Best Four Roses Bourbon

Last Updated on: 24th April 2024, 05:48 pm

With the assistance of whiskey expert Neil Coleman and valuable customer insights, I have reviewed and ranked every Four Roses release and determined which is the best.

Written by: J Highland

Choosing the Best Four Roses

For the Smooth Bourbon Beginner:

• Four Roses Yellow Label: This is a great introduction to bourbon with its approachable sweetness and mellow character. Honey, pear, apple, and gentle oak flavors make it easy to sip neat or on the rocks.

For Bourbon Lovers Who Enjoy Vanilla & Spice:

• Four Roses Small Batch: This steps up the complexity from Yellow Label with notes of vanilla, cherry, oak, and baking spice. It’s creamy, smooth, and offers a good balance of sweet and spicy flavors, making it perfect for everyday sipping.

For Bourbon Enthusiasts Who Want More Intensity:

• Four Roses Small Batch Select: This unfiltered bourbon is bolder and richer than the Small Batch with notes of caramel, cinnamon, butterscotch, and charred oak. The higher proof (104) packs a flavorful punch, but it remains surprisingly smooth. Enjoy it neat or with a splash of water.

For Those Who Enjoy Spice & Sweet Harmony:

• Four Roses Single Barrel: This top-shelf bourbon is a symphony of baking spice, cherry, honey, vanilla, and rye spice. It’s creamy, smooth, and offers a complex flavor profile with a satisfying balance of sweet and spicy notes. The higher proof brings a pleasant warmth, but the explosion of flavors makes it worth it.

Additional Tips:

• Experiment with adding a splash of water or ice to any of these Four Roses bourbons. This can help open up the flavors and make them even more enjoyable.

Quick Note: Running a pub and liquor store provides me ample access to various spirits, in addition, I moonlight as a spirits distiller. I assess them using customer feedback, expert opinions and online research.

Four Roses Yellow Label: Smooth Sipping for Bourbon Beginners

• Nose: Caramel, honey, pear
• Palate: Honey, apple, cinnamon, citrus, oak
• Finish: Fruity, oak spice
• Alcohol content: 80 proof (40% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Four Roses Yellow Label eases you into the world of bourbon. Honey and pear aromas greet your nose. The taste is a pleasant mix of sweetness, crisp apple, citrus, and a touch of cinnamon, all wrapped in a smooth, low-heat experience. The finish is long with a hint of fruit and mild oak spice.

While not complex, this well-made bourbon is free from common flaws in its price range. Its smooth texture makes it easy to sip neat or on the rocks. The lower proof keeps it mellow but may limit its use in cocktails, states whiskey expert Neil Coleman.

A great choice for bourbon beginners and a stepping stone to more adventurous drams.

Four Roses Small Batch: Creamy & Complex for Bourbon Lovers

• Nose: Vanilla, cherry, oak
• Palate: Vanilla, oak, baking spice
• Finish: Long, burnt caramel
• Alcohol content: 90 proof (45% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Four Roses Small Batch steps up the game from Yellow Label. Vanilla, cherry, and oak aromas entice the nose. The creamy texture explodes with vanilla, caramel, and rye spice, balanced by subtle oak. The finish lingers smoothly with a touch of burnt caramel.

Compared to Yellow Label, it’s a symphony of sweet and spicy in a creamy dream. Best enjoyed neat, this value-driven bourbon is perfect for everyday sipping.

Four Roses Small Batch Select: Unfiltered Intensity for Bourbon Enthusiasts

• Nose: Caramel, cinnamon, vanilla, oak
• Palate: Cherry, cinnamon, oak, butterscotch
• Finish: Caramel, baking spice, charred oak
• Alcohol content: 104 proof (52% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Four Roses Select punches harder than Small Batch. This bolder bourbon uses the same mash bill but boasts higher proof and skips chill filtration, maximizing flavor.

Aged at least 6 years and blending 10 Four Roses recipes, it offers intense aromas of caramel, cinnamon, and hints of vanilla and oak. The taste is equally rich with caramel sweetness, deepened by cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of oak.

Despite its strength, it’s surprisingly smooth and buttery. Enjoy it neat or with a touch of water to explore its oaky depths.

This is a perfect next step for fans of the regular Small Batch, packing a flavorful punch at an excellent value.

Four Roses Single Barrel: Spicy & Sweet Harmony

• Nose: Baking spice, cherry, vanilla, honey
• Palate: Cinnamon, rye spice, vanilla, honey
• Finish: Medium, caramel, baking spice, cinnamon
• Alcohol content: 100 proof (50% ABV)
• How to drink: Add water

Four Roses Single Barrel reigns supreme. The aroma is a symphony of light baking spice, cherry, and honeyed vanilla. The taste starts with a rye spice punch and cinnamon, then transitions to a fruity, honeyed embrace with vanilla and oak.

Creamy and smooth, the medium finish balances sweet and spice, leaving a warm, lingering aftertaste. Its high-rye mash bill delivers initial spice that melts into a sweet, complex profile.

Despite the 100-proof heat, the explosion of flavors makes it a top bourbon choice for value and quality.

Buying Guide

Whiskey	Price	Proof	Rating
Yellow Label	$25	80	63
Small Batch	$40	90	76
Small Batch Select	$64	108	80
Single Barrel	$50	100	81

Frequently Asked Questions

Quality and Value

• Quality: Four Roses offers high-quality bourbon, renowned for its value for money.
• Improvement: Significant quality improvement under Kirin Brewery Company’s ownership since 2002.
• Focus: Shifted from cheaper blends to straight bourbon whiskey, enhancing the brand’s reputation.

Selection Criteria

• Customer Feedback: Direct consumer insights shaped our selections.
• Rye Content: The spicy kick from the rye percentage in the mash bill was a key factor.
• Quality Consistency: Recent excellence in bourbon production was a priority.
• Patron Recommendations: Valuable input from regular patrons was considered.
• Internet Research: Online reviews and discussions informed our choices.

About Four Roses

• Historic Distillery: Built in 1910, resembling California wineries’ style and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Popularity: Rose to prominence post-Prohibition as a leading bourbon brand.
• Unique Aging: Utilizes one-story warehouses for consistent aging conditions.
• Single Barrel Bottling: Each bottle comes from a single barrel, offering unique flavors and history.