Four Roses Single Barrel Premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey - 70cl - 50% ABV - Award-Winning Smooth and Mellow Bourbon Whisky - Higher Rye Content Than Most Bourbon's

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On the nose, there’s aromas of oak, vanilla and caramel while its taste is enriched with smooth creamy notes of toasted wood and hints of spice. You’ll experience a pleasingly long finish that leaves behind an irresistible flavour combination of dried fruits and vanilla.

On the palate things became very unpleasant, oak, alcohol heat and burnt toffee, followed by a strong floral heather hit. Bottled in Bond: Under the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, a bottled-in-bond spirit must be produced by one distillery in the same distilling season, then aged under federal supervision and cut and bottled at 100 proof. Mashbill: Undisclosed Blend of 75% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Malted Barley and 60% Corn, 35% Rye, 5% Malted Barley On the palate, its full-bodied texture is nothing short of smooth. Vanilla, cocoa and honey notes dominate the flavour profile while a gentle smokiness and subtle cinnamon hint leave an unforgettable impression. The finish trails long with sweetness that lingers in warmth; aromas and flavours collaborate to offer a complex indulgence. As caramel sweetens delicately against oak’s smoky spice & cinnamon tang, you’re presented with a pleasing, lingering aftertaste. During the 1950s, Seagram’s made a strategic decision to end the distribution of Four Roses whiskey in the United States due to diminishing interest in this type of spirit. Surprisingly enough, despite waning popularity domestically – other countries such as Japan continued strong demand for Four Roses bourbon.Today, Four Roses is one of the most popular bourbon brands in the world and is exported to over twenty countries. It is known for its smooth and mellow taste, deriving from its balanced bourbon blends. I would trust the nose and palate of master distiller Brent Elliott over me. I’m sure this goes without saying. My take on this dram however was much different. If this bourbon tasted and smelled the way it’s described I can guarantee you I would not have liked it as much from what I got out of it based on my palate. Our Master Distiller is always on the lookout for exceptional barrels to be mixed or bottled in their purest form to better create a new experience with each release. Each of our limited edition bourbons is non-chill filtered to capture its straight-from-the-barrel flavor.

Palate – Smooth / creamy / caramel / nutty, a definite rye and a little bit of maple syrup to follow. It has a lot of flavor that you would expect for a great brand’s single barrel offering. It’s full of flavor and not shy to show you. From a observational standpoint, Four Roses Single Barrel and Four Roses Single Barrel Private Selection bottles look almost the same. But if you look closer, the differences come into focus. For starters, all regular Single Barrels use the same recipe: OBSV. If you’re unfamiliar with the Four Roses recipe designators, the first and third letters (the O and S) always stay the same. The second and fourth letters change. E recipes use a mash bill of 75% corn, 20% rye and 5% malted barley while O recipes use a mash bill of 60% corn, 35% rye and 5% malted barley. The fourth letter identifies one of five different yeast strains: Q, V, F, O or K. Cinder toffee and rum and raisin fudge with an oaky spiciness. It is quite dry and peppery but with plenty of sweetness to balance it out. Some vanilla in there too. Not much alcohol burn on the nose. The bottle I’m reviewing today is from the second tier, so it was very close to the floor. That means that it was probably lower in proof and might have had less wood interaction. Will the taste of the distillate come through more? Let’s find out.Four Roses uses two different mashbills and five different yeast strains to create ten different bourbon recipes. Their standard 100 proof Single Barrel Bourbon uses one recipe, their standard Small Batch blends together four of the recipes, and Small Batch Select blends together six of the recipes. Limited releases and private selections can vary from the standard products, but generally maintain the same number of recipes as their standard counterpart. Nose: Just as I was hoping for, the nose is drenched in fruit scents. Grapes, cherries, cooked rhubarb, orange marmalade, lemon custard, watermelon and peaches can all be found. I’m fairly sure I’ve never found most of those fruit scents in a bourbon before, but here they are. Mint jelly combines with caramel sauce and a hint of oak. It’s not the most aged bourbon nose I’ve ever smelled, but it’s level of fruit is off the charts. We've been perfecting the art of quality and consistency for years and have used that guiding principle to develop our ten signature recipes. Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon uses a high-rye mash bill (35%) and is aged for 7 to 9 years in a single barrel. First released in 1988, it’s one of the oldest bourbons available on the market today and a favourite among bourbon connoisseurs. Furthermore, its unique flavour notes are enhanced by only using one of Four Roses’ carefully selected yeast strands during production.

History – I have to say that I have been excited about reviewing this bourbon for a while. It has a name and behind it that is very reputable and has been known to be one of the best single barrels on the market for its value. “Four Roses is the only Bourbon Distillery that combines 5 proprietary yeast strains with two separate mashbills to handcraft 10 distinct Bourbon recipes, each with its own unique character, spiciness, and rich fruity flavors. Up to all 10 recipes are mingled by hand to create Four Roses Bourbon. Six are mingled for Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon. Four are mingled for Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon. One recipe is hand selected for Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon.” – fourrosesbourbon.com These two mashbills could then be mixed with a single type of yeast to make two types of bourbon. Instead, Four Roses use 5 different types of yeast, each with their own unique flavour and corresponding letter code. Distillers Description: “This 10 Year 6 Month old Bourbon was bottled exclusively for the Four Roses Gift Shops. This Bourbon has a nose of vibrant baking spice and clove. Flavors of rich Vanilla and candied fruit fade into a long finish of light mint and caramel. Enjoy!” After ageing, the whiskies are sampled, chosen and blended with other whiskies of different ages. This blended whisky is then bottled, labelled, and ready to be enjoyed. The process of distilling the Four Roses Small Batch Select is a long and complex process that requires a great deal of skill and expertise. Taste/Palate: Mild heat & Medium Mouthfeel. Barrel Char hits first. Fruity and Floral hits on the midpalate. Tart Apple, Pear, Apricot, & Herbal Tea.The finale is quite spicy too, a mixture of caramel and peppery rye with a little oak and some creamed corn at the very end. Summary The empty Glencairn is a rich and seasoned oak, that is a perfect finish to this four. Very happy. WORTH THE PRICE? Sour Mash: A fermentation technique used by almost all bourbon distillers that employs pre-fermented mash from a previous distilling in a new mash. The sour mash prevents wild yeast from entering the mash and causing infections. If you’re new to whisky (or bourbon) this section explains the unique aspect of Four Roses’ approach to making their spirits. For someone looking for an expertly-crafted bourbon, Four Roses Small Batch Select is a 104-proof, non-chill-filtered bourbon that provides a rich depth of flavors and a closer-to-the-barrel experience.