Bourbon of the Year Contender? Four Roses’ 2026 Limited Edition Small Batch Is Its Best in Years

(Photo: Four Roses)

On Tuesday, Four Roses unveiled one of its most anticipated annual releases, and it might just be the strongest entry the series has seen in years.

The Lawrenceburg, Kentucky distillery announced its 2026 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon, the 19th installment of the yearly release, arriving Oct. 10 at a suggested retail price of $249. Roughly 16,800 bottles will hit select retailers nationwide and the Four Roses Distillery Visitor Centers.

Bottled non-chill filtered at barrel strength — 109.2 proof (54.6% ABV) — the 2026 release blends four hand-selected batches ranging from 14 to 23 years old, drawn from three of Four Roses’ 10 proprietary bourbon recipes: a 14-year-old OBSK, a 14-year-old OESK, a 15-year-old OESV and a 23-year-old OESK.

The blend leans heavily on the two 14-year-old batches, at roughly 39% OESK and 31% OBSK, with the 15-year-old OESV making up about 20%. The 23-year-old OESK, the oldest and rarest component, rounds out the blend at just under 10%.

That proportion moved during blending. Master Distiller Brent Elliott told media in a virtual tasting Monday that he had originally targeted around 8% for the 23-year-old OESK, but the final blend landed between 9% and 10%, adding a bit more age than expected.

“This has been an incredibly exciting year for Four Roses as we’ve explored new frontiers and introduced releases unlike anything we’ve done before,” Elliott said in a release. “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.”

Review: Is This Four Roses’ Best Limited Edition Small Batch Yet?

We tasted an early pour of the 2026 Limited Edition Small Batch, and in our opinion, it’s a serious contender for bourbon of the year. Expect big vanilla and stone fruit on the nose, a mouthfeel that gains viscosity the longer you chew on it, and a long, oaky finish that keeps revealing new layers.

Full tasting notes and our score for Four Roses 2026 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon are available in our complete review.