Tasting Tuesday: Same Mashbill, Same Proof, No Safety Net

The Backstory

Last summer, Scott and I found ourselves at Four Roses’ Cox’s Creek facility, just outside Bardstown, helping select a barrel pick for a Tennessee liquor store owned by a friend of his. Two hours, ten barrels, and more samples than any sane palate should process later, we narrowed the field.

We agreed the OBSK was our personal favorite that day — but also agreed the OESO would likely be the crowd-pleaser. I came home with a bottle of OBSK from the distillery shop, and later had Scott grab two OESO bottles for me as well.

Fast forward to now.

Recent individual tastings had me thinking the OESO might have overtaken the OBSK in my rankings — so today’s blind, head-to-head barrel-strength showdown would decide which bottle takes the lead position in my collection.

🔍 Blind Tasting Results

Color (revealed after evaluation)

A: Deep copper
B: Mid-copper

Aroma

A: Chocolate, caramel, baking spice, slightly savory
B: Fruity, slightly hotter proof, vanilla, mint, chocolate on the back end

Palate

A: Spicy upfront, noticeable proof, caramel, vanilla, nutmeg
B: Softer entry, then spice builds; dominant mint early, followed by vanilla, light oak, and cinnamon

Complexity

A: Layers upon layers — flavors rotate in and out, each taking a turn as the hero
B: Even more dynamic — nuances coming from every direction with impressive balance

Mouthfeel

A: Creamy
B: Creamy (no separation here)

Finish

A: Chocolate and cinnamon linger; vanilla smooths the landing
B: Spice ramps up late and holds, joined by persistent mint

Score

A: 86.58
B: 85.72

🎭 The Reveal

A: Four Roses OESO Barrel Strength
B: Four Roses OBSK Barrel Strength

🧠 Final Thoughts

I went into this convinced the OESO would win cleanly — but the truth is, these two are separated by a whisper. On another night, with a different palate or a different pour size, the result could flip.

One thing is clear: I enjoy both recipes far more at barrel strength than I do at 100 proof. There’s simply more dimension, more depth, and more personality when the proof is allowed to speak.

That means the lower-proof versions I own are likely headed for Old Fashioneds, while their higher-proof big brothers will continue to be enjoyed neat, slowly, and thoughtfully.

No losers here — just one bottle edging ahead by the slimmest of margins.

About Douglas Blaine

Capnpen is a writer who was a newspaper and magazine journalist in a previous life. A college journalism major, he now works as an English teacher, but gets his writing fix by blogging about a variety of topics, including politics, religion, movies and television. When he's not working or blogging, Capnpen spends time with his family, plays a little golf (badly) and loves to learn about virtually anything.

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