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Four Roses Single Barrel vs Four Roses Small Batch
On paper Four Roses Single Barrel and Four Roses Small Batch are near neighbours — both high-rye bourbons — so proof (100 vs. 90) is what actually decides it.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Single Barrel | Four Roses Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$32 – $38 ~$15 less |
- 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.
Four Roses Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Single Barrel Four Roses Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/6 spice: Four Roses Single Barrel 8 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10
heat 6/4 heat: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 4 out of 10
oak 6/5 oak: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Four Roses Single Barrel 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10
fruit 7/7 fruit: Four Roses Single Barrel 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Four Roses Single Barrel 3 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch 3 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.
- Four Roses Small Batch: Four Roses' yeast strains push this toward fruit and florals rather than wood. Red berry and cinnamon over a light body, with the rye showing up as brightness instead of bite.
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 Four Roses Small Batch if you want a fruit-and-floral profile that stands apart from the usual caramel-and-oak template at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Four Roses Single Barrel); neat, rocks, cocktails (Four Roses Small Batch).