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Four Roses Small Batch Select vs Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon
Four Roses Small Batch Select and Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch Select | Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 6 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) +4 proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $65 ~$33 less | ~$85 – $100 |
- Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 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 Small Batch Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch Select Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 8 out of 10
spice 7/5 spice: Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch Select 3 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 5 out of 10
oak 6/6 oak: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 6 out of 10
fruit 8/8 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10, Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon 8 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon: Finished in Oloroso sherry, Pedro Ximenez sherry and Cognac casks. The casks layer dried fruit, orange and dark chocolate over the bourbon and leave a long, clove-spiced finish.
Which One Should You Choose?
- 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 at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon if you want a sherry-and-Cognac-finished bourbon full of dried fruit and dark chocolate.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select); neat (Joseph Magnus Straight Bourbon).