A marriage of 13 and 18 year old bourbons. A mature yet very elegant whiskey, with a silky texture and so easy to embrace with a splash of water. Balanced notes of honeyed vanilla, soft caramel, a basket of complex orchard fruit, blackberry, papaya, and a dusting of cocoa and nutmeg; smooth finish. Sophisticated, stylish, with well-defined flavors. A classic!

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2013)

A caramel-laden fruit bouquet, followed by unending vanilla, leather, tobacco, cotton candy, marshmallow, quince, cinnamon, hints of juniper, and wildflowers. Then, brown sugar butter and maple syrup over buttermilk pancakes, Cracker Jack, raw honey, bittersweet chocolate, and hints of pecan shell. Extremely long finish with a fried apple pie note. An incredibly complex and intense, must-have sipper. Perfection.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2017)

A marriage of four different bourbons, ranging from 11 to 17 years old. This, to me, is benchmark Four Roses: subtly complex, vibrant, yet fully matured, with well-defined flavors of bramble, dry citrus, soft creamy vanilla, caramel, marzipan, allspice, a hint of cinnamon, and subtle cedar-aged cigar tobacco. Soft, clean, polished oak finish. A very versatile bourbon! Your decision shouldn’t be whether to buy it, but rather how much water to add.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2012)

From first sniff, it’s clear this is mature and stately stuff. It’s quite oak-driven, but rather than purely primary wood, it smells of fine leather, cedar chest, polished handrails, and barrel warehouse. Beneath the woody splendor lurks a core of rich black cherry fruit, which permeates the full-bodied palate, oozing with dark berry fruit that slowly succumbs to butterscotch, espresso, chocolate-covered cherries, and drying tannins. A masterful work of balance and lush flavors. Collectibles

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2019)

Seamless in flavor and very elegant. A fully matured bourbon (consisting of whiskeys from 11 to 16 years in age), yet quite fresh on the palate. Lively fruit (apricot, red raspberry, tangerine) on a bed of lush sweet notes (caramel, honey-coconut crème brûlée and cotton candy), peppered with cinnamon, clove, and crisp mint. Soft finish, with lingering creamy vanilla. Not as great as the legendary 2013 release, but close.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2015)

Aged 11 years, this year’s single barrel release is a lively mix of caramel and bright, zingy orange on palate entry. Cinnamon, vanilla, and mint emerge mid-palate, leading to polished oak, baked apple, and a hint of leather on the finish. A lively bourbon, with crisp, clean flavors and nicely balanced. Another winner from Four Roses.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2014)

This year’s barrel-strength release, comprised of several aged bourbons, offers bakery shop notes on the nose, along with vanillin, fragrant orange, soft spice, new leather, and drying tannins. The mouthfeel is soft and viscous, with emerging flavors of candied orange slices, allspice, black pepper, and scents of aged oak. The finish is notably smooth, as sweeter notes of tiramisu and cola are deftly balanced with an overlay of spice and dusty oak.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Winter 2020)

This is an ode to this bourbon’s old-school style that, post-caramel and cinnamon, is balanced with dried blueberries, sweet cornbread, nutmeg, saffron, citrus, and slight hints of chipotle, ginger, and clove. Under the beautiful spice come vanilla cake batter, almond butter, and salt water taffy that walk it to a finish that just doesn’t quit. It’s the vanilla-forward finish that makes this an upper-echelon whiskey. (13,800 bottles for the U.S.)

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2017)

The limited-edition releases from Four Roses are always top-notch, but this bourbon—a permanently available addition to the lineup—proves itself every bit the equal of its rarer brethren. Made with the distillery’s F yeast strain, among others, it has a perfumed nose, with orange blossom, cedar chest, berries, spearmint, tobacco leaves, sassafras, licorice, and layers of earthy spice. The palate is consistent and deep, with flavors of cherry Coke, cough syrup, orange oil, leathery dark fruit, black pepper, chili flakes, and chocolate, shifting into a minty finish replete with pepper, cinnamon, dark chocolate, cooked berries, and roasted walnuts. Full, rich, and utterly satisfying. Number 3 in the 2019 Top 20

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Winter 2019)

Elegant, clean, and peppered with dried spice notes throughout (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice). Additional notes of barrel char, vanilla wafer, summer fruits, caramel corn, maple syrup, and candied almond add complexity. Begins sweet, but dries out nicely on the finish, inviting another sip. Very nice!

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2012)

A beguiling nose balances maturity and freshness, with charred oak, caramelized sugar, blackberry pie filling, floral notes, and toasted almond evolving in deep layers. The concentration on the palate is jaw-dropping—so much richness, power, and grace, as flavors flit across the tongue. Robust and drinkable, the fruity pie filling turns to candied orange peel and buckwheat honey before a licorice-laced finish. (13,140 bottles) Collectible

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2018)

This big, sweet, warming bourbon strikes all the right chords. Sizzling sweet corn meets generous oak, like dusty old books, but the bright peach nectar, wet walnuts, and vibrant spice beam through in abundance. Unctuous and concentrated on the palate, it evokes cinnamon-dusted peach pie, with hints of clove and pepper on the finish. A solid and seamless whiskey, with fruit, floral, oak, and spice in perfect harmony.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Winter 2018)

Crisp clove, cool mint, cinnamon, and cocoa mingle with glazed orange, honeyed vanilla, caramel, and maple syrup. Polished oak and leather on the finish balance the sweet, fruity notes. More oak and dried spice when compared to the 2013 release (our American Whiskey of the Year) and, while not quite reaching that caliber (it’s not quite as seamless, drinkable, or complex), it gets close. Very impressive.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2014)

A single barrel offering to celebrate Distillery Manager Jim Rudtledge’s 40 years in the industry. Dry, botanical, and teasingly complex, with bright fruit, crisp spice, and complex oak. Its dryness is prevalent throughout-the maturity is evident-but never excessively so, and there’s always a soft interplay of honey and vanilla. A very elegant whiskey.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2007)

A fuller-bodied, sweeter encounter than Barrel #55-6F reviewed below. More rounded and even-keeled throughout, too! Chewy toffee, rummy molasses, and nougat, with underlying notes of dark, berried fruit, accentuating spice, and supple leather. The heavyweight of the group.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2007)

Using six of the distillery’s ten recipes, including the V yeast strain that imparts delicate fruit notes—here presenting as Pixy Stix, Rocket Pops, and cherry pie—and the F yeast strain that offers herbal notes, like licorice root, earthy tea leaf, and root beer. There’s also orange blossom, pecans, cedar chest, and tobacco. Aromas and flavors unfold in layers, with rich oak, roasted pecans, and vanilla whipped cream juxtaposed against peppery spice, blueberry-cinnamon crumble, and sweet tea. Water reveals new depths.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2019)

Thirteen years old, but it shows its age nicely. It’s peppered with complex dried spice notes (mint, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla), yet it also has interwoven sweet notes (maple syrup, caramel, honey) to keep the whiskey from being too dry. Hints of dark chocolate and berried fruit add complexity. Dry, spicy, tobacco, and leather-tinged finish. Great complexity!

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2013)

This is a 9 year old from the OBSF recipe. Brings to mind intense cinnamon over fruit, sprinkled on pumpkin bread, cooked in kettle popcorn, with a scone. Then there’s an explosion of caramel: crème brûlée, salted German chocolate cake, glazed doughnut holes, and caramel-drizzled baked peaches. Hints of smoke, ginger, tobacco, and clove. A delightfully long finish carries a hint of cinnamon for a must-have quaff. (Maisano’s Fine Wine and Spirits exclusive)

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Spring 2017)