Credit: Lost Cargo
Four Roses Bourbon (commonly referred to as “Four Roses Yellow Label”) is a flagship bourbon offering from the Four Roses distillery. It is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey with an alcohol content of 80 proof (40% ABV) and is aged for a minimum of five years.
Four Roses Bourbon is typically a blend of each of the distillery’s ten recipes: it includes each combination of the two mashbills and five yeast strains that Four Roses produces.
Recipes
Four Roses distillery employs a unique approach to bourbon production, utilizing two mash bills and five yeast strains to create a total of ten distinct bourbon recipes. These ten recipes are typically blended together to produce Four Roses Bourbon, although there are instances where not all ten recipes are used in each batch1Breaking Bourbon.
Among the yeast strains used, the Q yeast strain stands out for its floral aromas. The two “Q” recipes, OESQ and OBSQ, are categorized as “flavoring recipes.” These recipes contribute 1.5% to 3.5% to the overall production and blend of Four Roses’ Yellow Label bourbon. However, when the desired flavor profile has already been achieved or supplies are limited, the distillery may choose to exclude one or both of these additional flavoring recipes from the blend. As a result, the Yellow Label blend typically includes a selection of eight to ten Four Roses recipes, depending on the specific batch.
