Four Roses Yellow Label Background

Four Roses Yellow Label is the entry of the three regular Four Roses Bourbons. Second is Four Roses Small Batch and third is the Four Roses Single Barrel. Four Roses Yellow Label is an 80-proof Bourbon that a blending of their 10 straight Bourbon recipes. Four Roses Yellow Label is also younger than the other bottles, said to be about 6.5 years or so.

The wide array of recipes makes Four Roses unique, but also unique is how they age their Bourbon. They use single floor warehouses rather than multi-story buildings. Generally temperatures vary widely from floor to floor of a warehouse so by keeping all the barrels on the same floor should reduce variability from barrel to barrel. But, Bourbon being Bourbon, there are still a lot of variations between barrels regardless, so Four Roses utilized its 10 recipes to hone in on a consistent product.

While Four Roses Yellow Label is a lower 80-proof, it still packs surprising amount of flavor with its high rye recipes and unique yeast characteristics. I think it’s distinctly Four Roses, but the blending of many of their recipes makes it harder than the Small Batch to put your finger on individual characteristics from their private barrel selection.

Details

No Age Statement. Bottled at 80-proof. High rye mash. Paid $20.

Aroma

Fruity, charred oak. Carmel. Distinctly Four Roses. Minty. A little perfume. Red berries. Smells bright, fresh. Mild vanilla.

Flavor

Sweetness up front. Vanilla General fruitiness, caramel. Nice mild rye presence. Thin and finish quickly fades to a lingering residual char/roasted flavors.

Overall

With the lower proof, mild flavor, but still assertive rye character, I think Four Roses Yellow Label makes for a good cocktail mixer. Good flavor, but won’t over power. I’ve also made Bourbon Balls that turned out pretty nice along with some other stuff in the kitchen. Just drinking straight, Four Roses Yellow Label isn’t the most exciting dram. Lighter proof and younger than other Four Roses bottles, but still some great Bourbon for the price.

Recommendation

Buy a Again – 4.0/5.0 Rating

(My 5 point scale: Pass, Try a Glass, Buy a Bottle, Buy Again, Shut Up and Take My Money – Bottle price is taken into consideration for recommendations.) Buying Options and Further Research

Four Roses Yellow Label is a high rye Bourbon and other similar Bourbon that fit this price range could be Old Grand Dad BiB, Redemption Bourbon, and Bulleit Bourbon

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