Whiskey_Hound
Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed
August 3, 2022 (edited August 24, 2022)
Of everything tried, Four Roses is one of the top contenders for what I’d call “the quintessential bourbon.” At least in terms of profile. This is a great distillery that often gets overlooked despite its quality and exceptional value.
Nose: Brown sugar, vanilla, caramel, and Gala apple. Butterscotch with the slightest hint of cherry and leather. Milk chocolate and cocoa. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak.
Palate: Dried apricot and ginger. Gala apple and golden raisin. Fudge, milk chocolate, caramel, and vanilla. Cherry and leather. Pistachio, walnut, and almond. A touch of brown sugar. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak spice provide some decent heat.
Finish: Gala apple, vanilla, and caramel. Cocoa, black tea, and pipe tobacco. Dried apricot. Sawdust. Black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Moderate length.
Bourbon is well-represented with this one. A great balance of sweetness and spice. Solid nose, palate, and finish.
And the kicker is the value. $32 for this gem. This is easily better than some of the bourbons that folks have been making runs at liquor stores—sometimes by the case. All while this sits on the shelf, being purchased at a steady rate. If your looking to mix it up and haven’t properly explored this one, I highly recommend this it. 4.25/5.
32.0
USD
per
Bottle
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@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington and rocks are the base that both are built upon. That’s where I live, crushed under the enormity of it all. I’m boned.
@DrRHCMadden whiskey may bring joy but coffee brings life, they’ve got me where they want me
@LouisianaLonghorn we still have a good number of the SB here but prices seem to have drifted from $35 toward $50. Still such a quintessential pour though!
@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington I’m seeing SB less and less. Grabbed one for $60 right before I high tailed it out of Texas (along with a Weller SR for my trouble) not knowing what the distribution landscape in Louisiana would look like.
@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington ahhh don’t get me started on the price of coffee!
@DrRHCMadden a little from column A, a little from column B. How you and @cascode tolerate AUS prices I do not know. Possibly just another case of privileged Americanism waking up and smelling the coffee.
@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington wow, ok. Too be fair, all Whisky in Australia is expensive, so you’re woes aren’t not reflective of the state of affairs here I suspect. Is the price hike a supply:demand issue, or marketing ploy do you know?
@LouisianaLonghorn SB has returned at around $85 here and every time I see it I want to lay on the floor, kicking and screaming (at $65 I’d put myself back together, pout and then make a bottle disappear)
@DrRHCMadden no joke, WR double oaked rose to $55-75 (for private picks) as of late and for those prices I’d go with 1910 or 1920 if I had to pick a Brown Forman bottle. Double Oak will always hold a soft spot in my heart as one of the most aromatic, approachable bourbons out there but prices need to turn around stat.
Excellent review. I really need to revisit this one. Especially now that the standard 80 proof “yellow label” is mid 20’s. I just always found it kind of “just okay”.
@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington absolutely! I’d throw in Maker’s Mark standard (but preferably 101) for an example of a wheated bill, and Maker’s 46 for an example of a finished bourbon.
@Whiskey_Hound and availability of RR 10. I’m seeing that because RR SiB is becoming harder to find that folks are starting to gobble up (pun intended) the next level down at the 10 year. It’s the Weller/BT effect happening to Wild Turkey…
@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington Glad you said that. Because Elijah Craig came to mind when I wrote that. WT101 is a great addition, and Russell’s 10 could be thrown in as well depending on where we draw the line on price
@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington Nailed it! It is near impossible to beat those three in that price range. JD BIB is the next contender to join them.
@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington Woodford double Oaked has just asked you to hold its beer 😅
I would say this, Elijah Craig and WT 101 cover the bases for quintessential, perpetually available bourbons at great prices (old forester 86/100 could go on that list as well be for me has always been a little more “meh” than the other three)