Bourbon

Bourbon Review: Laws Cognac Foeder Finished Four Grain Straight Bourbon

We review Laws Whiskey House Cognac Foeder Finished Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey. It's made in Colorado.

OVERALL RATING

8
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Laws Whiskey Cognac Finished Bourbon

Tasting Notes

About:

47.5% ABV, aged a minimum of four years with primary aging in new oak, ex-Cognac barrels, then finished solera style in a Cognac foeder. Distilled from a mash bill of 60% corn, 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye, and 10% heirloom malted barley. $79.99 per 750 ml bottle.
Appearance:
Gold in color with long legs.
Nose:
Toffee, nuts, and golden raisins emerge with the first nosing. Sitting with it a bit I get notes of vanilla, old oak, and a little yeast.
Palate:
It’s surprisingly hot on the palate for how pleasant the nose was. This is a complex bourbon with a lot of subtle notes that progress quickly. Overall the palate is quite dry with hints of vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, oak, black pepper, banana, and walnut all hitting the palate for short periods. The finish leaves you with that Kentucky hug, not quite a burn but a nice warming sensation. There are little notes of dried fruit on the finish with a lot of spice. The addition of water really brings out the oak, eliminating the heat on the front end all together as well as a lot of the complexities that were nice in the undiluted version. Diluted the finish becomes peppery, loses the warming sensation, and becomes a lot shorter.
Finish:
Comments:
While this certainly won’t be for everyone because of just how much it has going on. I found myself enjoying it and catching something new with each sip. It certainly kept me wanting to come back for more.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Ian Arnold

Ian Arnold brings eight years of bartending expertise to the table, having honed his skills in renowned establishments across California, Australia, and Portland. His most recent position behind the bar was at the esteemed Multnomah Whisk(e)y Library. A dedicated member of the Oregon Bartenders' Guild's leadership team, Ian also served as a judge for numerous cocktail competitions. Currently working in the IT field, he continues to delight guests with his bartending prowess. In his leisure time, Ian enjoys playing board games and savoring the complexities of Japanese whisky.

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