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Four Roses Small Batch vs Rowan's Creek
Put Four Roses Small Batch next to Rowan's Creek and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against a classic, corn-forward stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Small Batch | Rowan's Creek |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100.1 proof (50.0% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$32 – $38 ~$10 less | ~$40 – $50 |
- Rowan's Creek 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.
Rowan's Creek
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Small Batch Rowan's Creek
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 7/4 fruit: Four Roses Small Batch 7 out of 10, Rowan's Creek 4 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, Rowan's Creek 7 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: Four Roses Small Batch 5 out of 10, Rowan's Creek 4 out of 10
heat 4/5 heat: Four Roses Small Batch 4 out of 10, Rowan's Creek 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: Four Roses Small Batch 3 out of 10, Rowan's Creek 2 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Four Roses Small Batch 6 out of 10, Rowan's Creek 6 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.
- Rowan's Creek: A small-batch Willett bottling that tastes rye-forward and herbal. Honey and caramel sit under mint, hay and warm spice, with a peppermint lift on the finish.
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 at a slightly lower price point.
- Go with Rowan's Creek if you want an herbal, minty, rye-forward Willett bottling with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, cocktails (Four Roses Small Batch); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Rowan's Creek).