I’d like to thank the folks at Four Roses for providing this review sample to me with no strings attached.
It is that time of year again. That time when we feature all of the upcoming limited edition bourbons that companies are hoping you will love. We showcased Yellowstone’s 2022 limited on Tuesday and tonight we turn our attention to one that used to be the highlight of the bourbon year for me.
Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch is a yearly limited edition release showcasing the creative side of Four Roses. Throughout each Spring and Summer, Master Distiller Brent Elliott and his team start gathering the bourbons that may eventually make their way into the Fall’s concoction. After extensive experimentation and testing, they develop numerous blends and then eventually whittle it down to one. And they do a good job. Every year it is one to keep an eye out for.
This year the blend includes bourbons ranging from 14 to 20 years old. It features four of their bourbon recipes: a 14-year-old OESF, a 14-year-old OESV, a 15-year-old OESK, and a 20-year-old OBSV. The F yeast has me pretty excited. While Q yeast is my favorite, F is a close second. If I see a Q or an F yeast used in a Single Barrel Pick while out shopping, it always comes home with me.
The suggested retail price is $179.99 per bottle. It’ll roll out to retailers in September, but if you are feeling lucky and will be able to make it to Kentucky to pick it up between September 17 and October 16, they will be having a lottery drawing to purchase a bottle at the distillery gift shop. Visit the Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition website between August 22 and August 28 to enter.
Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2022
Purchase Info: This sample was provided by the producer for review purposes. The suggested retail price is $179.99.
Price Per Drink (50 mL): $12.00
Details: 54.5% ABV. Features a 14-year-old OESF, a 14-year-old OESV, a 15-year-old OESK, and a 20-year-old OBSV.
Nose: Caramel, vanilla, oak, cinnamon, strawberry Starburst candy.
Mouth: Cinnamon, leather, caramel, oak, and Juicy Fruit Gum.
Finish: Warm and long. Notes of leather, cinnamon, and oak.
Thoughts: This is pretty tasty. There is a split decision in this house as to whether we would actually spend the asking price, though. My wife is on the yes side. I'm in the no camp.
This is really good. I'm just not sure that it is $180 good. That said, very little is. And, harsh as it sounds, those I've tried that we decided might be worth $180 are better than this. I'd buy this in a heartbeat at the $130-ish price tag it used to have. But I had a hard time paying last year’s $150 price. And there is just no way I can bring myself to pay the $180 this year. And I say all of this as a devout Four Roses Fanboy.
It saddens me to be priced out of the market for one of my favorite bourbons, but this is the first year that I can unequivocally say that, to me, this is not worth the asking price. That said, if money is no object, this is very good bourbon, and you should pick it up, drink it and enjoy the heck out of it. If you have a budget, as I do, then you’ll need to decide if you want to use part of it on a bottle that prices at $12 per pour should you happen to win your local lottery.
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