FOUR ROSES: THROUGH THE DECADES (1960 – 1970)

To celebrate the 130th Anniversary of Four Roses this year, we’re taking you on a walk down memory lane in our blog series, “Four Roses: Through the Decades.”

Stay tuned in with our Straight Up newsletter and blog to make sure you don’t miss a single Mellow Moment, starting all the way back in 1888 when our brand was born, to now! We are excited to share stories and relics from our past that have mingled together in harmony to form what Four Roses is today.

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In December of 1960, Four Roses’ property in Cox’s Creek, known today as the Bottling & Warehouse Facility, was completed. Referred to as the Lotus Warehouses, the property was made up of 298 acres and housed 21 warehouses from “A” to “U,” that were each situated on one acre of land and built from wood that was cleared from the property. Each warehouse was built only one story high in order to minimize temperature variations from the top rack to the bottom rack.

These are the warehouses that are still used today to age Four Roses’ perfectly handcrafted Bourbon, and we remain the only distillery using single-story rack warehouses.

Throughout the 1960s, Four Roses continued to produce advertisements showcasing the unique and high-quality nature of the product. Taglines like “Enjoy the Good Life with Four Roses” and “A penny can make your drink taste better,” were used to communicate that Four Roses’ blended whiskey was better than any other distillers’ at the time, retained its flavor and character, even in melting ice, and could be purchased for “only pennies more.”

The 1960s also proved to be momentous for Senior Brand Ambassador Al Young, as he joined the Four Roses family at this time. In an effort to obtain a stable career to begin building his family, Al Young began his career at the Distillery on June 5, 1967. Throughout his time, Al has held many positions with Four Roses, including Distillery Manager, and now Senior Brand Ambassador and resident historian of Four Roses. Last year he celebrated a very important milestone in June with the special release of the 2017 Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Small Batch.