Overview
Four Roses Bourbon is the flagship Kentucky straight bourbon brand produced by Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The brand is known for its distinctive production system, which combines two mash bills with five proprietary yeast strains to create ten unique bourbon recipes.
That ten-recipe approach makes Four Roses one of the most educational bourbon brands for enthusiasts. It gives the distillery flexibility to create approachable core bourbon, richer small batch releases, single barrel expressions, private selections, and annual limited editions while still maintaining a recognizable house style.
Brand History
Four Roses has roots in the late nineteenth century and became one of the most recognizable American bourbon names. The brand experienced major shifts in market focus during the twentieth century before returning to prominence in the United States as a respected Kentucky straight bourbon brand.
Today, Four Roses is strongly associated with Lawrenceburg distilling, Cox’s Creek warehousing and bottling, Master Distiller Brent Elliott, and the brand’s recipe-driven approach to blending and barrel selection.
Who Owns the Brand?
Four Roses is owned by Kirin Brewery Company, part of Kirin Holdings.
Producing Distillery
Four Roses Bourbon is produced at Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, with warehousing and bottling operations associated with Cox’s Creek, Kentucky.
Core Products
Core products include Four Roses Bourbon, Four Roses Small Batch, Four Roses Single Barrel, and Four Roses Small Batch Select. The broader brand family also includes Limited Edition Small Batch, Single Barrel Private Selection, and newer premium limited releases.
Limited Releases
Limited releases include Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, Single Barrel Private Selection bottlings, annual special releases, and the Anthology series. Release details vary by year, recipe, age, proof, and availability.
Mash Bill and Production Notes
Four Roses publicly describes its system as two mash bills combined with five proprietary yeast strains, creating ten distinct bourbon recipes. Each expression uses different recipes or blends of recipes, so bottle-level pages should verify recipe codes, age, proof, and blend details by product.
Availability
Four Roses Bourbon is widely available in many markets. Small Batch, Single Barrel, and Small Batch Select are also broadly distributed, while Limited Edition, Private Selection, and Anthology releases are more limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes Four Roses Bourbon?
Four Roses Bourbon is made by Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.
Who owns Four Roses?
Four Roses is owned by Kirin Brewery Company, part of Kirin Holdings.
What makes Four Roses different?
Four Roses uses two mash bills and five proprietary yeast strains to create ten bourbon recipes.
What is the flagship Four Roses bottle?
Four Roses Bourbon, sometimes called Yellow Label in older consumer shorthand, is the flagship core expression.