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Four Roses 135th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch 2023 spirit image
93Excellent

Four Roses 135th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch 2023

Bourbon Four Roses
  • Distiller

    Four Roses

  • Bottler

    Four Roses

  • ABV

    54%

  • Age

    NAS

  • Price $200+

Distilled by Four Roses and a blend of four different recipes/ages, this is the 2023 Limited Edition small batch release from Four Roses. This behemoth combines 12-year-old OESV (35%), 14-year-old OESK (40%), 16-year-old OESV (20%) and finally, an unprecedented 25-year-old OBSV (5%). Bottled at 56% ABV, this will be available this fall to bourbon enthusiasts at an MSRP of $199.99. Let's dive in.

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Aggregated Reviews
  • Raided Score: 92
  • The Whiskey Reviewer
  • By Richard Thomas
  • I didn’t come away thinking this particular Four Roses Small Batch LE had oodles of wow factor, but it brought together its various elements into a well-balanced, well-developed package, and showcases what middle aged Four Roses recipes are all about very well
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 85
  • Amongst The Whiskey
  • By Nick Anderson
  • A rather austere hyper-aged blend, surprising for what is normally an exceptional release.
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 95
  • The Daily Pour
  • By T8ke
  • This is a blending masterpiece by Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot.
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 95
  • Breaking Bourbon
  • By Nick Beiter
  • 2023 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch showcases bourbon blending at its finest, proving the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts.
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 92
  • The Bourbon Finder
  • By John Henderson
  • This is really an impressive pour of bourbon, there’s no doubt about it. I really feel like the twenty five year bourbon component shows up in the 2023 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch bourbon, and it brings the lighter fruits and sweet layers together with a strong and sturdy oak structure.
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 95
  • The Whiskey Wash
  • By Suzanne Bayard
  • the final blend is a stellar sipping whiskey that would be a shame to mix with anything other than a dash of water, a good meal, and some friends.
  • Read Full Review
  • Raided Score: 96
  • VinePair
  • By David Thomas Tao
  • The 2023 Limited Edition has extraordinary depth and brightness of character working in close-to-flawless harmony.
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  • Raided Score: 92
  • Drinkhacker
  • By Christopher Null
  • This is a solid (if not wholly unique) expression from Four Roses, but what really interested me was how the different components fit into the blend.
  • Read Full Review

Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. Please see the FAQ for more.

House Review
  • Nose:

    First on the nose is big and bright fruits — oddly fruity and welcome all the same. I expected a blast of oak but instead was greeted with cream, honey, raspberries, strawberries, some blackberry and a waft of waffle cone, graham cracker and some toffee.

  • Taste:

    The palate is rich and well-layered. It's not a syrupy, jammy mouthfeel but full of fruit and honey — and the oak is starting to seep in. That 25-year component was bound to be found somewhere! I'm impressed at how easy this is to drink. It coats the palate nicely, full of sweet oak, caramels and creamy sweetness, full of strawberry and blackberry, ginger and more shortbread and waffle cone. Really decadent and nuanced, I'm impressed that the ages all play so well together here.

  • Finish:

    Moderate finish — perhaps the biggest surprise of the pour. Some years bring punchy bruisers that hang on for eons, but this fruit salad and crème brûlée symphony sits for a bit and then scurries off, leaving room for another sip. The fruit and oak continue to intertwine nicely, bringing pears, blackberry and a hint of cherry and orange before the finish wraps up.

  • Overall:

    This is a blending masterpiece by Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot. I'm impressed at how much is going on, how layered and nuanced and complex it is. This isn't a pour that knocks you over with brutal, raw flavor. There are certainly past releases in this series that have focused on being a

  • Score:

    95

  • Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.

  • By T8ke
  • Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources