Four Roses Distillery, situated at Kentucky USA, established at 1910. Bought at 1943 by Seagram, Canadian company, who decided to focus to European and Japan markets with Four Roses. So it was not available at USA during 50 years. 2002 Japanese Kirin Brewery bought it from Seagram and increased the production so much, that it could be sold on USA again.

Sour mash have corn, rye and barley. Distilled twice, first column still, then pot still and diluted to 60% before maturation.
Purchase price for 70cl bottle 11.99€ (Maxima/Lithuania)

Aroma is light and do not promise so much. Taste luckily offer much more, it´s light honeyed, fruity on the beginning. Then comes spiciness from rye, at least cinnamon is easily recognizable. Burn is quite strong compared to sweetern bourbons, aftertaste is fruity and spicy and at least medium long.
Four Roses offers lots more than other basic bourbons like Jim Beam, spiciness and fruitynes are well on balance and there are plenty of nuanses to explore. Anyway it is quite young, couple more years in barrell could trim the burn a bit and bring a bit caramel sweetness which it would need. Good, versatile basic-bourbon, taste goes soften what more emptier the bottle goes due to oxidation. It’s good bourbon for cocktails.

79.5/100