From Sparrow’s bourbon list, Flight #1 is a guided three-pour tasting built around the work of legendary master distiller Jim Rutledge ($37). It includes Four Roses Small Batch Select, High Plains Rye, and Cream of Kentucky Rye.
About Flight #1 (Four Roses Small Batch, High Plains, Cream of Kentucky)
Jim Rutledge was instrumental in putting Four Roses whiskey on the map, serving as the brand’s master distiller and almost single-handedly resurrecting it through the 1990s. He was inducted into the inaugural class of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2001. After his retirement from Four Roses, he went on to produce top tier whiskeys under the High Plains and Cream of Kentucky labels, the latter a revived heritage brand. This flight lets you taste his legacy across three glasses: the Four Roses Small Batch Select, High Plains Rye, and Cream of Kentucky Rye, a real walk through one distiller’s career.
Tasting Notes
A flight is about contrast. The Four Roses Small Batch Select leans toward the rich, layered bourbon character Rutledge is famous for, with ripe fruit and gentle spice, while the High Plains and Cream of Kentucky ryes bring the brighter, peppery, more aromatic side of rye whiskey. Tasted side by side, they show the range of a master at work.
What to Pair It With
A flight is made for slow, side-by-side sipping, ideally neat in our 21+ lounge after dinner so you can compare each glass. From the Sparrow dinner menu, it is excellent alongside the American Wagyu steaks, the Sparrow-Smoked Rack, or the Truffle Deviled Eggs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in Flight #1 at Sparrow?
It is a three-pour tasting of master distiller Jim Rutledge’s whiskeys: Four Roses Small Batch Select, High Plains Rye, and Cream of Kentucky Rye.
How much is Flight #1 at Sparrow?
At Sparrow in Kirkland, Flight #1 is $37 for all three pours.
Find it on the Sparrow beverages menu near the Four Rose’s Small Batch Select and the Taylor flight. We are in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood on the Eastside, so reserve a table and come taste it.