Bourbon Review
Four Gate Andalusia Key
Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Aged 7 Years
The Story
Four Gate isn't a distillery in the traditional sense — they're a blending operation that sources barrels and puts them together into something better than any one of them alone. Andalusia Key is a good example: a carefully built blend that goes for complexity without overdoing it. No rickhouse full of their own barrels, just people who know what they're looking for and are patient enough to find it.
Nose, Palate & Finish
Nose
Dark cherry, caramel, and something leathery right off the bat. There's a little funk underneath that keeps it from being predictable, plus some baking spice. Give it a minute to open up.
Palate
Full-bodied and balanced. Starts sweet — maple, toffee — then dried dark fruit and clove come in with a solid oak backbone behind it. Nothing dominates; it all just works together, which single-barrel bottles don't always manage.
Finish
Long and warm, spice and oak sticking around. The sweetness fades first, leaving something dry and a little smoky that makes you want another sip.