yielding the desired four grains.

Well I hope you enjoyed this review.

Linn

Good review indeed, and due also to Joe's kindness I tried this vatting too and thought it was very good (as evidenced by its high standing in many semi-blind tastings). I as is known like to vat, recently I did an 80/20 Weller 107 to Blanton 80 proof and it was very good. I tried adding more Blanton after but it wasn't as good. Reason I liked it is the addition didn't really change the perfumed, distinctive taste of Weller 107, rather the Blanton deepened that taste and added some rye edges. When I added too much Blanton, the result was kind of muddied. I'd have used a higher proof Blanton if I had it, but using less saved me adding a splash to my glass after, so 6 of one, half a dozen of the other...

I think the fact that Blanton is not much older than 7 years assisted in the vatting as did that it came from the same company, although blending opposites in age, or whiskeys made by different companies, can also work well too sometimes. There are just so many variables, and whiskeys can differ so much from whatever source, it is hard to know what will work or not work in advance; rather, one has to experiment to see what produces good results.

The Baker's and ORVW 107 sound like excellent vatting partners. Personally I'd try 1:2 first (Baker's to ORVW) since Baker's is fairly pronounced in rye flavour, but 50/50 may be better, only experimentation can decide this.

Yes Gary, I can now see that the Baker's could easily overwhelm the Van Winkle and that two parts wheat to one part rye would be a better starting point. Good observation.

Linn

Nice tasting notes Linn. Ron has been trying to "best" his 4 Grain Vatting many times. He has yet to do so. If you want our group to put one of your (or anyone else's) vattings up against it, send a sample. We will be happy to evaluate it.
Joe

Bourbon Joe wrote:Nice tasting notes Linn. Ron has been trying to "best" his 4 Grain Vatting many times. He has yet to do so. If you want our group to put one of your (or anyone else's) vattings up against it, send a sample. We will be happy to evaluate it.
Joe

You're quite welcome Joe, and thanks again for the sample. I haven't sat down to do a serious tasting in some time, but it's as accurate as I can get if that means anything.

Linn

I happened, at the time Ron's Famous Four Grain was concocted, to have the same ingredients on hand and made an almost full bottle. I thought it to be excellent bourbon at the time and have been back to it frequently. Tonight, I chanced across the bottle and decided it was time to taste it again, and to make some notes. I make no pretense of having the same skills as a taster or note taker as the illustrious Saint Bunghole.

I had a sip of Pure Kentucky XO Bourbon beforehand (a first rate bourbon in its 10 YO incarnation), which, by my lights, disqualifiess me from absolutely nothing in so far as giving a good account in my tasting of Ron's Famous Four Grain.

Glassware: Riedel bourbon glass

Color: Not dark, not deep, but quite appealing

Nose: Sweet caramel and corn with some definite rye standing by, ably assisted by a backbone of oak supporting the whole edifice. There is a subtlety here in the nose that adds to the complexity.........not too much of anything.........not too little of anything. It passes with this fellow for a bourbon of significant age.

Mouthfeel: It is not as rich as Stagg (the anchor bourbon here, for sure), but it has some weight that is slick, soothing, and almost delicate as it 'grows' its way across your whole mouth. Ron, you are a bourbon genius to have come up with this!

Palate: The thick mouthfeel guarantees a nice palate experience. There is a beautiful balance twixt the spice from the Stagg, the sweetness from the Maker's, and the the continuity provided by the 1783.

Finish: More than respectable, less than fantastic (come to think of it, I know of no bourbon with a fantastic finish...........that didn't have a decent front and middle). It is 'dry' (Maker's Mark has a very definite problem with its finish in this reviewer's opinion, so adds little here) as one might expect from the 15 YO Stagg, but a good 'dry' that does not 'cut off' the tasting experience before its time, but wraps it up with a nice slice of the wood.

Overview: A vatting that lies twixt excellent and great in my opinion. Well balanced, complex, rich, and tasty. Soon, I will be doing a 50/50 with Baker's and Old Rip Van Winkle 15 yO (both 107 proof) to test Saint Bunghole's proposed vatting...........stay tuned! If I like it I will send a sample to SB for him to work his magic with words!

Mike, just a suggestion, by try the Baker's/ORVW vatting two ways, one as you described, one with the proportions 1:2, respectively.

I think you would get, in the first way, a less pungent Baker's, and in the second way, a stiffened ORVW (where a rye component introduces more body and complexity).

Gary

gillmang wrote:Mike, just a suggestion, by try the Baker's/ORVW vatting two ways, one as you described, one with the proportions 1:2, respectively.

I think you would get, in the first way, a less pungent Baker's, and in the second way, a stiffened ORVW (where a rye component introduces more body and complexity).

Gary

I tried the 50/50 and while it was a good whiskey, it was inferior to both Baker's and to ORVW 15 YO. I will try your suggestion of 1 part Baker's to 2 parts ORVW.

I like that you mentioned the glassware in your review.....

It DOES make a difference, and in my opinion, you chose the right one! Love those nosing glasses that Glencairn makes

BourbonBalls wrote:I like that you mentioned the glassware in your review.....

It DOES make a difference, and in my opinion, you chose the right one! Love those nosing glasses that Glencairn makes

There are other glasses that I like better, but the Glencairn is very good and easy to get and it is affordable so I am making it the standard glass used in my infrequent reviews. Everybody should have one.

Linn

I agree...everybody SHOULD have one. An I think everybody should follow your lead and mention the glass used in future reviews. Good idea

gillmang wrote:Mike, just a suggestion, by try the Baker's/ORVW vatting two ways, one as you described, one with the proportions 1:2, respectively.

I think you would get, in the first way, a less pungent Baker's, and in the second way, a stiffened ORVW (where a rye component introduces more body and complexity).

Gary

I finally got around to trying the 1/3 Baker's and 2/3 ORVW 15 YO. Both are 107 proof. The resulting vatting is just great. It is as you suggested, Gary, the Baker's is a mite sweeter and subtler, while the ORVW has a bit more body and complexity.

The vatting retains the richness and viscosity of the Baker's, making it a deep bourbon, and it retains the softness and nuance of the ORVW, making it a complete spirit. It sips like a well-aged 95 proof bourbon (very little influence from the alcohol). The finish favors the ORVW and is not lengthy, but glows on its way out.

This vatting has great balance........none of the elements gets carried away in its appointed duties..........and complexity.........many flavors carried by the thickness and body. The whole mouth gets involved here.

Mike will be making a full bottle of this stuff and will set it alongside Ron's Famous Four Grain.........maybe I will name it Gary's Famous Four Grain.

I do hope someone else give this a try.

Thanks Mike, it's not famous yet, but glad you liked it. I thank also Linn who reminded me I had made the suggestion earlier, i.e., his interest impelled me to bring forward the idea again.

Gary

I have finished my first small 'batch' and will proceed shortly to make a full bottle...........it is just a marvelous whiskey. Baker's is readily available (but not cheap), and I happen to have stashed a few bottles of ORVW a while back.

While I cannot honestly say that the vatting is superior to either Baker's (the more I sip Baker's, the more impressed I am) or the ORVW 15 YO (the bourbon that first led me to believe bourbon could be great), it is their equal.

As any great vatting must do, it draws something from each that creates a new spirit with strengths from each.

In my limited experience, this vatting poses for a much older bourbon that has drawn the best from the wood. It has a subtlety and flavor profile that reminds me very much of the best older bourbons. It is amazing to me how the alcohol (sometimes more than others, quite noticeable in both Baker's and in ORVW 15 YO) seems more subdued............very interesting!!