Six recipes inside one bottle.

Published 21 October 2026 · WHV · Public-source editorial note

A bottle labelled bourbon can conceal a complicated set of production choices. Four Roses makes some of those choices unusually legible. Two grain recipes and five yeast strains create ten distinct bourbon recipes, identified by codes rather than folded into a single story about age.

A vocabulary hidden behind the category

Small Batch Select combines six of them. The distillery’s current specification lists six- and seven-year-old bourbons, non-chill filtration and 104 proof. Those details distinguish it from the ordinary Small Batch, which combines four recipes. The similar names are a reason to read the label carefully, not to assume that one is simply an older version of the other.

The enduring value here is knowledge that can improve future choices. Understanding how fermentation and blending contribute to a bottle makes the category less dependent on marketing language. It also provides a sensible alternative to chasing every scarce release. A regular expression can be worth serious attention when it reveals a clearly documented production idea.

Compare rather than chase

If you drink alcohol, compare small measures of the two expressions in a suitable setting and read the maker’s recipe descriptions alongside your own impressions. They are the producer’s descriptions, not WHV tasting results. Higher proof and more component recipes do not automatically mean better. Check local availability and buy through a reputable merchant. This is an invitation to informed enjoyment, not a recommendation to store cases in expectation of appreciation.

Source and context.

Four Roses: Small Batch Select specification and constituent recipes ↗

Master distiller Brent Elliott: Small Batch versus Small Batch Select ↗

Small Batch Select is distinct from Small Batch and Single Barrel. No independent WHV tasting, investment return or superiority based on proof is claimed.

Source checked 21 October 2026. WHV interpretation is distinct from the source’s account.