A little background
Four Gate Whiskey Company has released their fourth batch, “Split Stave Kelvin”. This particular expression is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in a brand new kind of oak cask called “The Split Stave” from Kelvin Cooperage. The staves in this cask alternate between medium toast and #2 and #4 char to impart a warm, crème brûlée flavor interlaced with smoky, earthy charred oak. The barrels were filled with a blend of 5.5 year old and 12 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The mash bill of the whiskeys are as follows:
5.5 year: 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley.
12 year: 74% corn, 18% rye and 8% malted barley.
Four Gate will be releasing 2700 bottles of Batch 4 “Split Stave Kelvin”, all uncut and unfiltered. This bottle can be found for an MSRP of $174.99 in Kentucky and Tennessee only.
(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)
Color
Red Amber
Nose
The nose lives up to the color! Amazing notes of cocoa powder (like the Nesquik chocolate milk kind, not the Godiva hot chocolate kind) and cherries are right up front, making for a sweet and delicious aroma. I am also reminded immediately of an orange curaçao crème brûlée that I had at the oldest restaurant in the world (BotÃn in Madrid, Spain). The notes are all fairly dark and fervently deep. A hint of a toasted oak spice makes itself present upon a heavier nosing.
Palate
The palate is medium-thick with a mix of a slightly oily and slightly creamy mouthfeel. Oak is the very first thing I noticed. A huge oak spice immediately hits the front and mid palate, followed by a creamy custard-like and cinnamon mid palate. Light notes of cocoa powder sit on the mid palate, while very faint orange citrus notes dance on the back palate. The complexity is very nice, and well balanced.
Finish
The finish is what struck me as the most amusing. The first thing I get is a massive taste of charred oak. It is so present that it is impossible to miss. Dark chocolate sits on the sides of the mid palate, while huge herbal, earthy, and tobacco notes cling to the mid and back palate.
In closing
This is a delicious whiskey! I think the thought and creativity put into it definitely paid off, as I am definitely able to taste all of the notes they were shooting for. It is a novel idea, and I can foresee it being used in the future. I am glad they used some older whiskey in this, as its depth and complexity stood up to the different char levels of the barrel. A younger whiskey may have been overtaken by the smokey/char notes. That being said, the price is pretty far up there. Value is subjective, but it would be hard for me to fork out $175 for most whiskies.
Four Gate Batch 4 Split Stave Kelvin
115.6 Proof
The Good
- Amazing nose
- Delicious palate
- The finish
- Creativity
The Bad
- A bit pricey
Complexity
8
Nose
8
Palate
7.5
Finish
8.5
Value
6.5
Cracked this open alongside Four Roses LE SmB 2019 & Bardstown Discovery 2 in a semi-blind shootout
Admittedly, the Four Gate was the initial neck pour while the other 2 were previously opened, but it came across much hotter than the others and a greater challenge to pick out individual notes, other than a sharp anise / virgin wood that was a bit off-putting to me. Deep and rich for sure, super sticky on the finish, and improved a bit with couple drops of water. Still, came in 3rd place for me, and I question how much of that was the neck pour vs the product itself. Need to spend more time with it and wouldn’t be surprised if it improves dramatically as it opens up.