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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.
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. 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!” In this article, we’ll compare and contrast Four Roses Single Barrel vs Four Roses Small Batch Select to help you decide which one is the best fit for you. 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. I can’t really think of many other bourbons in the same price range that are as good as this other than possibly Weller 12, Old Weller Antique and maybe Elijah Craig 12 which is being discontinued.
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. 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. 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. For a delectable combination, you can’t go wrong with dark chocolate. The sweetness of the treat is harmonized perfectly by its bitterness, producing an entirely new flavour experience that’s sure to tantalize your taste buds! Cheeses are also amazing to pair this delicacy with; feel free to experiment with sharp cheddar, creamy brie or even pungent blue cheese – you won’t regret it!
Four Roses Small Batch Select is made of both their ‘Mash bill B’ and ‘Mash bill E’ ratios, containing a blend of 6 bourbon recipes. Each of these 6 bourbons uses different yeasts for a variety of flavours which are then individually matured in barrels for 6-7 years and later blended. This whisky is non-chill filtered. Corn, rye and barley grains used in both Four Roses’ grain recipes | Image credit: Four Roses Bourbon
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Heavy on caramel with more cinder toffee and some creamy fudge but all with an enjoyable spiciness from the high rye mashbill at the forefront of the flavor profile. There is some cherry and cinnamon in there too for good measure. This is a very good flavor profile and whilst not super complex you do get a lot of flavors considering the low price this bottle retails at. It’s very enjoyable indeed! No More: An herbal quality is starting to emerge the further I get into the glass, taking over the bitter component, but still letting the sweetness talk. I find this additional complexity refreshing and welcome, and look forward to how it continues to grow as I continue to sip. Let’s find out what I thought of this bottle by digesting the eloquent words of my Four Roses Single Barrel review (please don’t be disappointed that they are not actually particularly eloquent): About the Distillery The Small Batch Select is part of Four Roses’ permanent product line. With a great price and steady availability, it’d make an excellent gift for any occasion. Containing a unique blend of six bourbon recipes, it would make a great addition to any whisky collection. Comparing Four Roses Single Barrel vs Four Roses Small Batch Select Combining the two mashbills with these 5 yeast strains results in their 10 bourbon recipes. Recipes 1-5 use Mashbill B and recipes 6-10 use Mashbill E. See a screenshot of all 10 of the Four Roses recipes in the diagrams below.
This is well known for being a great pour for the money and as one of the best pound for pound bourbons you can buy and I wholeheartedly agree with that. It’s got lots of flavors and enough complexity to keep you happy. It’s a perfect bottle to sit on your shelf as a daily drinker. It’s also a good bourbon to share with friends who may not have as refined a palate. At the higher price points, they have the Limited Edition range which are delicious and easier to get hold of than some other premium juice (Pappy & BTAC!).
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. Straight out the bottle, you’ll be captivated by this bold, full-bodied flavour. Its aroma is confected with ripe berries and toasted oak along with a trace of caramel and spices. As you take the first sip, it coats your palate like velvet – succulent notes of sweet vanilla and delicate touches of spice blanketed in an oaky finish that’s long-lasting and smooth on release.
The Single Barrel is by nature, less complex due to it’s single recipe, single cask maturation. But as far a single-barrel bourbons go, this has to be one of the best we’ve tried. With a lengthy ageing period of eight years, it offers bold flavours of toffee, dried cherries, and oak.If you’re looking to try your first single-barrel bourbon, this would be a magnificent entry to the category. As one of the oldest single-barrel bourbons on the market, this would make an excellent foray into this style of American whiskey.To create Four Roses Bourbon, all ten of the recipes are normally blended together. However there are occasions when not all ten recipes are used. The Q yeast strain is described as having an essence of floral aromas, of which there are two Q recipes, OESQ and OBSQ (one corresponding to each mashbill), which are considered “flavoring recipes.” These recipes make up a small portion of Four Roses’ overall production and consequently a small portion of their standard Four Roses Bourbon blend, typically ranging from 1.5-3.5%. When supplies are short and the desired flavor profile has already been achieved, Four Roses may forgo one or both of these additional flavoring recipes in the blend. As a result the particular blend of bourbon will include as few as eight, but as many as all 10 of the Four Roses recipes depending on the batch. Notably, the bottle never discloses how many recipes were used for the particular blend being bottled. 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. 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 main differences between Four Roses Single Barrel vs Four Roses Small Batch Select are fairly distinct, coming down to their mash bills, proof, maturation and filtration process.
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