Four Roses Single Barrel Review

Four Roses Single Barrel

About – Four Roses is a brand that carries a lot of historical weight holding the crown of being the top selling bourbon brand in the U.S. after prohibition through the 1950’s. The distillery located in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky opened in 1910. Today Four Roses is well known for producing a premium product and having 10 different recipes made up of 2 different yeast strains and 5 different mashbills. All of these recipes can be found as single barrels store picks and in the gift shop. The standard single barrel release which is being reviewed here is always the OBSV recipe consisting of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley, and as the V indicates uses their V strain of yeast. Four Roses Single Barrel carries no age statement and is bottled at 100 proof. Price varies from $35-$40 one store I frequent usually has it for $32.99.

Nose – Light and subtle blend of dried fruit and oak. After adding a couple of ice cubes it really opens up. The rye takes center stage and is accompanied by caramel and a good dose of mint.

Palate – Contrary to the nose this bourbon explodes onto the pallet. Apricots lead along with a strong dose of oak and honey rounds it out on the back end along with a dash of pepper.

Finish – Long and dry. Just like the nose and pallet oak stands out the whole way through and is accented by a touch of cinnamon.

Score – A

Verdict – A very complex and versatile bourbon that manages to walk a tightrope between the flavors of a typical bourbon and a rye whiskey. This is one of my favorite bourbons. I usually try to keep some on hand and when at a bar there aren’t many others I will order above it given the chance. Truly great stuff here!

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