I finally got my hands on a bottle of the murray hill club special release 4, and honestly, I wasn't sure if it would live up to the rumors floating around the whiskey groups. If you've been following the Joseph Magnus line for a while, you know they have a knack for blending things that shouldn't necessarily work together on paper. This particular release—Batch 4—has been sitting on my shelf for a week because I wanted the perfect quiet evening to actually sit down and see what the fuss was about.
For those who aren't familiar with the backstory, Murray Hill Club is a brand under the Jos. A. Magnus & Co. umbrella. While their standard triple-cask finish gets a lot of love, the Special Releases are where things get weird and wonderful. They're basically the playground for Nancy Fraley, their master blender, who is widely considered one of the best "noses" in the business. With Batch 4, she decided to lean into some finishing techniques that aren't exactly common in the bourbon world.
What Makes This Release Different?
When you look at the specs for the murray hill club special release 4, the first thing that jumps out is the blend. We're talking about a mix of straight bourbon whiskies ranging from 10 to 20 years old, which is already a pretty high-end starting point. But then, they added a 13-year-old light whiskey to the mix. Now, "light whiskey" sometimes gets a bad rap because people associate it with cheap fillers, but in the hands of a skilled blender, it can act like a canvas that lets other flavors pop.
The real kicker, though, is the finishing. This batch was finished in Calvados casks (apple brandy from France) and then finished again in toasted cider casks. When I first heard that, I thought it might be an "apple overload," like drinking a boozy Jolly Rancher. Thankfully, it's a lot more sophisticated than that. It's not just about adding fruit; it's about how those specific wood types interact with the older bourbon stock.
Cracking the Bottle
The presentation is classic Magnus—the tall, elegant bottle with the vintage-looking label that makes it feel like it belongs in a pre-Prohibition speakeasy. I poured about two ounces into a Glencairn and let it sit for about fifteen minutes. With older blends like this, especially ones with a light whiskey component, they really need some air to "wake up."
The color is a deep, rich amber. It's got these long, slow legs on the side of the glass that tell you there's plenty of oil and body here. I didn't notice much sediment, just a very clean, dark liquid that looks every bit as old as the age statement suggests.
The Nose
As soon as I leaned in, I got hit with a massive wave of tropical fruit. That's the "Magnus Magic" people talk about. Even though it's finished in apple brandy and cider casks, the nose on the murray hill club special release 4 smells more like charred pineapple and dried mango to me. There's a distinct "dusty" quality too—that old-school bourbon smell that reminds you there's 20-year-old juice in the blend.
Underneath the fruit, there's a nice layer of honey and vanilla bean. It's sweet, but it's balanced out by a bit of oak spice and maybe a hint of cinnamon. It doesn't smell like a typical high-rye bourbon; it smells much more delicate and layered.
The Palate
The first sip was a bit of a surprise. I expected it to be thin because of the light whiskey, but it's actually quite oily. The apple notes from the Calvados casks come forward immediately, but it's more like a baked apple dessert—think apple tart tatin with a buttery crust.
The middle of the sip is where the older bourbon shows its face. You get that deep oak, some leather, and a bit of tobacco. It's a very "mature" tasting whiskey. The sweetness isn't cloying; it's more like a dark caramel or molasses that lingers on the tongue. I also picked up a bit of a floral note, almost like dried chamomile, which I'm guessing comes from the cider cask finish. It's a complex dance of flavors that keeps changing the longer you hold it in your mouth.
The Finish
The finish is where this bottle really earns its keep. It's long, warming, and leaves a lingering taste of spiced cider and toasted oak. It's not a "burny" finish, even though the proof is decent. Instead, it's a slow fade that makes you want to go back for another sip immediately. About a minute after swallowing, I could still taste that faint pineapple sweetness from the nose. It's one of those whiskies that sticks with you.
Is the Light Whiskey a Dealbreaker?
I know some purists see "light whiskey" on a label and immediately put the bottle back on the shelf. But here's the thing: in the murray hill club special release 4, the light whiskey acts as a bridge. It lightens the heavy, tannic load of the 20-year-old bourbon and allows the delicate apple and cider notes to shine through. If this were 100% 20-year-old bourbon, the oak would likely drown out the subtle fruitiness of the casks.
It's all about the balance. Nancy Fraley clearly knew what she was doing here. The light whiskey brings a certain brightness and "lift" to the blend that makes it incredibly drinkable. It doesn't feel like a shortcut; it feels like a deliberate choice to create a specific flavor profile.
Comparing It to Previous Releases
If you've tried Batch 2 or Batch 3, you know they all have a similar DNA but go in different directions. Batch 3 was very much about the honey and floral notes. The murray hill club special release 4 feels a bit more robust and "fall-like" because of the cider influence. It feels like a cozy, fireside whiskey rather than a summer sipper.
I'd say this one is a bit more approachable than some of the older Magnus releases that leaned heavily into the MGP "pine-sol" or medicinal notes. This is much more focused on the fruit and the wood.
The Price and the Hunt
Let's be real for a second—finding a bottle of murray hill club special release 4 isn't exactly easy, and it isn't cheap. The MSRP is usually around the $175 to $200 mark, and if you're looking on the secondary market, you might see it for significantly more.
Is it worth it? That's always the big question. If you're looking for a daily drinker to mix with Coke, absolutely not. But if you're a collector or someone who truly enjoys sitting down and picking apart a complex blend, then yeah, it's worth the splurge. There aren't many bottles out there that offer this specific combination of ages and finishes. It's a unique experience that you won't find in a standard $50 bottle of bourbon.
Final Thoughts
Drinking the murray hill club special release 4 was a reminder that blending is truly an art form. It's easy to just put whiskey in a barrel and wait, but it takes a lot of skill to take disparate components—old bourbon, light whiskey, apple brandy casks, and cider casks—and turn them into something that feels cohesive.
It's a bold, fruity, and deeply layered whiskey that rewards you for taking your time. If you happen to see one at a bar or find a bottle at a reasonable price, don't pass it up. It's one of those pours that reminds you why the "limited release" hype exists in the first place. It might not be for everyone, especially if you prefer a traditional, high-rye spice bomb, but for fans of finished whiskies and complex blends, it's about as good as it gets.
I'm probably going to save the rest of this bottle for special occasions, or maybe just for those nights when I really want to impress a friend who thinks they've tasted everything. It's a conversation starter, a palate cleanser, and a damn good drink all rolled into one. Just make sure you give it time to breathe—it's a bottle that doesn't like to be rushed.