Four Roses Experimental Series No. 002 Honey Cask Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 375ml

The arrival of the Experimental Series No. 002 Honey Cask Finish marks a bold new frontier for the historic Lawrenceburg distillery, pushing the boundaries of craft whiskey innovation. As the second entry in Four Roses' highly sought-after, envelope-pushing Experimental lineup, this release marks a departure from their standard ten-recipe architecture. For this limited bottling, Master Distiller Brent Elliott meticulously constructed a unique foundation by blending select barrels of the distillery’s OESQ and OBSK straight bourbon recipes, letting them mature for six to eight years before embarking on an entirely distinct finishing process.

Four Roses has long been celebrated for its strict adherence to its proprietary mash bills and yeast strains, which makes this creative departure all the more fascinating. The defining characteristic of this expression lies in a circular maturation journey—a "barrel boomerang" executed in partnership with Kentucky's own Bohman Bee Company. Empty Four Roses barrels were originally sent to the apiary to age raw honey; once harvested, those exact honey-saturated casks were returned to the distillery. Instead of creating a sweet, syrupy liqueur by dumping honey into the liquid, the mature bourbon was filled back into the wood for an additional three to nine months, drawing a purely natural, wood-extracted honey complexity deep into the spirit.

Bottled at a robust 104 proof (52% ABV), this non-traditional finish strikes a beautiful harmony between proof and delicate sweetness. The deliberate choice of recipes perfectly mirrors the final profile, balancing the floral, delicate character of the low-rye Q yeast strain against the assertive, baking spice forward nature of the high-rye K yeast strain. The palate opens with an inviting wave of wildflower honey, vanilla bean, and maple sugar, which quickly gives way to complex undertones of stone fruit, toasted oak, and rich brown sugar before resolving into a long finish wrapped in warm nutmeg and black pepper.

Debuting in September 2026 in a compact 375ml format, the Experimental Series No. 002 was released as an ultra-exclusive, allocated bottling available only at the distillery's visitor centers. It represents an exceptional trophy for spirits collectors following the evolution of the brand, offering bourbon purists a remarkably rare opportunity to experience the iconic Four Roses profile amplified by a genuinely circular, wood-driven honey maturation.

• Size: 375ml
• Proof: 104 proof (52% ABV)
• Age: 6 to 8 years old (with a 3 to 9 month honey cask finish)
• Origin: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA
• Distillery: Four Roses Distillery
• Brand/Producer: Four Roses Bourbon
• Style/Class: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Composition: Blend of OESQ (75% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Malted Barley) and OBSK (60% Corn, 35% Rye, 5% Malted Barley) recipes
• Cask/Aging: Matured in charred American oak, finished in second-fill bourbon barrels previously used for Bourbon Barrel Aged Honey
• Series/Edition: Experimental Series, No. 002 (Limited Distillery Release)
• Tasting Notes: Natural honey, floral undertones, vanilla, maple, brown sugar, stone fruit, toasted oak, warm baking spice, black pepper