Country: United States
Region: Kentucky
ABV: 40%
LCBO Price: $28.85
The legend of Four Roses bourbon, according to the distillery, is that "Paul Jones Jr., the founder of Four Roses Bourbon, became smitten by a beautiful Southern belle. He sent a proposal to her, and she replied that if her answer were "Yes", she would wear a corsage of roses on her gown to the upcoming grand ball. When she showed up at the night of the ball in her beautiful gown, she wore a corsage of four red roses. He later named his Bourbon "Four Roses" as a symbol of devout passion for the lovely belle".
Quaint legends aside, Four Roses has gained a reputation as a fine entry level bourbon. It is the most popular bourbon in Japan, and remains a favourite in many countries across the globe.
On the nose, poured into a Glencairn glass, this bourbon exhibited many qualities normally found in more expensive whiskies. It has a toasty, almost malty note which I normally associate with single malts and Anejo tequila's. When I say toasty, I mean toasted oat. The note, on both the nose and the taste, is similar to that of Cheerio's breakfast cereal, and not in a negative way. There is also oak, honey, and what I would describe as a "tropical" fruit profile. There is ripe banana, kiwi, mango and cantaloupe/honeydew melon, along with some Bartlett's pear on the non-tropical side.
To taste, without water, the body is light and ever so slightly oily, with waves of toasty oats, honeydew and cantaloupe, a nice amount of oak, ripe banana, mango, kiwi, and hints of red fruits (cherries, raspberries). The finish is especially long for a bourbon in this price range, with toasty notes, oak, raspberry and maple syrup. Once I noticed the raspberry note in this bourbon, it became more prominent. It's a creamy raspberry, along the lines of raspberry's and cream, or raspberry yogurt.
With water, the toasty note on the nose becomes leathery and peppery, with hints of dried cayenne and black pepper, and to taste, the spicy notes dominate, while the rest of the whisky becomes imbalanced and diluted. I would recommend enjoying this whisky without water, as the nose and the taste profile are both better without.
Overall, this is easily the best bourbon under $30 currently available at the LCBO. It out-performed both Jim Beam Black and Wild Turkey on both the taste and the nose. It also outclassed Jack Daniel's Old No.7 at nearly two dollars less the price. For it's value and quality, I give Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky 88/100, and highly recommend it as a go-to bourbon on a budget for those living in Ontario.
Rating: 88/100
