The Four Grain is one of six core range whiskeys from Chicago’s rising craft distillery Koval. Its peculiarity is the special composition of the mash bill, which includes oat, rye, wheat and malted barley in differing proportions. Although Koval did not invent the concept of a four-grain or all-grain whiskey, they are the ones that introduced me to this style. Their Four Grain expression is a neatly distilled American whiskey that is not shy to display its origin. Consequently, I would first and foremost recommend this bottle to bourbon drinkers looking for a savory sip with a twist. But also Irish whiskey and Scotch fans should give the Four Grain a try when they have the chance.

by Tobi

Eye: Orange brown.
Nose: Nutty and waxy with juicy oranges, roasted walnuts, ground cocoa beans, polished tabletops and dry spices. The whiskey’s bouquet also has a distinct sourness and a subtle sweetness. While this is not a bourbon per se, it certainly smells pretty bourbon-ish to me.
Palate: A clean, mellow palate with banana bread, hazelnut chocolate, modeling clay and yellow plums. Again, the whiskey shows its American heritage pretty clearly. It is both sweeter and spicier on the tongue than it was in the nostrils. Yummy!
Finish: Ongoing and sweet. The Four Grain ends on pronounced notes of cacao, orange, raisin and ginger. Additionally, it gets fresher and mintier during the finale, developing an After Eight-like quality.

Type: American Whiskey
Region: USA (Chicago)
Age: No Age Statement
Alc. volume: 47%
Bottle size: 0.5 litres
Price range: ~38.00 Euro
More info: http://www.koval-distillery.com/ (Distillery) ; http://www.kammer-kirsch.de/ (German Distributor)