Jones is said to have named Four Roses after the love he had for a beautiful woman. The story goes that when he sent a proposal to a Southern belle, he asked her to wear a corsage of roses to an upcoming ball as a sign of her consent. During the night of the dance, she wore four roses on her dress, leading Jones to brand his company after that special moment and tap into the same passion he felt then when it came to making bourbon.
Like a healthy relationship, making bourbon takes time and attentiveness, and the signature straight bourbon from Four Roses is aged for a minimum of five years (via Breaking Bourbon). It’s a blend of corn, rye, and malted barley — a combination of the company’s 10 bourbon recipes. On its website, the brand also lists limited-edition, single-barrel, and small-batch bourbons for sale. And just as it may be considered rude to ask a woman her age, the same can be said of Four Roses. The company doesn’t advertise the ages of its liquors on the bottles, but they generally range from five to seven years old, per VinePair.
While the name of the belle who helped to inspire Four Roses may be long forgotten, the love she inspired lives on in the bourbon made in her honor.