2 Aussies from mybottleshop.com online liquor store review Four Roses Small Batch bourbon
According to master distiller Brent Elliott, while exact details vary by batch, the average batch size is approximately 250 barrels. Barrels are typically 6 and 7 years old, with nothing younger than 6 years old and occasionally barrels as much as 8 years old. As a result, the average age per batch is typically around 6 ½ years old. Bourbon from each of the 4 recipes is always used to comprise each batch, with 2-3 batches (of each of the 4 recipes) typically included in each batch. Because of the required flavour profile and volume demand, barrels typically come from multiple ageing rick houses to make up each batch. Prior to dumping, representative samples are pulled from each batch of each recipe to be blended and tested in the lab. A lot of test blending and batch evaluation is necessary to fine tune with test blends prior to dumping because the results of the combined test blends can be surprising.
Four Roses uses single story rick houses to age their bourbon in barrels that have undergone a 45 second burn (resulting in a char level that falls between #3 and #4).