Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon Review

Four Roses Small Batch
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Crafted from Four Select Bourbons
90 proof
$27.99 – $31.99 at Total Wine and More

Please enjoy my Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon Review

What is Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon?

Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is one of the bourbons in Four Roses main lineup. The others being Four Roses Bourbon, Four Roses Single Barrel and Four Roses Small Batch Select. It is made by mingling together 4 of Four Roses 10 recipes after they have aged a minimum of 6-7 years, and it is bottled at 90 proof. According to Four Roses, those recipes “have been expertly selected by our Master Distiller at the peak of maturation to create this very mellow and perfectly balanced Bourbon.” 

The Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon Recipes

I explain Four Roses recipes in detail in my post: Four Rose Bourbon Recipes – The Basics, so I will just mention them briefly here. The recipes that comprise Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon use both of Four Roses mashbills (B & E), and two of their yeast strains, K & O. Four Roses Distillery says that each of these recipes has the following characteristics:

OBSK: Rye and Baking Spices
OBSO: Rich Fruit
OESK: Baking Spice
OESO: Rich Fruit and Vanilla

Knowing that, you may have some idea how these bourbons might taste. But first…

Tasting Notes

Let’s taste it:

🛌 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉Nose: Baking spices, cedar, some citrus, like oranges, also subtle sweetness and sweet cherry candy, subtle butterscotch & vanilla; relatively light alcohol
👉Taste: Baking slices, light honey sweetness, black tea, butterscotch, oak, vanilla
👉Finish: Some butterscotch and vanilla become more pronounced; there’s a hint of cedar and some oak, and barrel char grows; short to medium length finish with a moderate burn

Summary

There’s a bit of a subtlety to Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, and that probably has to do with it being 90 proof. The rye flavors are definitely present, which is no surprise given the high rye content of the Four Roses mash bills. There are some nice flavors in here, although they are a little toned down in magnitude. This is definitely a great bourbon for people who enjoy their whiskey in the 90 proof range and also a great one for those starting out. It provides some nice flavors without being overpowering.

I hope you enjoyed my Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon Review. If you would like to learn about its higher proof sibling, check out my Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon Review.

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