Brian Haara
Bourbon. Law. Author.
Sipp’n Corn Tasting Notes: Four Gate Batch 6—The Kelvin Collaboration II.
Four Gate is back at it, leading the way with the most creative barrel finishes of any brand. For Batch 6, Four Gate used 12-year old high-rye (18% rye grain) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and finished some of it in Cognac barrels and some of it in dark rum barrels.
Batch 6—The Kelvin Collaboration II
Bourbon: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Cognac and Dark Rum Casks
Distillery: Undisclosed
Age: 12 years
ABV: 63.2% ABV (126.4 Proof)
Cost: $199.99
Appearance:
Deep amber-brown.
Nose:
There’s a lot going on here—the spice and dark fruits mingle together with a slight hint of barrel finishing and plenty of intensity.
Taste:
I’m not sure that I’m finding the Cognac influence, but the rum casks are there with sweetness and tropical fruit. It’s far more than that though; beyond additional sweetness as expected from caramel and vanilla, there are soft, warm, dark flavors of maple syrup and dark fruit, followed by baking spice as its creaminess coats the palate. There’s some heat here, but resist the temptation to add a few drops of water.
Finish:
Warmth that lasts with sweet creamy caramel chocolates and dries as it fades.
Bottom Line
Distribution is limited like Four Gate’s other releases (2,500 bottles just for Kentucky, Tennessee, and Seelbachs.com), so you’ll need to do a little work to find a bottle of The Kelvin Collaboration II. But like first five releases, it’s worth the extra effort.
Disclaimer: The brand managers kindly
sent me a sample for this review,
without any strings attached.
Thank you.
Brian Haara 