Roses are red, Bourbons are brown, this is perfect for cocktails before a night on the town. Always highly rated by the folks at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, Four Roses Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is smooth, mellow and richly complex, making it a fine choice for mixing. The fruity and floral nose displays notes of spice, caramelised corn and honey, while the palate is soft and packed with crisp apple and pear flavours, as well as marmalade and oak. We're in the mood of an Old Fashioned now. Four Roses'Master Distiller Brent Elliott is able to create ten distinct recipes using two different mashbills and five proprietary yeast strains. To make this Bourbon, he uses components of all ten recipes, hence the deep complexity. All elements have been aged for a minimum of five years, so this delivers serious bang for your buck. Trying to escape state-wide prohibition, Paul Jones Jr. upped sticks from Atlanta, Georgia, in 1884 and moved his business to Louisville, Kentucky. Legend has it that our hero was smitten on a Southern belle, who he proposed to on bended knee. She promised to give him her answer by wearing a rose in the corsage of her gown at an upcoming ball if it was"yes". In fact, she wore four. In 1888, Paul Jones Jr. and his nephews trademarked the name Four Roses in her honour. Their romantic Bourbons, created in Lawrenceburg and matured in Cox's Creek, have been a favourite among bartenders and those in-the-know ever since.