Four Roses Single Barrel vs Michter’s Bourbon: Discover the Better!

Discover the differences between Four Roses Single Barrel vs Michter’s US 1 in this head to head comparison and decide which bourbon is better for You!

Four Roses Single Barrel

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
Similar to	Woodford Reserve, Small Batch, Select

Nose is delicate, rich in baking spice, cherry and honeyed vanilla.

On the palate, the Single Barrel has tingling rye spice up-front with a hint of cinnamon giving way to sweet fruity notes, honey, vanilla and a tad of oak, with a creamy feel to it.

The finish has a medium-length, rich in sweet and cinnamon notes and is pleasantly warm.

The Four Roses Single Barrel carries high rye presence in the mash and it feels as the first sips are spicy.

But as you grow accustomed it becomes sweeter, showing rich fruity notes, along vanilla and honey making it entirely satisfying.

It bites a bit but is not harsh, which is understandable for something bottled at 100 proof, but the interesting and layered flavor profile makes up for it providing a fine sipper.

The Single Barrel is the best Four Roses Bourbon and one of the top Single Barrels at a price point that makes it a keeper.

There are a few facts worth knowing about the Four Roses Single Barrel:

• Made from a mash of 60% corn, 35% rye and 5% malted barley.

• Single Barrel is bottled from casks aged between 8 and 9 years.

• Uses a proprietary yeast culture used to ferment the mash producing rich fruity notes.

• Won the Gold Medal at the 2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

• The Four Roses distillery is located in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, was built in 1910 with Spanish Mission-style architecture, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Four Roses is owned by the Kirin Brewery Company of Japan.

Michter’s US 1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Nose	Cherry, caramel, baking spice, oak
Palate	Plum, maple honey, baking spice, charred oak
Finish	Medium-length, butterscotch, oak spice
Alcohol content	91.4 proof (45.7% ABV)
How to drink	Neat
Similar to	Michter’s Rye, Knob Creek

The nose is sweet and pleasant, with a strong cherry note, followed by caramel, baking spice and burnt oak.

On the palate, Michter’s has a nice smooth mouthfeel, with a good creamy body.

I get a sweet taste with plum up-front, followed by maple honey followed by baking spice and a bit of charred oak astringency.

The finish has a decent length, with very little to no warmth, rich in butterscotch and just a tad of oak spice.

Michter’s drinks nicely. There is something about its flavor that reminds me of Dr. Pepper but this is a solid easy drinking bourbon. Perhaps a bit pricey for a plain vanilla dram but good, nonetheless.

No warmth or complicated notes. Just a sweet easy drinker perfect for an “everyday whiskey”.

Something that makes Michter’s stand out from the rest is that this is a real Small Batch Bourbon having been made from a maximum of 20 barrels.

Some distillers claim to be Small Batch while using 200 barrels turning the legend “Small Batch” into something meaningless.

There are a few facts worth knowing about Michter’s US 1:

• Michter’s does not provide an age statement.

• The mash bill is comprised of 79% corn, 11% rye, 10% malted barley.

• Michter’s US 1 is crafted since 2015 at the Michter’s Distillery in Louisville, KY.

• Michter’s was originally distilled at The Pennsylvania Michter’s Distillery which went belly-up in 1989.

• The brand was acquired by Joe Magliocco for $245.

Four Roses Single Barrel vs Michter’s US 1: Price comparison

Prices are approximate and stated in USD:

Whiskey	Price
Four Roses Single Barrel	$50
Michter’s US 1	$50

Four Roses Single Barrel vs Michter’s Bourbon: Which is better?

Michter’s is a safer bet

• The Four Roses Single Barrel is not the smoothest bourbon in the world but is supremely drinkable at its high proof, incredibly tasty, complex and deep making a more rewarding bourbon than Michter’s.

• If you feel the burn add a dash of water or a large ice cube and make the Four Roses easier to drink.

• Michter’s US 1 is not bad at all. This is a super easy drinker, perhaps too easy, a little too sweet for my taste, but drinks nicely making a good choice when in the mood for an uncomplicated pour.

• Michter’s price is an issue as I feel it’s a bit high for a “plain vanilla bourbon”.