Welcome to Taste Test, where every week our critic Jonah Flicker explores the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world. Check back each Sunday for his latest whiskey review.
It’s September, and that means that bourbon‘s greatest hits are starting to roll out once again in the form of the limited-edition annual releases that drop every fall. These whiskeys promise a lot based on their reputation, so when they don’t deliver it can be pretty disappointing to the whiskey world. But we have some good news—the new Four Roses 2026 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon not only delivers, but far surpasses expectations. In fact, it’s a contender for one of the best bourbons of the year, but—as usual—it might not be so easy to find a bottle.
Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch is different every year, so it’s helpful to provide the basic details about the latest release. It’s a blend of four of the distillery’s ten recipes (made from two mashbills and five different yeast strains): 14-year-old OBSK (31 percent), 14-year-old OESK (39 percent), 15-year-old OESV (20 percent), and 23-year-old OESK (10 percent). All of these component whiskeys are much older than regular Four Roses bourbon, which is usually aged between five and seven years, and the final blend was bottled at 109.2 proof. According to master distiller Brent Elliott, that minimal addition of the 23-year-old bourbon to the blend anchors deep oak flavors without it becoming the main focal point. “It’s not enough to overpower or shift the dynamic from the vibrant, interesting notes that you usually get with the younger bourbon,” he said during a recent media Zoom tasting. And I think he’s spot on here.
This is just a superb bourbon. Right out of the gate, a burst of sweet caramel hits you as you take a sip. That slowly evolves into spice, a fruit basket of apple, peach, and raspberry, along with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and orange peel. The palate is incredibly balanced, leaning one way then pulling back and heading off in a different direction. Ultimately, this is the best version of this whiskey that I’ve tried—at least as far as I can remember. Truthfully, that’s kind of hard to say without trying a few batches side by side, but I stand by that sentiment because no other edition of this bourbon has hit me with the same immediacy that this one did.
Of course, as usual Four Roses LE Small Batch is probably going to be a difficult bottle to find. 16,800 are being released with a suggested retail price of $250, and you can find one at the distillery visitor center or select retailers beginning on October 10. Your best bet is to probably to peruse secondary market websites if your local liquor store doesn’t traffic in fine spirits, but the good news is that past releases are actually selling for not too much more than the list price. It remains to be seen how that will play out with this new edition, but if you stumble upon one in the wild this is a bourbon that is absolutely worth the splurge.
Score: 98
- 100 Worth trading your first born for
- 95 – 99 In the Pantheon: A trophy for the cabinet
- 90 – 94 Great: An excited nod from friends when you pour them a dram
- 85 – 89 Very Good: Delicious enough to buy, but not quite special enough to chase on the secondary market
- 80 – 84 Good: More of your everyday drinker, solid and reliable
- Below 80 It’s Alright: Honestly, we probably won’t waste your time and ours with this
Facts Only
* Jonah Flicker is the critic for Taste Test.
* Four Roses is releasing a 2026 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon.
* The bourbon is a blend of four recipes: 14-year-old OBSK (31%), 14-year-old OESK (39%), 15-year-old OESV (20%), and 23-year-old OESK (10%).
* The final blend is bottled at 109.2 proof.
* Master distiller Brent Elliott provided technical details via a media Zoom tasting.
* 16,800 bottles are being released.
* The suggested retail price is $250.
* Availability begins October 10 at the distillery visitor center and select retailers.
* Standard Four Roses bourbon is typically aged between five and seven years.
Executive Summary
The Four Roses 2026 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon is a high-proof, aged blend debuting October 10. Unlike the standard five-to-seven-year aging process of typical Four Roses releases, this edition utilizes a combination of 14, 15, and 23-year-old whiskeys. Master distiller Brent Elliott indicates that the 23-year-old component is used sparingly to provide deep oak notes without overpowering the vibrant characteristics of the younger spirits.
The product is positioned as a high-performance bourbon with a complex profile of caramel, fruit, and spice, earning a 98-point score. However, accessibility is expected to be low due to a limited production run of 16,800 bottles. While the suggested retail price is $250, consumers may need to utilize secondary markets if retail stock is unavailable, though historical data suggests past releases have not deviated drastically from the list price.
Full Take
The strongest version of this narrative is that of an expert tasting note: a seasoned critic providing a technical breakdown and sensory evaluation of a scarce luxury good to help enthusiasts determine if the "splurge" is justified.
The logic relies heavily on a specific industry pattern: the creation of artificial scarcity paired with "prestige" aging metrics to drive desire. By emphasizing the 23-year-old component—even while acknowledging it is only 10% of the blend—the narrative anchors the value of the bottle to its oldest element. This is a common luxury marketing tactic where a small percentage of a premium ingredient justifies a price point significantly higher than the baseline product. The use of a numerical scoring system (98/100) further quantifies subjective pleasure into an objective-seeming trophy, encouraging the reader to view the purchase as an investment in "the Pantheon" rather than a simple beverage choice.
Patterns detected: none
The driving paradigm here is the "connoisseurship" model, which assumes that age and rarity are primary proxies for quality. This echoes the broader luxury goods market where the "hunt" for the bottle becomes as much a part of the value proposition as the liquid itself. The secondary market is framed not as a predatory environment, but as a necessary utility for the dedicated collector.
Who benefits from this framing? The distillery, through brand prestige, and the secondary market speculators who profit from the "hype cycle." The consumer bears the cost, both financially and through the cognitive labor of the chase.
Bridge Questions:
1. To what extent does the inclusion of a small percentage of 23-year-old bourbon materially alter the flavor profile compared to a 15-year-old blend?
2. How does the psychological impact of a "98 score" influence the perceived value of a product versus a blind tasting?
Counterstrike Scan: A coordinated campaign to inflate a product's value would use an "expert" to validate scarcity and suggest that the product is "worth the splurge" before it even hits the market to ensure immediate sell-outs and secondary market spikes. While the content aligns with this pattern, it is a standard feature of luxury spirit journalism rather than a deceptive influence operation.
Sentinel — Human
The text reads like an engaged, specialized whiskey review from a known critic, blending technical details with highly personal, evocative subjective judgment rather than objective reporting.