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Four Roses Small Batch Select Is the Newest Permanent Expression

By Sam Slaughter Published April 21, 2021

For the first time in more than 12 years, Four Roses is adding a new permanent expression to its line in the form of Small Batch Select, making the total of four permanent expressions.

Small Batch Select is a blend of six of Four Roses’ 10 recipes, non-chill filtered, and bottled at 104 proof, making the highest-proof permanent release from the brand, edging out Four Roses Single Barrel by 4 proof points. The bourbons used in the final product are, according to master distiller Brent Elliott, a mix of six- and seven-year-old spirits. The brand has yet to release which recipes are used in the final product. When it launches this spring, it will be available in Kentucky, New York, California, Texas, and Georgia; the distillery has plans to expands to other states after the initial launch.

Four Roses Small Batch Select — Image used with permission by copyright holder

“We wanted to add something to our lineup that brings that pure experience you get with a non-chill filtered bourbon, while also showcasing some of our recipes and flavors that aren’t as forward facing in our other existing bottles,” Elliott said in a statement.

Nose: Raspberries, clove, and nutmeg
Palate: Apricot, ripe berries, vanilla, and light oak
Finish: Cinnamon and spearmint

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According to the brand, Four Roses Small Batch Select will have a nose of raspberries, clove, and nutmeg and a palate that will feature flavors of apricot, ripe berries, vanilla, and light oak. You’ll be able to find cinnamon and spearmint on the finish.

Elliott called this new released the “biggest addition” to Four Roses in its history (he became master distiller in 2015).

“Small Batch Select certainly can be one of your special occasion bourbons, but we want it to be more accessible so you don’t hesitate to open up that bottle and enjoy it any time,” he added.

“Small Batch Select certainly can be one of your special occasion bourbons, but we want it to be more accessible.”

Outside of the states that it is being released in, there haven’t been many other details released about Small Batch Select. The price, for example, we can assume will be around or above that of Four Roses Single Barrel (which sells for upwards of $40, depending on where you are). The actual release date is also up in the air.

If any of Elliott’s previous special edition releases are used to gauge to quality of what we’re about to get our hands on, then there are many things to look forward to in Four Roses Small Batch Select (especially when you consider Elliott himself considers this the biggest addition to the lineup since he came on board.

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