Mixed berry compote | Faint aged oak | Touch of leather | Vanilla syrup | Light oatmeal cookie crumble | Inviting

Raspberry preserves | Cream-covered strawberry | Vanilla bean ice cream | Faint baking spices | Light rye spice | Touch of brown sugar | Sweet with a touch of spice

Rye spice | Charred dry oak | Graham cracker | Leather | Hint of tobacco | Faint berry hard candy | Green peppercorn spice

Four Roses uses two different mashbills and five different yeast strains to create ten different bourbon recipes. Their 100 proof Single Barrel Bourbon uses only one recipe, their standard Small Batch blends together four of the recipes, Small Batch Select blends together six of the recipes, and their standard Four Roses Bourbon uses all ten. Limited releases and private selections can vary from the standard products, but generally maintain the same number of recipes as their standard counterparts.

This year’s release of Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch is the company’s 18th edition. The 2025 release is composed of three bourbon recipes and four different batches. According to Four Roses, they will distribute 16,854 bottles of this year’s release.

The 2025 blend of the Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch leans into gentle, sweet notes while slowly unveiling its age. The sip starts with an inviting nose that highlights sweet scents thanks to a mix berry compote and vanilla syrup. Faint aged oak and a touch of leather waft forward while a light oatmeal cookie crumble provides for a faint touch of sweetness at the end of the aroma. The midpoint of the sip is delightful and starts with a burst of balanced sweetness thanks to raspberry preserves, cream-covered strawberry, and vanilla bean ice cream. A mixture of spices intertwines with a touch of brown sugar, producing an overall sweet experience that includes a balanced touch of spice. The sip's age appears at the end, with more spice and dry notes taking center stage thanks to rye spice and green peppercorn spice along with dry oak, leather, and a touch of tobacco. A faint berry hard candy note pops at the end to try to help balance out the dry spice effect.

Four Roses typically brings their A game when it comes to their limited releases, and their 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch is no exception. Even though the overall average age is lower relative to previous batches, much like their 2024 release, it’s full of flavor and well-balanced. While the finish skews less sweet than the rest of the sip and is slightly dry, the fantastic midpoint helps to balance it out. It’s no surprise to see that Four Roses raised the price $29 compared to last year, but thankfully, the sip justifies the price and will delight those who get their hands on a bottle.