Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition releases are the kind of bottles that make bourbon lovers lose sleep. The 2020 edition, bottled at a hefty 55.7% ABV, is one of those annual drops that carries serious weight — both in proof and in reputation. I've been fortunate enough to sit with this one properly, and it deserves a considered conversation.
For those unfamiliar with how Four Roses operates, their limited edition small batch releases are typically a blend of several of their ten distinct bourbon recipes. Each recipe combines one of two mashbills with one of five proprietary yeast strains, giving the distillery a remarkable palette to work with. The annual limited editions represent the best barrels the master distiller has selected that year, and the 2020 bottling is no exception. At 55.7%, it's barrel strength — no water added, no apologies made.
What to Expect
This is a bourbon that rewards patience. At this proof, you're getting the full uncut experience, and I'd strongly recommend letting it breathe in the glass for a good ten minutes before your first sip. The higher entry proof means more extraction from the barrel during maturation, which typically translates to richer caramel character, deeper spice, and a longer, more warming finish than you'd find in the standard Small Batch expression.
What strikes me about the 2020 edition is how composed it is despite that ABV. There's a confidence to it — the alcohol doesn't bully the flavour. That's the mark of well-selected barrels and careful blending. The heat is present but integrated, the kind that sits comfortably in your chest rather than burning your throat.
The Verdict
At £350, this isn't an everyday pour. Let's be honest about that. But within the world of limited edition American whiskey, it's actually reasonable compared to the secondary market madness that surrounds allocated bourbons these days. What you're paying for is craft at its peak — a distillery with a unique multi-recipe system putting its best foot forward once a year.
I'm giving this an 8.1 out of 10. It's genuinely excellent bourbon that demonstrates why Four Roses' approach to recipe blending produces some of the most interesting whiskey in Kentucky. The proof is dialled in, the complexity is there, and it drinks with a maturity that justifies the price tag. It loses a fraction because at this price point, I want to be completely floored, and while this is outstanding, it sits just short of transcendent. Still, if you find a bottle, you won't regret buying it.
Best Served
Pour this neat in a Glencairn, give it time, and sip it slowly after dinner. If you want to open it up, a few drops of water will soften the proof beautifully and let some of the subtler notes breathe. For the cocktail-inclined — and I say this as someone who spent six years behind a bar — this makes an absolutely stunning Old Fashioned. A sugar cube, two dashes of Angostura, an orange peel expressed over the top. The barrel strength means it holds its own against the sweetener without losing definition. It's one of those rare bottles that's worth drinking both ways.
