Four Roses whiskies

History

The Four Roses brand was registered at the end of the 19th century, and house legend has it that the name comes from a corsage of roses with which a young woman answered a marriage proposal. The current distillery was built at the beginning of the 20th century. In the middle of the century it was bought by Seagram, which for decades sold a blended whiskey under the Four Roses name in the United States, while the genuine bourbon was exported to Europe and Asia. In 2002 Kirin bought the distillery and brought the bourbon back to the American market, where it now enjoys great prestige.

House style

Four Roses’ ten recipes allow it to build bourbons with very different profiles: fruitier, more floral or spicier. Its general style is light and elegant, with red fruit, pear, honey, vanilla and the pepper of rye. The house matures in single-storey warehouses, which give a more even maturation than the tall warehouses typical of Kentucky. The result is a balanced bourbon, with less sweet oak than others from Kentucky and a spicy, clean finish.

Where to start

Four Roses Bourbon is the way in: smooth, fruity and very versatile, for drinking neat or in cocktails. Small Batch combines several recipes and gains body and spice. Single Barrel shows a single barrel and a single recipe, more intense and spicy, and is a great example of what the distillery can do. Trying all three in a row helps you understand the role of yeast and recipe.

• Four Roses BourbonBourbon · 40% ABV
• Four Roses Small BatchBourbon · 45% ABV
• Four Roses Single BarrelBourbon · 50% ABV