Skip to content 
Last Updated on December 29, 2022 by Lydia Martin
Four Roses is one of the brands hailing from Kentucky, home to the industry’s most recognizable and solid bourbons for centuries.
Here’s our Four Roses Single Barrel review and price guide. Let’s see how it compares to other leading brands in the market.
All About Four Roses Single Barrel
Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon was introduced in 2004. It is generally an affordable top-shelf spirit, aged in new American charred oak casks for seven to nine years and bottled at 100-proof.
Single barrels have a varying flavor profile in every batch release, but this product has an undeniable sweetness and floral notes that mixes well with any cocktail.
Noteworthy Facts
Brief History
Paul Jones Jr. founded the Four Roses brand in 1888. But a short while after Seagram bought the company in 1943, they decided to discontinue selling straight bourbons locally [1].
It only changed in 2004 when Kirin Brewery reintroduced the brand in the American market.
How It’s Made
After the fermentation and distillation processes, the blend spends at least seven to nine years in new American charred oak casks. These barrels are stored in a single-story rickhouse, helping to minimize the temperature variances of maturing blends.
Ingredients & Alcohol Content
It uses the 35% high rye mash bill, 60% corn, and 5% malted barley. Out of five yeast strains of the Four Roses brand, this expression only utilizes the “delicate fruit” yeast and has a high alcohol content of 50% ABV.
Who Owns It
The current owner of Four Roses Distillery is the Kirin Brewery. They bought the company in 2002 and reintroduced the straight bourbon products to the United States in 2004. The previous owners of the brand include Seagram, Vivendi, and Diageo.
Price & Value
Four Roses offers an affordable premium single barrel spirit for around $40 to $50. But it is slightly more expensive than its Four Roses siblings, such as the Four Roses Small Batch and Four Roses Yellow Label.
Read: Four Roses Small Batch vs Single Barrel
Tasting Notes
Palate
The first sip of this product is surprisingly smooth and complex but with delicate and full-bodied flavors. You can taste caramel, honey, and floral sweetness, followed by wood, clove, cinnamon, and spices.
Nose
The nose has a rich aroma of toasted oak, sweet fruit, and dried rye spice. There are also subtle cocoa, citrus, and wood hints in the background.
Color & Viscosity
Four Roses bourbon has a golden caramel color imparted from the wood used during maturation.
Finish
It has an unbelievably mellow and long finish, with some spicy black pepper notes and dried oak.
Common Four Roses Single Barrel Price
| Type | Size | Alcohol By Volume | Average Price |
| Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 750ml | 50% ABV | $40 – $50 |
Compared to Other Bourbons
Jim Beam
Jim Beam’s Single Barrel offers a cheaper price range than Four Roses, from around $30 to $40. It has a strong dose of ethanol, rye, and oaky vanilla in the nose. However, the alcohol disappears on the palate and proceeds into a well-balanced spiciness and sweetness towards a lingering finish.
Bulleit
The Single Barrel Whiskey bottle from Bulleit is more expensive, around $60 to $65. Bulleit and Four Roses were once under the Diageo company, which makes a lot of people compare the two brands.
But these two bourbons have different tastes as Four Roses are more floral with some sweetness, while Bulleit tends to be a solid and spicy whiskey.
Evan Williams
The Evan Williams Single Barrel is another brand more affordable than Four Roses, with prices ranging from $30 to $35. It has a light funky aroma with dried citrus peel, tobacco, and cinnamon in the nose.
At first taste, there are flavors of baked peach and apple, vanilla, honey, and nutmeg on the palate. The sip ends with a little smokiness in the finish.
Read: Nulu Single Barrel Bourbon Guide
Popular Four Roses Single Barrel Cocktails
Autumn Leaves
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1¼ ounce bourbon
- ¼ Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica)
- ½ bitter liqueur (Ramazzotti Amaro)
- One dash of Angostura Bitters
- Lemon
Instructions:
Prepare a cocktail mixer to mix all the ingredients. Next, transfer the blend into an old-fashioned double glass filled with ice. Garnish the drink with lemon. Serve and enjoy.
Serving: 1
Collins
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1½ ounce bourbon
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- One tablespoon sugar
- Club soda
- Lemon slice
- Cherry
Instructions:
Pour the whiskey, lemon juice, and one tablespoon of sugar into a highball glass filled with ice. Add club soda and stir. Garnish with cherry and lemon.
Serving: 1
FAQs
Is Four Roses Single Barrel hard to find?
No, it is not hard to find a Four Roses Single Barrel bottle at your local liquor store. Unlike the Small-Batch Select expression that is only available in some states.
Is Four Roses Single Barrel discontinued?
No, Four Roses Single Barrel is not discontinued. It is still part of the company’s available products along with their Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Small-Batch, and limited-edition releases.
Key Takeaways
Four Roses Single Barrel bourbon is a top-shelf spirit first introduced in 2004 during the time of the legendary Jim Rutledge. It has more affordable pricing than some Four Roses products available for $40 to $50 with 50% ABV.
Despite being affordable, it has enough complexity and robust taste that it is enjoyable to drink straight or on the rocks. You can also try our favorite cocktail recipe listed above.
Reference:
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/four-roses-bourbon-whiskey-761568
Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best cocktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique cocktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.
