Four Roses Bourbon Master Distiller Jim Rutledge and Brent Elliot Cover

Long time Four Roses Master Distiller, Jim Rutledge is set to retire August 31, 2015. To honor his 49 years of service to the bourbon industry and 20 years as Master Distiller, the Four Roses 2015 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon is being released as a tribute to this industry legend.

The 2015 Limited Edition Small Batch features a 16-year-old Bourbon from Four Roses’ OBSK recipe, a 15-year-old OESK, a 14-year-old OESK and an 11-year-old OBSV. Four Roses is the only distillery that combines two mashbills with five proprietary yeast strains to produce ten distinct Bourbon recipes, each with its own unique characteristics.

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“This combination of mature bourbons is something truly special,” said Rutledge. “It’s great when you can go out on a high note, and this Bourbon delivers that.”

Bottled at barrel strength with a proof of 108.5, the 2015 Limited Edition Small Batch mingles together aromas of ripe cherry, caramel custard and fresh magnolia. Spicy cinnamon and clove flavors give way to subtle tastes of orange peel, apricot and light honey. The long, velvety finish leaves lingering hints of creamy vanilla and fresh spearmint.

“This Bourbon is a great tribute to Jim Rutledge, whom I’ve had the privilege to work with closely over the past decade. His knowledge and passion, along with the strong team at our distillery, are responsible for the high-quality Bourbon we produce every day,” said Brent Elliott, who takes the post of master distiller September 1. “I couldn’t think of a better way to toast Jim’s exceptional career.”

Four Roses will produce and distribute approximately 12,600 hand-numbered bottles of the 2015 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon, which are expected to hit retail outlets in mid-September, during National Bourbon Heritage Month.

“It’s an exciting time of growth for Four Roses, but what’s not going to change is the attention to detail that’s put into every Bourbon we handcraft,” said Elliott.

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