Review #898 - Four Roses OESQ 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 OESQ bourbon recipe uses the low-rye 'E' mashbill of 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley; it pairs that with the 'Q' yeast strain, which is supposed to add floral flavors to the bourbon.

Four Roses OESQ Recipe

USA - Bourbon

Price: USD 65 (2024)

Age Statement: ~8 years old

Strength: 52% ABV

Details: OESQ 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: Light fruits like grapefruit and orange, maybe stone fruit like peaches; cedar wood and linen combines with a floral scent

Palate: Lighter oak and leather, some baking notes such cinnamon and vanilla. Floral notes, followed by light fruits of banana and apple

Finish: Citrus, bruleed sugar, and cream soda mix with toasted oak, some cinnamon, and a soft herbal or floral side in the background

Final Note: A lighter recipe with some sweetness but also floral notes. Light fruits (citrus, stone fruits) mix with mild baking spices.

Do we agree with the Four Roses description the profile? Four Roses describes OESQ as "delicate grains & lightly floral." Unlike OBSQ, where we didn't find much of the floral essence, it was definitely on display here. Lots of floral notes, quite bright and light, and a little bit of bright fruit to pair with it.

Our Rating: 6.9 / 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: 6.80

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.