Four Roses uses two different mashbills and five different yeast strains to create ten different bourbon recipes. Their 100 proof Single Barrel Bourbon uses only one recipe, their standard Small Batch blends together four of the recipes, Small Batch Select blends together six of the recipes, and their standard Four Roses Bourbon uses all ten. Limited releases and private selections can vary from the standard products but generally maintain the same number of recipes as their standard counterpart.

‍‍This year’s release of Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch is the company’s 17th edition. According to Four Roses, they will distribute approximately 16,680 bottles of this year’s release.

The aroma finds a common middle ground between potency and ripe complexity. Layers of deep tobacco leaf, bright red fruit, and dark plum encompass it to satisfying effect. A touch of allspice, apricot, and golden raisin are also entwined with aged oak creating a multi-layered aroma.  Like many of the past Four Roses Limited Small Batch editions, it’s able to balance high age against sweet fruit that few other distilleries can match.

The bourbon’s complexity continues into its palate as layers of flavorful red fruit spring forward. Taking a page from its aroma, red currant, raspberry, plum, and apricot carry over, but are offered in a shade darker and more robust state. This deep seated flavor profile grounds the bourbon and exerts a ton of confidence by those who helped blend it. Balancing its age both in its oak notes and fruity notes results in a very satisfying palate.

A steady rise of spice combined with aged oak produces flavorful results. Spicy cinnamon, allspice, and a touch of rye spice are nicely tempered against each other as the bourbon’s spice and heat levels rise as the sip concludes. With a touch of dryness and semi-sweet baking spice in tow, the finish further showcases the bourbon’s age and the impressive overall complexity it puts forth throughout its sip.

Four Roses sticks to a pretty straightforward playbook when it comes to their Limited Edition Small Batch releases. This is only to say that within the company's 10 different recipes, we know they will pick 4-5 of them of different ages to create their blend. Because the company keeps a very stripped-down product portfolio of just four core products, their Limited Edition Small Batch bourbon tends to be the most interesting release that the company puts out in any given year.

The previous few Limited Edition Small Batch releases introduced a surprisingly high aged bourbon component, like with last year’s release featuring a whopping 25 year old bourbon. Despite only making up 5% of its blend, this made for a sip that was heavily influenced by its high age component. Dropping down to a (still impressive) 20 year old bourbon for part of its blend works well in this edition’s favor. There aren't many companies that are able to effectively offer a high-age-tasting bourbon and marry it with strong fruit flavors typically found in much younger bourbons.

Every fall, we often note how the major Kentucky distilleries continually push the ceiling of prices for their limited releases. Gone are the days of $125 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch releases, as Four Roses raised the price of this release’s limited release another $20 over the previous year, pushing the price over the $200 threshold. Though many producers have been pricing their whiskeys over $200, it remains to be seen if the market will truly accept it. There’s something about this year’s Four Roses 2024 Limited Edition Small Batch’s $220 price tag that feels more exorbitant than usual. Thankfully, it's another great showing for the brand, and though it's the company's only luxury product, in today’s increasingly worrisome financial times, the continued price creep hurts.

There are few blended bourbons on the market that feature such a high aged component in their blends. Master distiller Brent Elliott gives off the sense he knows the Four Roses brand inside and out, and continually offers satisfying blends year after year. Of course it helps that Four Roses makes great bourbon where balance is paramount, and they are known for their bright red fruit notes, which many bourbon drinkers find appealing. But for this year’s release of Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, Elliott finds a perfect balance of age, bright fruit flavors, and complexity, which is no small feat. If you can stomach the ever-rising price of limited edition bourbons, then Four Roses 2024 Limited Edition Small Batch should leave you completely satisfied.