Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof Review: Built for Cocktails

Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Aged Minimum 5 Years
SRP: $29.99 / 750ml; $32.99 / 1L
Review

Please enjoy my Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof Review!

A Higher-Proof Four Roses Bourbon Developed for Cocktails

Four Roses Bourbon is now available in two expressions: the familiar 80-proof bourbon and the new Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof. Aged for a minimum of five years, the higher-proof expression was developed in direct response to feedback from bartenders seeking greater flexibility when using the bourbon in cocktails.

According to Master Distiller Brent Elliott, increasing the proof provides a different perspective on the same flavors found in the 80-proof expression:

“Four Roses Bourbon at 80 proof is soft, complex, and very approachable. By increasing the proof, these key attributes are not lost…simply magnified.”

— Brent Elliott, Master Distiller

The additional proof was intended to give Four Roses Bourbon more structure and intensity in cocktails such as the old fashioned and Manhattan while allowing it to be enjoyed neat or over ice. Brand Ambassador and Mixologist Abby Martinie explained the thinking behind the change:

“The flavor is as it always has been, but increasing the proof allowed for more flexibility and range in both classic and craft cocktails.”

— Abby Martinie, Brand Ambassador and Mixologist

Although Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof was developed with the on-premise community in mind, it is available through both on-premise and off-premise locations. That means consumers can also purchase it for home use.

Details — Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof Review

• Brand: Four Roses
• Expression: Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof
• Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: Minimum 5 Years
• Proof: 100
• Availability: On-premise and off-premise locations
• SRP: $29.99 / 750ml and $32.99 / 1L

Tasting Notes — Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass

👉🏻 Nose: Dark cherry soda, subtle caramel, rye spices, tannins, oak; alcohol vapor mildly greater than expected for the proof
👉🏻 Taste: Fairly dry, mild caramel, tannins, hints of oranges and black tea; leather later on
👉🏻 Finish: Mild leather, tannins, lingering heat and capsaicin spice; mild char later on with dry wood; fairly long

A Dry, Spicy and Tannic Flavor Profile

The nose of Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof is a bit sharper and spicier than I expected, with rye spices such as cloves combined with tannins and dry oak. There is mild sweetness from dark cherry soda, which becomes more noticeable after a few sips, and light caramel, but it takes a backseat to the sharper flavors. It is likely the combination of spice and tannins that makes the alcohol vapor seem greater than expected for the proof.

On the palate, Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof is also drier and more tannic than I anticipated, with hints of orange and black tea, followed by some leather later on. A similar theme continues into the finish, with leather, tannins and moderate capsaicin spice. The finish becomes increasingly dry, with lingering dry wood, mild char and spice at the end.

I have to say, I am quite surprised by the flavor profile of Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof. It is quite dry, spicy and tannic, with noticeable leather and oak. Those more mature flavors could have come from older bourbons in the mix. In addition, perhaps the higher proof compared with the standard 80-proof Four Roses Bourbon makes them stand out a bit more as well.

Testing Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof in a Honey Old Fashioned

Since Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof was developed with bartenders and cocktails in mind, I wondered if perhaps that is where it would shine. To test that hypothesis, I used it in one of my famous honey old fashioneds. As I suspected, its sharper and spicier flavors worked wonderfully with the honey sweetness in the old fashioned, making for an absolutely perfect drink.

A Bourbon That Finds Its Calling in a Cocktail

There it is. Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof did exactly what it was designed to do and performed extremely well in a cocktail. That may be its true calling, although more experimentation is in order, for sure. For me, it is not something I would reach for as a neat pour, but perhaps you would. Have you tried Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

I hope you have enjoyed my Four Roses Bourbon 100 Proof Review! Next, read my Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon Review and Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon Review. Then, learn more about the brand in Four Roses Bourbon Recipes – The Basics.

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for my review. I appreciate it!

Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!