A Drink With Four Roses Bourbon

We drink bourbon, and then talk about it.

After years of dealing with ownership and rights issues, Four Roses is back at the top of the bourbon world. We sat down with Four Roses‘ Master Distiller Jim Rutledge to taste and talk about three of their bourbons. Yeah, we have difficult jobs.

Four Roses Yellow Label


Jim Rutledge: This is a worldwide favorite, especially when creating mixed drinks with a sophisticated, contemporary flair. Hints of pear and apple compliment floral aromas and mix with a taste of honey and spice. Smooth and mellow with a unique, long and soft finish.

Maxim Editor Jesse:  Full disclosure, guys: I’m pretty much the furthest thing from a bourbon connoisseur you’re gonna find. But with no real bite to speak of, the yellow label goes down easy, and I could drink this stuff for hours. Or until my wife showed up carrying a frying pan.

Maxim Editor Rich: From start to finish, this is the smoothest bourbon ever. EVER. This stuff is smoother than Matthew McConaughey’s chest.

Maxim Editor Cory: This goes down dangerously easy. I could see myself drinking 10-20 of these without even noticing it.

Four Roses Single Barrel


Jim: A premium Single Barrel Bourbon with a taste you’ll want to savor again and again. Complex, full bodied and surprisingly smooth with a delicate long finish that’s unbelievably mellow. Contains hints of ripe plum and cherry tastes with fruity, spicy aromas including maple syrup and cocoa. Drink straight up or on the rocks.

Maxim Editor Rich: At 100 proof, this one packs a nice relaxing punch. Perfect for chasing a rough day at the office away. Or an easy one. Or a weekend.  

Maxim Editor Jesse: Wow, this one has some kick to it, but I guess that’s to be expected when you’re sipping something that’s 100 proof. I had to add some water, which didn’t affect the sweet finish at all. Yes, now I’m learning about finishes. I’ll be a bourbon pro in no time.

Maxim Editor Cory: This is cowboy bourbon. Someone get me a 10-gallon hat…and 10 gallons of this bourbon.

Four Roses Small Batch


Jim: Marrying, or mingling, multiple Bourbon flavors is an art in itself. Four original and limited Bourbons have been expertly selected by our Master Distiller at the peak of maturation to create a perfectly balanced small batch Bourbon that rewards you with a mellow symphony of rich, spicy flavors along with sweet, fruity aromas and hints of sweet oak and caramel. Finishes soft, smooth and pleasantly long. Best enjoyed straight up, on the rocks, or with a splash.

Maxim Editor Jesse: I can definitely pick up on the dessert hints, specifically the caramel and vanilla. They’re not overpowering, even though I now have the urge to turn Candyland into a drinking game.

Maxim Editor Rich: OK, so this beautiful blend is a thousand times better than mine, but this is nothing new to me. I’ve been mixing four different bourbons together for years. Sometimes six.

Maxim Editor Cory: This tasting isn’t over, is it? I need to go back over each one to make sure my notes are correct. Please?