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Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond vs Four Roses Small Batch Select
Comparing Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond and Four Roses Small Batch Select is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$45 – $50 vs. ~$55 – $65).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond | Four Roses Small Batch Select |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | 6 years | 6 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 104 proof (52% ABV) +4 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $50 ~$13 less | ~$55 – $65 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Four Roses Small Batch Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond Four Roses Small Batch Select
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/7 spice: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 8 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 out of 10
oak 5/6 oak: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
fruit 7/8 fruit: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10
heat 5/6 heat: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 2 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land close together on every flavor axis — the differences are in texture and proof more than character.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond: Bardstown's own high-rye recipe, distilled on site rather than sourced. More than a third rye gives it a bright, minty, fruit-and-pepper profile over caramel and light oak.
- Four Roses Small Batch Select: Six recipes, non-chill-filtered, at 104 proof, and the most complete thing Four Roses makes at a normal price. The house fruit character with enough proof and texture to carry it.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond if you want a spicy, fruit-forward high-rye bourbon with the guarantees of a bonded label at a lower price point.
- Go with Four Roses Small Batch Select if you want the fullest expression of the Four Roses fruit-forward style without chasing an allocated bottle.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond); neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select).