Welcome to the review for Four Roses Bourbon. This is my first time reviewing a Four Roses product. For those new to the site, I did tour the distillery in 2019, you can check it out here.
Let's get started with the basics.
Age: No age statement on bottle... the Four Roses website says minimum of 5 years. Not sure if I believe the website... I feel like if it were, they would proudly put that all over the bottle.
Location Produced: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Mash Bill: Mix of Mashbill B 60% Corn | 35% Rye | 5% Malted Barley and Mashbill E
75% Corn | 20% Rye | 5% Malted Barley... exact mixture isn't known so exact mash bill isn't known.
Tasting notes (from manufacturer):
Nose: Fruit, floral essences, gentle spice and honey.
Taste: Crisp, soft and smooth, fresh fruit, hints of pear and apple.
Finish: Mellow, long and pleasant.
Proof/Alcohol: 80 (40% alcohol by volume)
Cost (Ohio): $23.99 in Ohio
Let's start the review.
Taste - Score 22 out of 35
Smoothness/Finish - Score 15 out of 25
The finish was very short and bland. It really tastes like it's watered down.
Intangibles: Color/Appearance - Score 10 out of 15.
The bottle is a standard glass bottle with the signature rose etched on the front above the sticker label and comes with a real cork above the bubble neck. The etching is nice, but other than that, there isn't much unique to the bottle.
Cost (Ohio): $23.99 in Ohio
Let's start the review.
Taste - Score 22 out of 35
On the nose, The Duchess (my wife) and I picked up the standard oak from aging in the barrels. On the taste, it was a bit light with not much complexity. We did pick up a taste of the minerals from the water.
When I drank it, any time I added a splash of water (which is how I usually drink my bourbon), it negated all flavor and the only way I can describe it is a very thin like flavor. It was really disappointing.
The Duchess described it as perfect for someone who doesn't like to water-down their bourbon because it's not very strong and said it would be great for beginners.
Smoothness/Finish - Score 15 out of 25
The finish was very short and bland. It really tastes like it's watered down.
Intangibles: Color/Appearance - Score 10 out of 15.
The bottle is a standard glass bottle with the signature rose etched on the front above the sticker label and comes with a real cork above the bubble neck. The etching is nice, but other than that, there isn't much unique to the bottle.
In terms of the color, it's a very light gold. I would have expected a darker color from being in the barrel for 5+ years. It looks thin in the glass.
Availability - Score 5 out of 5
This product is very available in Ohio... in fact, when stores were out of Woodford a few weeks ago in Columbus, there was plenty of availability of Four Roses.
Overall Value - Score 14 out of 20
The $23.99 question... It's a great price for a bourbon that has been aged at least five years... however, I thought he flavor of this is so light and weak over ice, that it's not something I would buy.
Final Score: 66 out of 100 - Some uniqueness and could be good in the right situation
The Four Roses was interesting. Coming in, I knew they used a high rye content in the mash bill (this was explained during the tour), which should leave less burn on the finish. However, I was really disappointed that there was almost no burn.
It was also disappointing when I added a splash of water or tried this over ice (on the rocks) that all flavor was taken away.
However, with all that said... this could be a good option for beginners or people who think bourbon is too strong.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
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