Review #894 - Four Roses OBSF 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 OBSF bourbon recipe uses the high-rye 'B' mashbill of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley; it pairs that with the 'F' yeast strain, which is supposed to add herbal flavors to the bourbon.

Four Roses OBSF Recipe

USA - Bourbon

Price: USD 65 (2024)

Age Statement: ~8 years old

Strength: 52% ABV

Details: OBSF 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: Cherry cough medicine, blackberries, cherries, grape jam, cola, brown sugar, tobacco, a darker complexion

Palate: Oak and other wood notes, tart or sour cherry, plums, caramel, blood orange, and mint

Finish: Tart strawberry, stone fruit, oranges, vanilla, tannins, soft floral and herbal notes, barbecued wood

Final Note: Nice dark fruit notes, a darker complexion overall; hints of rye and spicy/smoky oak build over time.

Do we agree with the Four Roses description the profile? Four Roses describes OBSF as "delicate rye & mint." Wow, we go this one totally wrong. We found so much dark fruit influence in this bourbon, almost like the 'O' yeast strain recipes. There was some mint, which tracked with this recipe, but this one really surprised us.

Our Rating: 7.4 / 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: 7.30

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.