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Four Roses Small Batch Select vs Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon
Four Roses Small Batch Select and Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a new-wave, wheat-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch Select | Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley | 70% corn, 5% rye, 25% wheat |
| Age | 6 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) +14 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$55 – $65 | ~$45 – $55 ~$10 less |
- 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.
Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon
Didn't care for this one.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch Select Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 8/4 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10, Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 4 out of 10
spice 7/4 spice: Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 out of 10, Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 4 out of 10
oak 6/4 oak: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 4 out of 10
heat 6/5 heat: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch Select 3 out of 10, Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 2 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10, Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- 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.
- Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon: An organic, wheat-heavy bourbon from a Michigan craft distillery. It stays round and caramel sweet on the palate with a peppery edge, while the nose is quiet and still a little young.
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 with more proof behind it.
- Go with Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon if you want an organic, Midwest craft wheater with a round, caramel-forward body at a slightly lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select); rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon).