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Four Roses Single Barrel vs Ancient Age
Put Four Roses Single Barrel next to Ancient Age and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Single Barrel | Ancient Age |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 15% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +20 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$14 – $18 ~$34 less |
- Ancient Age 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 Single Barrel
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Ancient Age
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Single Barrel Ancient Age
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/4 spice: Four Roses Single Barrel 8 out of 10, Ancient Age 4 out of 10
heat 6/2 heat: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Ancient Age 2 out of 10
oak 6/3 oak: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Ancient Age 3 out of 10
fruit 7/4 fruit: Four Roses Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Ancient Age 4 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Ancient Age 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Four Roses Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Ancient Age 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Four Roses Single Barrel: The OBSV recipe on its own at 100 proof — the highest-rye mash Four Roses uses, paired with their most floral yeast. Cherry and clove in equal measure, and a genuinely distinctive glass.
- Ancient Age: The bottom rung of the Buffalo Trace ladder and priced accordingly. Thin and simple at 80 proof, but it is recognisably the Mash Bill #2 recipe and it does its job in a highball without complaint.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Four Roses Single Barrel if you want the most expressive, spice-and-fruit-forward single recipe in the Four Roses range with more proof behind it.
- Go with Ancient Age if you want the cheapest honest mixer in the lineup and you are not drinking it neat.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Four Roses Single Barrel); cocktails, highball (Ancient Age).