Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

A little background

Sour Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is bottled at 80 proof and carries at a retail of around $20. It is distilled in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky by Four Roses Distillery LLC. Four Roses uses two distinct mashbills and five yeast strains which lead to the ten different recipes that the company produces. Mashbill E is 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley while mashbill B is 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley. The five yeast strains are named V (delicate fruit), O (rich fruit), F (herbal notes), K (slight spice), and Q (floral essence). The letter “O” in each recipe denotes Four Roses Distillery while the “S” in each recipe denotes Straight Whiskey. The resulting 10 recipes are named OBSK, OBSQ, OBSO, OBSF, OBSV, OESK, OESQ, OESO, OESF, and OESV. Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a mixture of eight to ten of the recipes depending on the batch and contains barrels as young as 4 years and as old as 12 years with the average age coming out to around 6 years. Batch sizes are between 200-400 barrels.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Straw/Light Honey

Nose

This bourbon has a very pleasant nose with notes of caramel, vanilla, white pepper, allspice, apple, and pear that mesh nicely with the floral notes of the bourbon.

Palate

The palate follows the nose with notes of caramel, vanilla, allspice, pear, and apple. The mouthfeel is thin and watery, but it doesn’t take away from the flavor of the bourbon at all. When water is added the nose becomes more floral, the palate loses its flavor, and the finish completely goes away. This bourbon is not overly complex but hits all of the traditional bourbon notes.

Finish

The finish is short with the main notes being caramel and baking spice.

In closing

This is a great bourbon for someone just getting into the spirit or to drink on the back porch on a hot day. While only being 80 proof, it is refreshing and hits all of the tradition bourbon notes like caramel and vanilla that I have come to love. At $20, this bourbon is always on my bar as it is one of the best values out there.