Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon

Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon hails from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, with a brand history dating back to 1888 when Paul Jones Jr. trademarked the name, though he claimed production and sales reaching back to the 1860s. The romantic origin story involves Jones proposing to a Southern belle, who signaled her acceptance by wearing a corsage of four roses to a ball. While an established brand with a long history, its journey includes a period where it was primarily an export product and later reintroduced to the U.S. market. Four Roses is known for its unique approach of utilizing two different mash bills and five proprietary yeast strains to create ten distinct bourbon recipes. The Single Barrel expression, specifically, always uses their OBSV recipe (a particular mash bill and yeast strain combination) and is bottled at 100 proof. The distillery itself, built in 1910 with Spanish Mission-style architecture, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Four Roses Single Barrel, specifically the standard OBSV recipe, brings a delightful high-rye punch to your home bar. You'll find notes of pear, cocoa, maple syrup, and dried spice, with a palate that leans into caramel and a distinct rye character. This profile makes it a solid choice for an Old Fashioned, where its spicy and fruity notes can really sing, or a classic Manhattan, offering a complex backbone. It's a versatile player among craft spirits, well-suited for bourbon-forward cocktail ingredients that allow its nuanced flavors of fruit and spice to shine.

This particular single barrel bourbon greets you with aromas of plum, pear, cocoa, and a whisper of maple syrup. The first sip coats the palate with hints of ripe cherry, vanilla, and a touch of cinnamon spice, followed by a smooth, delicately long finish.