Review #892 - Four Roses OBSO Recipe

This review is one of a ten part series: the Four Roses Ten Recipe Tasting Experience. It's possible to taste each of the ten Four Roses bourbon recipes by tracking down different variations of their Single Barrel Barrel Strength bourbon, but that would be quite time consuming and expensive; finally, in 2023, the distillery produced a kit that allowed fans to try all ten recipes with the same specifications (52% ABV, aged 8 to 10 years).

This OBSO bourbon recipe uses the high-rye 'B' mashbill of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley; it pairs that with the 'O' yeast strain, which is supposed to add rich fruit flavors to the bourbon.

Four Roses OBSO Recipe

USA - Bourbon

Price: USD 65 (2024)

Age Statement: ~8 years old

Strength: 52% ABV

Details: OBSO recipe, bottled 2023

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times (all 3 blind) over 4 months from a mini-bottle; tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes

Nose: Cherries and plums, some cola, a dark complexion in general. Oaky with wood spice, but it leans sweet overall

Palate: Cherry, lots of purple fruit like fig and raisins, cola, a bit syrupy, mature leathery oak in the background

Finish: Blackberries, cherries, wood smoke and tannins, a bit of nutmeg and cinnamon; raisins, some tobacco

Final Note: Dominated by red fruit, especially cherries, but we love that. Dark fruit, dark oak and tobacco, with just soft baking spice notes in the finish.

Do we agree with the Four Roses description the profile? Four Roses describes OBSO as "rich fruit & spice." Absolutely nailed it - so much red fruit and dark fruit, and that spice from the baking notes and oak (and tobacco) builds later in the palate and finish.

Our Rating: 7.8 / 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: 7.79

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.