There’s a certain complexity here that you just come to expect in limited edition Four Roses. This one doesn’t disappoint. Rose petals, honeysuckle, caramel, roasted pine nuts, cotton candy, dark coffee, and vanilla. The creamy mouthfeel delightfully brings in warm cinnamon roll, chocolate truffle, and honey taffy, balanced by herbs and subtle earthiness that settle with a long-lasting cinnamon-forward finish.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2016)

Very floral and fragrant. Gently sweet, too: apple tart laced with cinnamon, pancakes drizzled with maple syrup. Well-defined oak and crisp, dry spice (cinnamon, anise, cocoa, nutmeg) balance the sweetness. An interesting whiskey: big in some ways, yet elegant in others

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2011)

Deeper and darker than some Four Roses, but with plenty of bright, lush sweetness. Notes of toffee, honey-drenched nuts, and ripe summer fruit. Nicely spiced, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a dusting of mocha. I just love the honey influence. A well-balanced whiskey, with all the flavors taking turns to shine. Great integration of flavors, too! One of my favorite Four Roses single barrel bourbons, which will grow on you with every sip.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2009)

The replacement to Four Roses “Mariage” limited editions, which were a marriage of two different whiskey formulas. This new whiskey contains three of Four Roses’ ten different recipes. It tastes older and more mature than the standard Small Batch bottling—there’s a lot more oak dryness and spice, especially on the finish. Along with the oak, there’s plenty of fruit, too (citrus, pineapple, apricot, papaya), plus caramel-coated nuts, a kiss of honeyed vanilla, and complex dried spice (cocoa, nutmeg, cinnamon) kicking in on the finish. (Available September, 2010.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2010)

Silky in texture and gently sweet. This new “Mariage Collection” release shows a softer, more elegant side of Four Roses when compared to their other bottlings (including the most recent limited edition 120^th Anniversary bottling, which was a much bolder affair). Notes of candied fruit, black raspberry, blueberry, creamy vanilla, cornbread, and chamomile tea. Delicately spicy too, with a polished oak finish. Clean on the palate and very drinkable. Four Roses utilizes a wide variety of mash bills and yeast strains, and has the ability to produce a diverse array of whiskeys. This “Mariage” offering is a good example.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2009)

After a false start several years back, it’s a pleasure to finally see Four Roses Single Barrel available here in the U.S. This whiskey is nicely balanced, with a teasing subtleness to it. I particularly enjoy its delicately honeyed, floral, crisply spicy aroma, with underlying notes of vanilla cream and candied fruit. These flavors follow through on the palate, initially with honey-laced fruit, caramel, and soft vanilla notes, leading to a dry spiciness (mint, cinnamon) and refined oak. It finishes crisp and pleasingly dry. None of the flavors are dominant, and bottling it at 50% is a bonus.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2005)

Oak-driven nose, where dusty oak floorboard meets light brown sugar and some herbal notes. On the palate this delivers tropical fruits, with hints of banana and papaya, and features a nice slick mouthfeel that succumbs to drying tannins, ending with nutty qualities and earthy forest floor. Simple and easy to enjoy.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2018)

A marriage of four different bourbon recipes aged between 11 and 13 years. Very elegant and stylish, as with many of the Four Roses offerings. Its age also shows, with a firm measure of wood spice and grip on the nose and the latter half of the palate. Soft honey, bright fruit (sultana, ripe peach, tangerine), and spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, crisp rye), evolving into darker fruit and more caramelized sugars on the palate, along with leather notes on the finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2011)

A combination of 10 and 19 year old bourbons from two different recipes. Very spicy, but no excessive oak (given the 19 year old component). Still, there’s definitely more oak than last year’s release, and maybe more than I would like for balance. Along with the cinnamon, cool mint, cocoa powder, and nutmeg, there are caramelized sugars and bright citrus notes. This is a tight whiskey -- not heavy and lethargic, like some 10-plus year old bourbons can be. The flavors are crisp and vibrant, all the way to its polished oak, tobacco-tinged finish.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2009)

A lively bourbon, with bright fruit, honeyed vanilla, and fragrant floral notes. Lean on the palate, with a firm, dry, spicy finish. A youthful whiskey that skips along until the finish. It doesn’t have the thicker, sweeter mid-palate like Barrel#87-6L reviewed here. As a result, its finish is firm, and crisply dry. (Bottled exclusively for The Party Source.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2007)

Lovely cinnamon candies offer an entrancing first taste, with lemon drop and orange sherbet close behind. Baking spices come on strong mid-palate, with undertones of caramel and vanilla. But what makes this special is its mouthfeel: tingly and warming the palate throughout. Cinnamon is ever-present.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2018)

I was concerned this whiskey would be woody and dry, but it isn’t. (By comparison, the 2009 “Mariage Collection” release, a combination of 10 and 19 year old whiskeys, comes across much more tannic and dry—especially on the finish.) The grain influence is less prominent (as might be expected), but it is replaced by some nicely dovetailed oak sugars and spices, and forward fruit. It’s gentle on the nose and palate, with creamy vanilla, caramel custard, apricot, nectarine, glazed citrus, cherry pie, and graham cracker, spiked with subtle mint, clove, and cinnamon. Smooth, soothing finish…therapeutic even. If you like your bourbons bold, stimulating, and challenging, then this one isn’t for you. But if you want bourbon to comfort you like a warm blanket in cold weather, then give this a try.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2010)

Very creamy and gently sweet with a slightly oily texture. Notes of vanilla, toasted coconut, caramel, tropical fruit, honey-glazed almond, cocoa, and dusty corn. Well-balanced and soothing. A very easy-drinking whiskey. (Reviewer’s note: these are single barrel bottlings, and they will vary from one barrel to the next.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2008)

A batch of OESO 12 year old, OBSV 12 year old, and OESK 16 year old. Normally, Four Roses expresses a near-patented cinnamon note up front with fruity undertones. Not this time. Earth, oak, powerfully rich caramel, nutmeg, vanilla, barrel char, with slight hints of grain, corn syrup, and cardamom. Finally, the quintessential cinnamon shows over a slightly disappointing medium finish.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Winter 2016)

A soft, delicate bourbon -- especially when compared to its single barrel siblings here. Subtle notes of candied fruit and creamy sweet notes (vanilla, coconut, light toffee, and caramel corn) are nicely interwoven. Some integrated, gently-dried spice dances throughout and lingers on the finish. An easy-to-embrace bourbon with nice balance.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2007)