Distillery: Four Roses
Proof: 90
Age: 6-7 years
Mashbill: Blend of 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley + 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley
Color: Amber
Price: $34.99 for 750ml
Company
Four Roses is one of the most well-known distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. They’re known best for their high-quality, mellow bourbons and the story of their namesake (based on the love story of Founder, Paul Jones Jr.).
Production
Four Roses Small Batch is made with an average of 250 barrels per batch with a combination of four recipes (two different mashbills with two different yeasts in each). The bourbons blended are anywhere from 6-8 years old.
Nose – 94/100
Dark fruit, oak, vanilla
The nose is light and mellow.
Palate – 94/100
Dark fruit, caramel, slight rye spice, oak
This is creamy, smooth, and well-balanced with a hint of spice.
Finish – 95/100
Oak, rye spice
The finish is smooth and satisfying with a hint of spice.
Value – 96/100
At $30-$35, Four Roses Small Batch is a fantastic quality bourbon at an affordable price point. It’s one of my favorite value bourbons and I always try to keep it stocked on my shelf.
Verdict – 95/100
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 95+
- Gold – 90 – 94
- Silver – 80 – 89
- Bronze – <80
Hunter Branch is the Founder and Director of Editorial for Bourbon Inspector. He has been writing about and professionally reviewing bourbon since 2020 (and has been drinking it for much longer). He’s been able to interview big names in the bourbon industry like Trey Zoeller from Jefferson’s Bourbon and his work has been featured in publications like TastingTable, Mashed, and more.