Four Roses Single Barrel OBSF “Little Family Selection"

BourbonReviewsAmerican WhiskeyFour RosesSingle Barrel Picks

Nov 8

Written By David Levine

Four Roses Must Have been the roses.jpeg

Four Roses Single Barrel OBSF “Little Family Selection"

Four Roses OBSF

57.7% ABV/115.4 Proof

10Y 5M, Warehouse JE, Barrel 32-2F

Tried Blind

Eye: Pure amber. Very thin rims and droplet legs.

Nose: This smells like hardcore Four Roses - mulling spices, bold red and dark fruits. Proof heat is there but controlled, hinting at cinnamon and clove. Not much oak, but this smells rich. Air brings out some spiced honey, like a Hot Toddy.

Palate: Wow - that’s beautiful…red and stone fruits, almost too sweet. Cocoa powder dusted glacé cherries. Incredibly fruity. Chocolate and fruit keep bouncing off of each other, making my mouth water. Fruit just continues to build. Mouthfeel is tingly, fruity, sweet cinnamon, not overly coating but very enjoyable for a sipper.

Finish: A bit shorter than I’d like, but it’s smooth, chocolatey, and the fruit fades nicely. Air adds some spiced graham cracker pie crust.

Overall: Dead-on Four Roses profile, fruity and chocolatey. Delicious. The finish is a tad short, but the nose is great and the palate develops into an entertaining fruit and chocolate duel.

Rating: 8.0

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)