🥃 Four Roses Single Barrel
Four Roses line from one selected barrel, recipe OBSV; 7 to 9 years; 50% ABV (100 proof).
Four Roses Single Barrel is a Kentucky bourbon line in which every bottle comes from one barrel. According to the producer's page, the master distiller selects the barrel; the recipe is OBSV, the age is seven to nine years, and the strength is 50% ABV (100 proof). It is the oldest of the main Four Roses lines.
In the code OBSV, the letter B means a mash bill with a higher share of rye, and V is a yeast strain; the producer describes this combination as delicate fruit and rye. The bourbon matures in new charred oak barrels. According to the description, the aroma is dry spices, pear, cocoa, vanilla and maple syrup; the taste is ripe plum and cherry; the finish is soft and delicately long. In 2024 the line was named best single barrel at the World Whiskies Awards.
Why this matters to you. Because each barrel differs slightly, the taste of different bottles may not match. Compare it with Small Batch, where differences between barrels are smoothed out by blending. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | 27 CFR § 5.143 (USA), bourbon standard |
|---|---|
| Raw material | corn, rye, malted barley (mash bill B) |
| Distillation method | one recipe OBSV: mash bill B, yeast V; one barrel |
| Cask type | new charred oak barrels, one selected barrel per bottle |
| Minimum maturation | 7 to 9 years according to the producer |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 50% ABV (100 proof) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Four Roses Single Barrel → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel
- Made from
- 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Four Roses, 🥃 Bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Straight bourbon whiskey
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Woodford Reserve, 🥃 Bulleit, 🥃 Blanton's, 🥃 Blanton's Original Single Barrel, 🥃 Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Single Barrel is made from one recipe?
Yes. The producer's page names it recipe OBSV: mash bill B and yeast V.
Why can bottles of Single Barrel differ?
Each comes from a single barrel selected by the master distiller, so blending does not even out the differences.
What are the strength and age of Single Barrel?
100 proof, which is 50% ABV; aged seven to nine years.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🥃 Woodford Reserve — A Kentucky bourbon from a historic distillery in Versailles, Kentucky; the site has operated since 1812; the main version is 45.2% ABV; owned by Brown-Forman.
- 🥃 Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel — The oldest permanent Elijah Craig version: a Kentucky bourbon from a single barrel aged 18 years; 45% ABV (90 proof); first released in 1994.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Four Roses Bourbon · 🥃 Four Roses Small Batch · 🥃 Four Roses Small Batch Select · 🥃 Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon · 🥃 Blanton's Gold Edition · 🥃 Blanton's Special Reserve
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Four Roses Bourbon: product page, Single Barrel OBSV (100 proof, 7-9 years, hand-selected single barrel, tasting notes)
- Four Roses Bourbon: Our Process (two mash bills B and E, five yeast strains, ten recipes; product table with proof and age)
- 27 CFR § 5.143 (US): whisky standards of identity: bourbon (min. 51 % corn, new charred oak, bottled min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)