Lux Row Distillers Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

My Best Bourbon of 2019 was Lux Row Distillers Double Barrel. It was a marriage of two 12-year single barrel Bourbons that I assumed were distilled by Heaven Hill.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust:  I'm back to the $150 price tag on this. I found this Bourbon to be very well-balanced when sipped neat, and there was a bit of a Wow! factor with adding the two drops of water. They became very different whiskeys, and I enjoyed both immensely, leaning slightly to the neat version, but I would have gladly sipped it either way with a smile. It takes a lot for me to give a Bottle rating to such a pricey whiskey, but dagnabit, Lux Row knocked this one out of the park.

 

It took four years for Lux Row to try it again. This time, the age statement is lower, and the mashbill is quite different. Lux Row is calling this limited-edition release Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbon. It may take a few reads to figure it out, but I can do it for you.

 

So, the Double Single Barrel is more easily described as a two-barrel blend. One of the single barrels is a four-year classic Bourbon, and the other is a four-year wheater, giving a mashbill made from corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley. It has a healthy weight of 57.5% ABV (115°) and carries a suggested price of $79.99 for a 750ml package. That makes this year’s special release almost half the price as its older sibling.

 

There’s one more slightly confusing aspect to explain: There are 45,000 bottles on the market. Either that’s one heck of a pair of massive barrels, or many two-barrel blends are used. Obviously, it’s the latter.

 

How’d Lux Row do with this release? You know how this works; we need to #DrinkCurious. Before I do, I must thank Lux Row for sending me a sample of this Bourbon in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Appearance: I poured this into my Glencairn glass and drank it neat. Inside, it was a deep, caramel-colored liquid. The medium rim formed generated thick, watery legs.

 

Nose: The aroma consisted of honey-roasted nuts, toasted oak, caramel, cherries, and lemon zest. Drawing the air into my mouth provided spiced nuts and a hint of cherries.

 

Palate: I encountered a velvety texture. The front of my palate found coffee, cocoa, and almonds. The middle tasted of caramel, vanilla, and leather. In contrast, the back offered cinnamon Red Hots, clove, and moisture-wicking, extremely dry oak.

 

Finish: The Double Single Barrel Bourbon possessed a long (very long) finish that was spicy, rich, and warm in my throat. Heavy caramel, mocha, cinnamon, leather, tobacco leaf, and dry oak all took a bow at the before the curtain fell.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I could feel the wheated portion in the mouthfeel; that much was evident by how it seemed velvety. I assumed there would be sweeter corn notes, but perhaps the rye kept beating that down. Kudos to the caramel for putting up a brave fight.

 

The longer I allowed this whiskey to sit in my glass, the bolder the caramel became. Then, it seemed like the spice notes were held up on the ropes. It was a fascinating battle to experience, with the back-and-forth that occurred.

 

The finish was definitely the star of the show. It held my attention, which slowed the pace between sips. If not but for that battle, my rating might be different. But, once I consider the entire show, it has earned my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.