Category: Kelvin

Today we find ourselves sipping on The Kelvin Collaboration 3 (III / Release 12). I can’t believe these guys have pumped out 12 releases so far. I’ve covered most of them and not all have been smashing, but most have and that’s astonishing. Their ability to crank out delicious whisky is quite remarkable. Equally remarkable is their transparency.

This is a brand that embraces “what if” and then tells you how the sausage is made at the same time. They lay out everything but the legally confidential source of their whiskey and that’s fantastic for the whiskey nerds out there who care about these things and lends confidence in the brand. I wish more would follow suite.

Four Gate Kelvin Collaboration 3 – Details and Tasting Notes

Whiskey Details

Region: Kentucky, USA

Distiller: Undisclosed (guessing Heaven Hill and Barton)
Bottler: Four Gate
Blend: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley (9-Year) + 74% Corn, 18% Rye, 8% Malted Barley (12-Year)
Cask: New Charred Oak, ex-PX Sherry-Rum
Age: 9 Years
ABV: 61.85%

Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

Batch: 12

Price: $200*

Tasting Notes

EYE
Ruddy caramel

NOSE
Strawberry shortcake, oak, candy corn, blackberry taffy, leather, toffee, candied prunes and figs.

Warm, rich and unique with a candy dryness. The Four Gate Kelvin Collaboration 3 has a fun aroma.

PALATE
Rum funk, oak, strawberry shortcake, candy corn, dark fruit leather, toffee, figs, candied citrus and some nuts.

Intense flavors climb up over the aroma with a lot of great profiles happening here; a balanced clashing and merging.

FINISH
Long -> Darkly fruity and candy sweet fades to nutty oak

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Great balance, full-round body and an oily, touch dry, feel.

Four Gate Kelvin Collaboration 3 – Overall Thoughts and Score

This is fun, interesting, and unique. It has depth, it has heaviness, it has complexity with so many unique profiles working to find dominance, but instead finding harmony. Water brings out a bit more candied citrus and baking spice on the aroma and more nutty and leathery/earthy notes on palate but remains balanced.

This brand is a master class in cask magic. The base spirit they start with is obviously good, and that definitely helps in the end product, but, really, it’s the work they do with these unique, bespoke, casks that create fans. The emerging of something new, different, and delicious, is no small feat and that’s just one of the reasons I love the Four Gate Kelvin Collaboration 3 and most of its siblings. If the bottles were in my price range, I’d have the whole series on my shelf.

SCORE: 4/5

*Disclosure: The sample for this Four Gate Kelvin Collaboration 3 review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.

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