This first-pour review of Shortbarrel Cigar Batch IV explores a complex 107-proof blend of straight whiskeys finished in Armagnac, Cognac, rum, Sherry, and Tawny Port casks. With five different finishing casks at work, I was especially curious to see whether all those influences would come together cohesively or compete for attention. Here are my impressions from the very first pour.
Nose
The nose opens with a dense, rich wave of fruit. Blackberry immediately stands out, followed by blood orange and darker dried-fruit notes. Despite the 107 proof, the aroma is warm and inviting, with virtually no ethanol punch.
As it sits in the glass, honey and cinnamon begin to emerge alongside caramel, burnt sugar, and almond. After the first sip, candied red cherries become much more noticeable on the nose.
What I really enjoy here is how much the nose continues to evolve. With five different cask finishes: Armagnac, Cognac, rum, Sherry, and Tawny Port, there are a lot of layers competing for attention, but they never seem chaotic. Each time I return to the glass, something slightly different comes forward.
Palate
The first sip is very nice. The whiskey comes across warm, buttery, and full-bodied, with burnt brown sugar and just enough tannin to give it some structure. There’s also a mild toasted-oak character underneath everything.
That blood orange I picked up on the nose carries onto the palate, along with a touch of molasses and cocoa that I suspect is being amplified by the rum-cask influence.
This is the first Shortbarrel Cigar Batch I’ve had in a while. The previous batch I tried leaned a little too heavily toward light whiskey for my taste. Batch IV feels considerably more balanced, with the bourbon and American whiskey components working much better together.
I also really like the 107 proof. It’s easy enough to drink without fighting the whiskey, but there’s still enough proof and body behind it to give the pour some real weight.
As the whiskey opens up, more mature oak and baking spices begin to appear. Dates, raisins, figs, molasses, burnt sugar, and darker fruit continue to move in and out of the profile. There’s quite a bit going on here, and it becomes increasingly difficult to isolate any one cask finish. That’s actually a strength, the finishes feel integrated rather than stacked on top of one another.
This is an ever-evolving pour.
Finish
The finish is relatively mild compared with the complexity of the palate and eventually turns slightly dry. Mature oak, baking spice, and a little lingering dark fruit remain on the back end. I wouldn’t call it an especially long finish, but it’s pleasant and provides a nice counterpoint to the richer flavors earlier in the sip.
Overall
Shortbarrel Cigar Batch IV is a mature-tasting, complex, and very enjoyable whiskey.
Looking at the list of finishing casks: Armagnac, Cognac, rum, Sherry, and Tawny Port, you might expect this to be a very sweet, dessert-style whiskey. Surprisingly, it isn’t. There’s certainly plenty of fruit and burnt sugar, but the oak, tannin, spice, and underlying whiskey keep the sweetness under control.
In fact, the deeper I get into the glass, the more mature the whiskey seems to become. The initial fruitiness gradually gives way to darker dried fruit, baking spices, molasses, and mature oak.
Most importantly, there is a lot happening without the whiskey feeling confused. That’s not always easy to accomplish with this many different cask finishes.
This is a very nice whiskey bordering on fantastic, and this is only my first pour. I have a feeling there’s even more to discover after the bottle has had some time to open up.
Disclosure: This whiskey sample was provided by the distillery at no cost and with no expectations or obligations. As always, the opinions, tasting notes, and conclusions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Check out: The Whiskey Taster’s Flavor Guide