Review #896 - Four Roses OESK 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 OESK bourbon recipe uses the low-rye 'E' mashbill of 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley; it pairs that with the 'K' yeast strain, which is supposed to add slight spice flavors to the bourbon.

Four Roses OESK Recipe

USA - Bourbon

Price: USD 65 (2024)

Age Statement: ~8 years old

Strength: 52% ABV

Details: OESK 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: Vanilla and citrus, molasses, toasted oak, a slightly nutty, side, but a darker sugary complexion overall

Palate: Caramel and molasses, lots of brown sugar, toasted oak, burnt sugar or bruleed sugar, subtle orange fruit

Finish: Nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla - lots of baking notes. Pears, and sugary caramel build later

Final Note: Lots of toasted oak and sugary notes, both light and dark; some baking spice pairs with light citrus fruit and soft oak spice.

Do we agree with the Four Roses description the profile? Four Roses describes OESK as "baking spice & light oak." Yep, this tracks - lots of baking spices and sugary notes, as well as a bit of oak spice and lots of vanilla. We found a distinct toasted oak note in multiple tastings as well, which we enjoyed.

Our Rating: 7.2 / 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: 7.13

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.