Four Roses has 10 unique bourbon recipes that they make at their distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY. There are five different yeast strains (F,K,O,Q,V) used and two different mash bills (B,E) use to comprise the 10 different recipes. This gives Four Roses a lot of flavor profiles to work with when blending their bourbons or for single barrel releases!
The Yeasts:
F – Herbal Notes (Tobacco, Rye, Mint, Earthy)
K – Slight Spice (Baking Spices, Rye, Full Body)
O – Rich Fruit (Berries, Stone Fruit)
Q – Floral Essence (Floral, Rye, recipe most influenced by the barrel)
V – Delicate Fruit (Lighter fruit notes, Creamy)
The Mashbills:
B – 60% Corn, 35% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
E – 75% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Single barrels can vary greatly and that is why they are so intriguing! I will review each of the 10 Four Roses unique recipes and try to speak on the different flavor profiles and tasting notes of each. Again there are so many different variables from proof, age, distillation run, warehouse location, tier location, the wood in the barrel as well as the seasons that this particular barrel aged! Some summers are warmer than others and some winters are cooler than others.
Four Roses OBSV Bourbon Single Barrel 10 year 7 month 55.4% RS 73-1P
Color – Light copper
Aroma – Moderate amount of oak, with hints of fruit sweetness and a tinge of alcohol.
Taste – Good viscosity, black pepper and oak are dominate with a hint of fresh fruit on the back end. Normally high rye bourbons have a thinner mouthfeel. This barrel the V yeast really contributes to a nice viscosity.
Finish – Good finish that warms your insides all the way down.
Rating – 8.7/10
Thoughts – The V yeast is a fan favorite and consistently provides the best mouthfeel out of the Four Roses yeasts in my opinion. Love the fruit aspects of the yeast in this barrel. The oak and rye dominate but the hints of fruit are the delicate aspects that are what move good bourbons to great. My ideal whiskey has a nose that pops, great mouthfeel, oak and sweetness that are perfectly balanced, a finish with flavors that linger on the palate and a Kentucky Hug that holds on tight and is prolonged. I wouldn’t say this barrel is perfectly balanced but it has all of the aspects that I thoroughly enjoy.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect
Debonair Gentlemen 
Leave a comment