Review #747 - Four Roses 9 Year OESO Single Barrel Barrel Strength - Hazel's Beverage World Pick
The OESO recipe from Four Roses uses the 'low rye' bourbon mashbill of 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley, along with the 'O' yeast strain, which is said to contribute rich fruit flavors to this whisky. Overall, Four Roses describes this recipe as "Fruity (Red Berries), Medium Body" - we think those sweeter fruit notes could pair well with the stronger oak flavor we generally find in these single barrel, barrel strength version of Four Roses bourbon.
This specific single barrel selection was done by Hazel's Beverage World, a Colorado-based spirits retailer. It was aged for a total of 9 years and 9 months on tier 3 of the Four Roses warehouse system; the strength sits a 57.9% ABV (115.8 proof), which is in the middle of the range for these SBBS picks.
Four Roses 9 Year OESO Single Barrel Barrel Strength - Hazel's Beverage World Pick
USA - Bourbon
Price: USD 90 (2025)
Age Statement: 9 Years
Strength: 57.9% ABV
Details: OESO recipe, warehouse PN, barrel 52-3C
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 2 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Blackberries dusted with powdered sugar, cherry cough syrup, plums - strong dark fruits, especially berries. Dark cocktail cherries, subtle tobacco, and some dusty leather follow that; the complexion is dark overall. Time brings lighter sweet scents of vanilla cake, bruleed sugar, maybe brown sugar; we also get hints of orange peel.
Palate: Some oak spice to start - peppery oak, subtle tobacco, some tannins. Then dark fruits like plum, blackcurrant, and dark cherry build up again, bringing plenty of sweetness. Leather, strawberry, and fruit jams mingle; it's a medium-thick mouthfeel.
Finish: Oak builds again into the finish, bringing tannins and leather. Lots of vanilla, some syrupy blackberry juice, some hay and simple syrup; nice balance between sweet and drying flavors, and this finish is medium-long and warming.
Final Note: Another great bourbon from the Four Roses Single Barrel Barrel Strength series. This single barrel really showcases those strong red fruit flavors that 'O' yeast recipes are known for, but there's plenty of oak to add a balancing dry element as well. It isn't the most complex single barrel, but the flavors are so tasty, we like this quite a bit, and we'd take it over a lot of other bourbons at the same price point.
Value is good, like most of the other single barrel versions of Four Roses. There aren't too many brands of bourbon that can deliver barrel strength bourbons around 10 years old that have flavor as varied and interesting as this; we would highly recommend picking one of these up, either the OESO recipe or one of the others.
Our Rating: 7.9 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.99
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other Four Roses reviews:
Review #730 - Four Roses 10 Year OESQ Single Barrel Barrel Strength - Kentucky Distillers Pick
Review #690 - Four Roses 10 Year OESK Single Barrel Barrel Strength - Total Wine Pick
Review #660 - Four Roses Small Batch Select
Review #656 - Four Roses 11 Year OBSF Single Barrel Barrel Strength - Binny's Pick
Review #439 - Four Roses 10 Year OESV Single Barrel Barrel Strength - Bottle Republic Pick
Review #371 - Four Roses 9 Year OESK Single Barrel Barrel Strength - Wiseguy Lounge Pick
Review #268 - Four Roses 11 Year OESK Single Barrel Barrel Strength
Review #267 - Four Roses 10 Year OESV Single Barrel Barrel Strength
