Four Roses Yellow Label is the entry-level bourbon from a distillery that does great things higher up, and my Four Roses Yellow Label review is a little disappointed. It’s fine, and it’s a bit thin.
What is Four Roses Yellow Label?
Four Roses Distillery is in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and it’s owned by Kirin. The Yellow Label is a blend of all ten of the distillery’s bourbon recipes, bottled at 40% with no age statement, and aged in new charred American oak.
It’s meant to be an easy bourbon for everyone.
Four Roses Yellow Label tasting notes and first impressions
Light fruit, vanilla and a little spice on the nose, with some caramel and a hint of oak. It’s soft and a bit simple.
On the palate it’s smooth and gentle, with vanilla, mild spice, a bit of fruit and some caramel. The finish is short and soft. It’s pleasant, but it lacks the depth of the pricier bottles.
How to drink Four Roses Yellow Label
Mix it. It works in a Whiskey Sour or a Whiskey Ginger, and it’s fine over ice. Neat it’s a bit thin.
Four Roses Yellow Label price: is it worth it?
About £26 for 70 cl. That’s a fair price, though for a few pounds more the Small Batch is a much better bottle, and I’d spend the extra. Prices drift, so check the retailer link on this page for today’s Four Roses Yellow Label price before you buy.
If you like Four Roses Yellow Label, try these
Four Roses Small Batch is the clear step up, Buffalo Trace is a better-value rival, and Bulleit Bourbon has more spice.
Who should buy Four Roses Yellow Label?
People who want a light, easy bourbon for mixing at a moderate price.
Four Roses Yellow Label review verdict
A light, soft, mixable bourbon that’s fine but overshadowed by its siblings. The Small Batch is the one to buy. Caskable score: 69 out of 100.
Light fruit, vanilla and a little spice, with caramel and a hint of oak.
Smooth and gentle, with vanilla, mild spice, a bit of fruit and caramel.
Short and soft.
A light, soft, mixable bourbon that is overshadowed by its siblings.
Thomas Grønvold is the founder of Caskable and a whisky enthusiast who believes the best way to learn about whisky is simply to drink it, compare it, and stay curious. From supermarket favourites to bottles from distilleries around the world, he writes about what he actually tastes and experiences, without pretending you need to be an expert to enjoy a good dram.
View profile →
