Four Roses: The Return of a Whiskey Legend by Al Young
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book as a promotional souvenir after a bourbon tasting on a Bluegrass and Bourbon Tour on the sternwheeler American Queen.
I enjoyed the history of the Jones family as this was a family business for four generations until the death of Lawrence Lavalle Jones in 1941. The remaining heirs sold to Canadian Samuel Bronfman, owner of Joseph E. Seagram's and Sons, Inc in 1943. It went from a straight whiskey to a spirits blend. It was very popular in the 1950s, and the story behind its advertising is included in this book. However, 4 Roses Whiskey declined in popularity in the 1960s. It was a brand in decline from 1971-2000 until it only thrived in Japan. Corporate decisions put it under the ownership of the conglomerate Vivendi Universal. The brand and quality were often ignored except for efforts of The Master Distiller Jim Rutledge. Since 2002 its parent company is Kirin, and they are making a better product and marketing once again the US.
I recommend this book to readers of corporate history, or use it for a coffee table book.

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