Drumroll, please! Four Roses will release its annual limited edition bourbon in mid-September, and it’s filled with deliciously spicy, vanilla-forward flavors.
Starting Sept. 17, bourbon collectors will be able to get their hands on the rare bottling. This year’s expression features a blend of four of the distillery’s unique bourbons, ranging in age from 14- to 20-years-old, according to an Aug. 22 press release.
On the nose, the expression exudes notes of decadent brown sugar, dark cherries, and antique wood. Creamy vanilla and clove follow on the palate, with a smooth finish of cinnamon, ripe berries, and oak.
It sits at 54.5 percent ABV, a touch lower than Four Roses’ 2021 release, and is available in 750-milliliter bottles.
In comparison to last year’s release, the 2022 expression is richer in spice and oak flavors. The 2021 edition featured a floral bouquet on the nose, and plum and orange peel on the palate.
“From the beginning of crafting this year’s limited edition small batch bourbon, two particular batches stood out to me as potential candidates to go into the blend — a 14-year-old recipe batch that is remarkably smooth and rich on the palate, and a 20-year-old recipe batch that exhibits the best fruit barrel and spice qualities of extra aged bourbon,” master distiller Brent Elliott states in the release. “The test blends revolved around those two batches until we landed on a liquid with a perfect balance that is unique, layered, mellow, and elegant.”
Four Roses’ highly-anticipated yearly releases debuted in 2016, starting with a uniquely light bourbon featuring a sweet honey and apricot finish.
A little over 14,000 bottles will be sold across the United States in September, at a suggested price of $179.99. A select number of bottles will also be available at the Four Roses Distillery Visitor Center, where a lottery will decide which individuals can purchase the bourbon.
A blend of four bourbons from Four Roses? We’re all four it.
