Four Roses “Happy Holidays” OESK Single Barrel Bourbon 18 Year 5 Months 60.7% RS 38-3I

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 “Happy Holidays” OESK Single Barrel Bourbon 18 Year 5 Months 60.7% RS 38-3I

I was at work last week and I heard Four Roses was releasing multiple 18 year+ OESK single barrels to wish Four Roses fans Happy Holidays. Not gonna lie the FOMO was real and I was disappointed I wasn’t able to swing by the distillery. Honestly by the time I found out and would have stopped by I’m sure the bottles would have been long gone anyway. Four Roses did say they were going to release more bottles throughout the holiday season so I still had some hope. Four Roses is my jam and for me an ultra aged, barrel strength, single barrel is a unicorn bottle.

Fast forward a week later I decided to drive to the distillery on a whim in hopes they would release more “Happy Holidays” bottles. I parked at the distillery and walked up to see a long line had already formed. Luckily they opened in 15 minutes and I would soon find out they had enough bottles for everybody in line. Lucky for me I made the cut! Both releases have been the same morning the distillery held a Happy Holidays event in Lawrenceburg. Twelve total barrels were released and they are all listed at the bottom of this review.

OESK is used in Four Roses Yellow Label, Four Roses Small Batch, Four Roses Small Batch Select and has been used in the majority of the annually released Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon. It is a very popular and versatile recipe that is known for aging well and complimenting the sweetness of bourbon with its K yeast spice!

If I had to pick one of Four Roses ten recipes for a holiday release, OESK would be on top of that list. The lower percentage of rye in the E mashbill usually allows the notes of the Four Roses five yeast strains to be more prominent. The K yeast produces a full bodied bourbon with notes of baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice) perfect for the holidays!

I paid $90 out the door for a 750mL bottle. I poured near in a glencairn and let rest for ~10 minutes.

Color – This is a medium to dark copper. Almost looks like a penny that has some age on it.

Aroma – The backbone of the nose is sweet aged oak. I get that first and foremost. There are hints of dark fruits like the side label suggests but they are very subtle. The oak is complimented by cinnamon spice, vanilla and caramel.

Taste – Intense spice bomb. Black pepper, cinnamon hit first with rye spice that lingers on the back of the palate. On my second sip I get much more plum, dark cherry, and vanilla on the front of the palate but the same intense spice on the mid and back of the palate. I do get some of the alcohol but it isn’t much. The mouthfeel was nice but not as viscous as I would have liked with an older bourbon. I get the perfect amount of oak flavor but it is just a tad drying. This has mellowed out after 18 years and drinks below its 121.4 proof.

Finish – An intense but slow forming Kentucky Hug that is long and lingers in your chest. The flavors on your palate slowly melt away. This is probably the closest clove flavor I’ve had in a bourbon. It’s a woody, sweet spiciness. Beautiful.

Rating – 9.1/10

It’s a prefect example of an OESK with the K yeast spices shining! I get hints of the fruit sweetness that the side label suggests but the star of this barrel is the K yeast spice. The sweetness I got was a darker sweetness, plum and ripe cherries. The sweetness and spiciness combine with the aged oak is as close to clove as a bourbon can get. That isn’t a note I personally get often. This is a great release from Four Roses and I will continue to seek these out. Have I had 9-12 year old Four Roses barrel strength single barrels that can compete with this? Sure, but this is a step above those.

You can read about another special distillery only release, Four Roses OESV 16 year Kentucky Strong, I reviewed here!

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

Four Roses Happy Holidays OESK Barrel List

	WH	Barrel	ABV	Age	Release
1	RS	38-3A	59.7%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
2	RS	38-3B	59.7%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
3	RS	38-3C	59.6%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
4	RS	38-3D	59.6%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
5	RS	38-3E	60.1%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
6	RS	38-3G	60.1%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
7	RS	38-3H	60.4%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
8	RS	38-3I	60.7%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
9	RS	38-3J	60.8%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
10	RS	38-3K	61.8%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
11	RS	38-3L	60.8%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022
12	RS	38-3M	62.0%	18 Years 5 Months	December 2022