Laws Four Grain Bourbon Bonded

Laws 4 Grain Bourbon BiB

Cost: $20 for a 2oz pour (Colorado)

Age: 8 years

Proof: 100

Mash Bill: 60% corn, 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye, 10% heirloom malted barley

Reviewed neat in a rocks glass.

Appearance: Chestnut brown in color with thin, slow legs.

Nose: Brown sugar and orange zest are pronounced. There’s also a light fruit sweetness.

Palate: Very soft mouthfeel. It’s robust in flavor with notes of caramel, cherry jam, and some citrus. Going back for a second sip, I can pick up something more earthy notes such as bitter tea leaves and oak.

Finish: The finish is fairly long but simple. There’s a dominate sweet oak note with a hint of barrel char that lingers and a medium hug high in the chest. It’s slightly drying on the palate as well.

Rating: 7.2/10

Overall: This whiskey was inviting and tasty on the nose and palate, but it could use a little more umpf on the finish . There was nothing that was really a detractor for me. The nose was inviting, the palate was very delicious, and the finish is classic bourbon. However, the finish did seem a bit monotone considering how complex the palate was (and even the nose to some degree). This was the first expression of Laws that I have ever tried and I definitely see myself trying many of their other expressions based on the good experience here.

Behind the Bottle: In my review of Deerhammer American Single Malt, I wrote about our trip out to Colorado and stumbling across a bar that had an extensive Colorado whiskey menu (see picture #2). Well, the drinks and the appetizers were so good when we discovered this place that we decided we wanted to go back for dinner the next day! This gave me a bit more time to digest the whiskey list and I decided I would go with a Laws 4 Grain Bourbon as I had seen some good reviews on the their 4 grain bourbon, and the other 4 grain bourbons I’ve had previously have always been solid pours.

When I saw that they offered a bonded variant of the 4 grain bourbon – the $3 upcharge for the Bottled-in-Bond expression is worth it to get a more full flavor, unadulterated experience. Plus, 100-110 proof is my goldilocks zone. While I took the time to jot down some tasting notes at the restaurant, I did not grab a photo of the bottle since I wasn’t seated at the bar – so stock photo from the distiller is what you get!

I really enjoyed Laws 4 Grain Bonded Bourbon. However, they do not currently distribute to South Carolina. So, for now, this will be one that I’ll keep in mind and look for on menus when I’m traveling and won’t hesitate to try other expressions from Laws Whiskey House.

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I’d rather have.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect