Four Roses has announced the release of its 2026 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon next month — and this year’s batch reaches back further than any prior release, blending bourbons aged 14 to 23 years.
The new blend from the Lawrenceburg-based distillery combines four hand-selected batches across three of the distillery’s ten recipes: 14-year-old OBSK, 14-year-old OESK, 15-year-old OESV, and a 23-year-old OESK. It’s non-chill filtered and bottled at barrel strength, 109.2 proof.
Now in its 19th year, the annual release has become one of Four Roses’ most anticipated traditions. “Limited Edition Small Batch gives us a chance to return to a tradition we look forward to every year and celebrate the blending and craftsmanship at the heart of Four Roses,” said Brent Elliott, Four Roses Master Distiller.
The first Limited Edition under Four Roses’ new ownership
Four Roses spent 24 years under Japanese ownership via Kirin Holdings before Gallo, the California-based wine and spirits company, closed a $775 million acquisition of the brand back in April.
Elliott and the rest of the distilling team stayed in place, and the recipes haven’t changed, but this is the first annual Limited Edition Small Batch to come out under Gallo’s ownership, which makes it a low-key test case for how much the day-to-day actually shifts.
So far, the early signs point to continuity rather than disruption. Gallo’s first real move was pushing out a new 100-proof permanent expression earlier this year, not touching the more prestige-driven annual release.
Leaning on a 23-year-old barrel for this edition, older than anything Four Roses has put into a Limited Edition Small Batch before, feels more like existing leadership flexing what’s in its warehouses as opposed to a new corporate owner tightening the reins on one of the best high-proof bourbons it makes.
Whether that holds as Gallo settles in for the long haul is the real story to watch, but for now, this release looks like more of the good stuff, just with deeper barrels to pull from.
Where to buy it
The Four Roses 2026 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon arrives October 10, priced at $249, available at select retailers nationwide and at Four Roses’ Kentucky visitor centers while supplies last.
