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Four Roses Small Batch vs Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Four Roses Small Batch and Old Grand-Dad Bonded are cut from similar cloth: two takes on high-rye bourbons, where the real difference is proof (90 vs. 100).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch | Old Grand-Dad Bonded |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley | 63% corn, 27% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$32 – $38 | ~$24 – $30 ~$8 less |
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded 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
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch Old Grand-Dad Bonded
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 7/4 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch 7 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 4 out of 10
spice 6/8 spice: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 8 out of 10
heat 4/6 heat: Four Roses Small Batch 4 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch 3 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/5 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
oak 5/5 oak: Four Roses Small Batch 5 out of 10, Old Grand-Dad Bonded 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- 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.
- Old Grand-Dad Bonded: A bonded 100-proof high-rye bourbon for the price of a mixer, and one of the great bargains on the shelf. Cleaner and less overwhelming than the 114 while keeping the peppery rye backbone.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Four Roses Small Batch if you want a fruit-and-floral profile that stands apart from the usual caramel-and-oak template.
- Go with Old Grand-Dad Bonded if you want a bonded, high-rye workhorse at mixer money with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails (Four Roses Small Batch); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Old Grand-Dad Bonded).