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Rowan's Creek vs Four Roses Bourbon
Rowan's Creek and Four Roses Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Rowan's Creek | Four Roses Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100.1 proof (50.0% ABV) +20 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$40 – $50 | ~$22 – $28 ~$20 less |
- Rowan's Creek 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
Rowan's Creek
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Four Roses Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Rowan's Creek Four Roses Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 5/2 heat: Rowan's Creek 5 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 2 out of 10
spice 7/5 spice: Rowan's Creek 7 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 5 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Rowan's Creek 4 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10
oak 4/3 oak: Rowan's Creek 4 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Rowan's Creek 2 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/6 sweetness: Rowan's Creek 6 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- 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.
- Four Roses Bourbon: The yellow label entry point, blending all ten Four Roses recipes at a gentle 80 proof. Light and fruity to a fault, but the house floral character is already recognisable and it mixes beautifully.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Rowan's Creek if you want an herbal, minty, rye-forward Willett bottling with more proof behind it.
- Go with Four Roses Bourbon if you want the Four Roses fruit-and-floral signature at its lightest and cheapest.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Rowan's Creek); cocktails, highball, rocks (Four Roses Bourbon).