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Kentucky Owl Batch 12 vs Four Roses Small Batch Select
Kentucky Owl Batch 12 and Four Roses Small Batch Select sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an undiluted barrel-strength pour versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Kentucky Owl Batch 12 | Four Roses Small Batch Select |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 6 years |
| Proof | 115.8 proof (57.9% ABV) +12 proof | 104 proof (52% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$300 – $400 | ~$55 – $65 ~$290 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Kentucky Owl Batch 12 does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Kentucky Owl Batch 12
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Four Roses Small Batch Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Kentucky Owl Batch 12 Four Roses Small Batch Select
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 4/8 fruit: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 4 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 8 out of 10
oak 8/6 oak: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 8 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
heat 7/6 heat: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 6 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 6 out of 10
spice 7/7 spice: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 7 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Kentucky Owl Batch 12 3 out of 10, Four Roses Small Batch Select 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- Kentucky Owl Batch 12: A high-end blend of young and older sourced Kentucky bourbons. Leather, smoky oak and caramel, with a peppery, spice-forward palate.
- 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.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Kentucky Owl Batch 12 if you want a spicy, leathery, high-end blended bourbon with more proof behind it.
- 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.
Best enjoyed neat (Kentucky Owl Batch 12); neat, rocks (Four Roses Small Batch Select).