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Four Roses Bourbon vs Booker’s
Four Roses Bourbon and Booker’s sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Bourbon | Booker’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 7 years |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +45 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$22 – $28 ~$73 less | ~$85 – $110 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Booker’s does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Four Roses Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Bourbon Booker’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 2/10 heat: Four Roses Bourbon 2 out of 10, Booker’s 10 out of 10
oak 3/8 oak: Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
nuttiness 3/8 nuttiness: Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
spice 5/7 spice: Four Roses Bourbon 5 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
fruit 6/4 fruit: Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10, Booker’s 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- Four Roses Bourbon: The yellow label entry point, blending all ten Four Roses recipes at a gentle 80 proof. Light and fruity to a fault, but the house floral character is already recognisable and it mixes beautifully.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Four Roses Bourbon if you want the Four Roses fruit-and-floral signature at its lightest and cheapest without hunting for it.
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table with significantly more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball, rocks (Four Roses Bourbon); neat (Booker’s).