Four Roses Small Batch 2025 Limited Edition 750ML

Four Roses Small Batch 2025 Limited Edition 750ML is a barrel-strength Kentucky bourbon bottled at 54.5% ABV (109 proof) in a 750ml format. This annual release marries three 13-year-old bourbons with a single 19-year-old component, making it one of the oldest blends Four Roses has included in the Small Batch Limited Edition series. Production was restricted to just 16,854 bottles worldwide.
Quick Facts: ABV: 54.5% (109 Proof)  |  Origin: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA  |  Blend of 13- and 19-Year Bourbons  |  Distillery: Four Roses
Production & Heritage
Four Roses Distillery, founded in 1888 in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and now owned by Kirin Holdings, is renowned for its systematic approach to bourbon — employing two distinct mashbills and five proprietary yeast strains to produce ten unique recipes. The 2025 Limited Edition draws from four of those recipes: 38% OBSV (13-year), 35% OESV (13-year), 17% OBSK (13-year), and 10% OESV (19-year). Notably, three of the four components use the V yeast strain — Four Roses’ most widely employed yeast, prized for producing delicate fruit character. The B mashbill (60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley) and E mashbill (75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley) are both represented, and the final blend is bottled at barrel strength without chill filtration.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: Sweet berries and ripe stone fruit emerge first, followed by layers of vanilla buttercream and baking spice — cinnamon, clove, and a whisper of anise. Beneath those, toasted oak provides a grounding warmth that signals the long aging at work.
Taste: The entry is lush with dark cherry and dehydrated blueberry, quickly joined by ripe strawberry and apricot jam at the mid-palate. As the bourbon opens up, golden syrup, sweet orange peel, and brown sugar cookies create a confectionery richness. The high-rye OBSK component asserts itself with a structured spice backbone that keeps the sweetness in check.
Finish: Long and layered, with rye spice and green peppercorn giving way to dry oak, worn leather, and a faint trace of tobacco. The fruit sweetness gradually fades, leaving a warm, spice-driven close that lingers well after each sip.
How to Drink Four Roses 2025 LE
This bourbon is best served neat in a Glencairn or tulip glass, where the barrel-strength intensity can be tempered with a few drops of water to unlock the full fruit and spice complexity. It also rewards patient sipping on a single large ice cube as the dilution reveals new dimensions over time.
Old Fashioned: The concentrated berry and baking spice profile stands up to sugar and bitters without losing its identity.
Manhattan: The 19-year oak depth and dark fruit notes pair seamlessly with sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters.
Boulevardier: The rye-forward spice and rich body hold their own against Campari’s bitterness while the fruit character harmonizes with the amaro.
Best For
Gifting a serious bourbon collector who tracks Four Roses annual releases
Side-by-side tastings comparing multiple Four Roses Limited Edition vintages
Celebratory pours marking milestones or special gatherings
Adding a cornerstone bottle to a curated bourbon library
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Four Roses 2025 LE taste like? The dominant profile centers on dark berries, stone fruit, and apricot jam layered over warm baking spice, vanilla, and oak. The finish is long and peppery with dry leather and tobacco undertones.
How does Four Roses 2025 LE compare to 2025 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon? Both are limited annual Kentucky bourbon releases, but the Four Roses 2025 LE features significantly older components — up to 19 years — and a more fruit-forward, multi-recipe blended character versus Birthday Bourbon’s single-barrel approach. At least one prominent reviewer specifically recommended choosing the Four Roses 2025 over the 2025 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon when given the choice.
Is Four Roses 2025 LE good for sipping neat? At 109 proof and non-chill filtered, this bourbon was designed for neat sipping, though a few drops of water help open the layered fruit and spice aromatics further.
Where is Four Roses 2025 LE made? It is distilled and bottled at the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, which has operated on the same site since 1888 along the banks of the Salt River.
What foods pair well with Four Roses 2025 LE? Dark chocolate truffles complement the berry and vanilla notes; smoked brisket mirrors the oak and leather finish; aged Gouda echoes the caramel sweetness; pecan pie amplifies the brown sugar and spice; and stone fruit tarts create a natural echo of the apricot and cherry core.
What sizes does Four Roses 2025 LE come in? The Four Roses Small Batch 2025 Limited Edition is released exclusively in 750ml bottles.
Is Four Roses 2025 LE worth the price? This expression positions firmly in the ultra-premium, collectible tier of annual bourbon releases, justified by the inclusion of a rare 19-year-old component, barrel-strength bottling, and a production run of fewer than 17,000 bottles worldwide.
Why Four Roses 2025 LE?
The inclusion of a 19-year-old OESV component is the headline here — bourbon aged that long in Kentucky’s climate is exceptionally rare, and it lends a depth of oak integration and dried fruit complexity that younger blends simply cannot replicate. Bourbon Culture placed it in their top-ten discussion, while Amongst the Whiskey ranked it second among all Four Roses Limited Edition releases over the past decade, behind only the celebrated 2019 edition. With just 16,854 bottles produced and a recipe architecture built almost entirely around the V yeast strain’s fruit-driven character, the 2025 release represents one of the more singular expressions in the program’s modern history. For collectors and enthusiasts who follow Four Roses’ annual cadence, this is a vintage that will be referenced for years.