Four Roses Experimental Series No. 2: Honey Cask Finish Bourbon Review

 

In August 2026, Four Roses Distillery announced the launch of Experimental Series No. 001. It represented one of the few times that Four Roses went off-profile and in a new direction. Experimental Series No. 001 was its OBSK Kentucky Straight Bourbon finished in rare Japanese Mizunara oak barrels. If you want to learn more about it or Four Roses’ history, you can find that in my review here.

 

Experimental Series No. 002 is (conveniently enough) the second chapter in the story. To make it, Four Roses blended 6-, 7-, and 8-year-old expressions of OESQ (75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley) and OBSK (60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley). After maturation, these Bourbons spent 3 to 9 months in former Four Roses barrels that held barrel-aged honey from the Bohman Bee Company, a local beekeeping farm.

 

“One of the things I love most about this release is how naturally it came together. It simply started with barrels that had already taken on a unique character. The honey is there from the moment you bring the glass to your nose, but it’s never artificial or overpowering. If you have the chance to taste it alongside our Bourbon Barrel Aged Honey, you can really appreciate the journey those barrels have taken and the role they’ve played in both products.” – Master Distiller Brent Elliott

 

Experimental Series No. 002 is packaged at 52% ABV (104°) in 375mL bottles and is priced at $55.00. They are available exclusively at the Four Roses Distillery and the Cox’s Creek Visitor’s Center. It should go without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that this is a limited edition, and when they’re gone, they’re gone forever.

 

Four Roses was kind enough to send me a sample of this latest installment, along with a 10oz bottle of the honey. Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover if it is worth picking up.

 

• Whiskey Type: Bourbon
• Distiller: Four Roses
• Age: NAS (a blend of 6, 7, and 8 years)
• Mashbill: OESQ (75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley) and OBSK (60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley)
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak casks, then finished in former Four Roses casks that previously held honey
• Alcohol Content: 52% ABV (104°)
• Price per 375mL: $55.00

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass to experience it neat. The whiskey had a deep, orange-amber color. A medium rim produced thick, syrupy, medium-spaced tears.

 

Nose: After letting the Bourbon breathe for about 15 minutes, I explored its aroma, which included honey (unsurprisingly), nutmeg, mild oak, vanilla bean, and leather. When I brought the vapor into my mouth, I tasted older oak and honey.

 

Palate: I encountered a creamy texture with a variety of spice notes on my first sip. My second sip revealed notes of honey, fresh leather, and butterscotch on the front. Nutmeg, rye spice, and oak hit my mid-palate, followed by cinnamon, tobacco, and toasted pecans on the back.

 

Finish: Nutmeg, cinnamon, rye spice, tobacco, toasted pecans, leather, oak, oak, and more oak remained. There was no ramp-up or crescendo; it was a very even-keeled, long finish lasting 1:34.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Four Roses Q yeast has, at least for me, always been a crapshoot. It is funky and can turn the corn, rye, and barley in a variety of directions. The K yeast is far more consistent, imparting spice notes. For Experimental Series No. 2, the K yeast didn’t disappoint. There was plenty of spice in today’s sipping experience.

 

The Q yeast turned some expected things into the unexpected, especially in how it interacted with the honey cask. Many people assume that honey casks make things sweet, and while they can, they’re almost universally accompanied by bold, oaky notes. The oak seemed untouched, yet what should have been sweeter notes carried earthy characteristics.  

 

As suggested, I also cracked open the honey. When I coated my finger, licked it, and then took another sip, many of the spice and wood notes were immediately subdued; they were still there, just far less prevalent. I then did the reverse; I sipped, then licked, and wow, the honey extinguished the spice and oak. I preferred the former to the latter because the honey-first method got super funky.

 

Here’s the thing about Four Roses. It isn’t known for thinking outside the box beyond its ten unique recipes, which is exactly why this Experimental Series is so fascinating. That’s not a Brent Elliott or a Jim Rutledge thing. That’s just Four Roses.

 

Look, for $55.00, Four Roses Experimental Series No. 2 is very affordable and something well worth experiencing. Could you find this at a great whiskey bar? Perhaps. If you are at either the distillery or visitor’s center, you’ll want to grab a Bottle. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.