A.D. Laws Four Grain Bourbon 750ML

A.D. Laws Four Grain Bourbon 750ML is a 95-proof (47.5% ABV) Colorado bourbon built on a four-grain mashbill of corn, heirloom wheat, rye, and malted barley. A Double Gold winner at the SIP Awards, this expression stands out among American craft bourbons for its open-air sour mash fermentation — a labor-intensive method that adds measurable complexity to the final spirit.

Quick Facts: ABV: 47.5% (95 proof)  |  Origin: Denver, Colorado  |  Aged minimum 3 years  |  Distillery: A.D. Laws Distillery

Production & Heritage

A.D. Laws Distillery operates out of Denver, Colorado, where founder Al Laws built a grain-forward distilling program rooted in heirloom varieties sourced from regional farms. The Four Grain Bourbon uses a mashbill of 60% corn, 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye, and 10% heirloom malted barley — twice distilled in-house and fermented using an open-air sour mash process that relies on ambient Colorado yeasts to develop flavor. The whiskey matures for a minimum of three years in new American white oak barrels, with Denver's high-altitude climate — marked by wide temperature swings and low humidity — accelerating interaction between spirit and wood in ways distinct from traditional bourbon regions like Kentucky.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with earthy hay and dried apricot before shifting toward stone fruit and tropical notes — cherry, dates, and dried banana. Underneath, warming layers of vanilla, cinnamon, and honey round out the bouquet.

Taste: The entry is dry and leathery, with apricot and oak establishing the framework alongside soft vanilla. Mid-palate, the wheat's creaminess gives way to black pepper, breakfast tea, and tobacco. The back palate turns decisively spicy, with cinnamon candy, allspice, clove, and a thread of butterscotch emerging.

Finish: Smooth and creamy with a lingering orange essence that carries through the fade. The spice notes gradually taper, leaving a warm, clean close of moderate length.

How to Drink Four Grain Bourbon

Neat or with a few drops of water is the best starting point — water opens the stone fruit aromatics and softens the peppery back-palate. A single large ice cube also works well, taming the spice while preserving the wheat-driven creaminess.

In cocktails, the four-grain complexity holds up across a range of builds. An Old Fashioned highlights the butterscotch and cinnamon notes against a sugar-and-bitters backbone. A Boulevardier pairs the bourbon's leather and tobacco character with Campari's bitterness for a robust, balanced drink. A Whiskey Sour lets the tropical and stone fruit notes interact naturally with fresh citrus.

Best For

• Exploring Colorado craft distilling beyond mainstream bourbon regions
• Gifting a whiskey enthusiast who values heirloom grain sourcing
• Side-by-side tastings comparing four-grain mashbills to traditional two- or three-grain bourbons
• After-dinner sipping alongside dessert or a cigar

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Four Grain Bourbon taste like? It delivers a dry, leathery entry with stone fruit and vanilla, building into a spicy mid-palate of black pepper, clove, and cinnamon candy, then finishing smooth with orange essence and butterscotch.

How does Four Grain Bourbon compare to Hudson Four Grain Bourbon? Both use a four-grain mashbill, but A.D. Laws ages its bourbon for a minimum of three years in Colorado's high-altitude climate, while Hudson, distilled at Tuthilltown Spirits in New York, tends toward a younger profile with more pronounced grain sweetness. The Laws expression leans drier and spicier, with more prominent leather and tobacco character.

Is Four Grain Bourbon good for sipping neat? Yes — the 95-proof strength is robust enough to carry complex flavor without excessive heat, and the wheat component contributes a creamy texture that rewards patient, undiluted sipping.

Where is Four Grain Bourbon made? It is distilled, fermented, and aged entirely at A.D. Laws Distillery in Denver, Colorado, using an open-air sour mash process and heirloom grains sourced from regional farms.

What foods pair well with Four Grain Bourbon? Smoked brisket mirrors the whiskey's leather and pepper notes. Sharp aged cheddar complements the oak and vanilla. Dark chocolate draws out the butterscotch and spice. Grilled stone fruit echoes the apricot and cherry aromatics. Pecan pie aligns with the warm baking spice character.

What sizes does Four Grain Bourbon come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle at 95 proof.

Is Four Grain Bourbon worth the price? It positions as a mid-premium craft bourbon, priced above most mass-market labels but in line with other artisan distillers aging three-plus years and using specialty grain bills. The heirloom sourcing, open-air fermentation, and high-altitude aging justify its place in the craft tier.

Why Four Grain Bourbon?

The open-air sour mash fermentation is the clearest differentiator — few American distilleries use this technique, which introduces ambient yeast strains that contribute flavor dimensions unavailable in controlled-environment fermentation. The heirloom wheat, rye, and malted barley add grain character that goes well beyond a standard corn-heavy bourbon profile. High-altitude aging in Denver's volatile climate pushes the spirit through more aggressive expansion-and-contraction cycles inside the barrel, extracting oak influence at a pace that compensates for its relatively young three-year minimum age statement. A Double Gold from the SIP Awards and Gold from the Denver International Spirits Competition confirm that this expression competes credibly against more established bourbon labels with significantly longer track records.