Four Roses Mash Bill Breakdown - Digital
This is an updated version of the previous Four Roses by Mash Bill post. The new version explains the Four Roses mash bills in an easier to read format.The infograph also includes the mash bill and years for each limited edition release.
First, let's decipher the four letters that make up a Four Roses mash bill.
The first letter for every recipe is “O”. The “O” indicates that it was produced at the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY.
Four Roses mash bill is the second letter.
E = The mash bill that is 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley. B = The mash bill that is 60% corn, 35% rye, 5% malted barley.
The third letter will always be “S”, which designates straight whiskey distillation. That means every recipe will be “O_S_”. The recipes become a lot clearer when you realize there are only two variables in each recipe, the mash bill, and the yeast.
One of the five unique strands of yeast is the fourth letter
K = Yeast K: Light spice, light caramel and full bodied
Q = Yeast O: Floral (rose petal), spicy, medium bodied
O = Yeast Q: Rich in spiciness, full bodied
F = Yeast F: Predominantly herbal
V = Yeast V: Delicate fruit, spicy and creamy