Woodford Reserve Batch Proof Bourbon

Balanced in flavor, great in cocktails, and available at local restaurants, Woodford Reserve is a bourbon I find at the bottom of my glass more often than not. When I read the press release announcing a cask strength Woodford Reserve bourbon, I was elated- Master’s Collection after Master Collection, I wished for a batch proof release, and in April 2018, my wish was granted.

Proof: 125.8

Age: NAS

Mashbill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley

Price: $130

Nose: Maple syrup, Dr. Pepper, and Cow Tales (caramel candy) yield a very aromatic bourbon. Cherries, herbal spice, and cedar are scented with a cut of citrus.

Taste: Vibrant with a sweet, grainy mouthfeel. Very buttery; maple and vanilla roll into fresh fruits topped with whipped cream. The core is sharpened with a solid blast of black pepper and herbal spice.

Finish: Crisp and dry, with earthy spices and burnt cedar chips.

Conclusion: Woodford Reserve Batch Proof is a fine bourbon. It's robust, mouthwatering, and extends itself beyond the limits of its watered down twin. It took some time to open up, but it hit its peak after the first few pours. While I will enjoy this until the last drop, it falls slightly short of meeting my tall expectations- to be fair,  the hype of a batch proof Woodford Reserve has been self induced and amplified for the better part of a decade. The price may turn many people away, but this is a must purchase for all Woodford Reserve fans!

Rating: B+ (Very Good)  

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1838 Style White Corn Bourbon

1838 Style White Corn is the 10^th release (fall 2015) in the Woodford Reserve Masters Collection series. These limited offerings haven't been known to blow our socks off, but as a Woodford Reserve fan, I'm always interested in tasting them. This particular release uses white corn instead of the typical yellow corn, allowing for a sharper whiskey with a slightly lighter body. 

Details:  
-No Age Statement
-90.4 proof
-Price: $99

Nose: Delicate with a distinct kettle corn note. It’s sweetened with vanilla syrup, cocoa powder, and apples. There is a slight saltiness to it along with a hint of cinnamon spice.

Taste: Kettle corn and malt-grain sweetness.  Salt water taffy has a major influence on the palate, followed by a subtle white pepper and smoke flavor.

Finish: Medium in length with lingering grain sweetness.

Conclusion: Cats out of the bag that I’ve always been a Woodford Reserve fan. All of their whiskey shares a uniquely identifiable and enjoyable profile, so spending $100 on an annual Master’s Collection bottle isn’t going to ruffle my feathers. However, if you are trying to find the next best bang for your buck bourbon, you may want to pass on 1838 Style White Corn. It delivers with the unique Woodford profile, but its more one dimensional and lighter than Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select.  I don’t recommend investing in a bottle, rather find it at a bar or get your hands on a sample; it’s absolutely worth trying. 

My Rating:  B (Good)

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Bourbon Brothers Review:  

Woodford Reserve Rye

When I first heard Woodford Reserve was adding rye whiskey as a permanent addition to their portfolio I was ecstatic. Its been well documented that they have been experimenting with rye whiskey for a while now and I thought to myself, if it was anything like the 2011 Masters Collection new cask rye, we would all be in for quite a treat. This whiskey was first released early 2015 and I had to reach out to an out of state friend to pick me up a bottle since it is currently only available in select markets.

Details:

-Mashbill: 53% rye, 33% corn, and 14% malt

-No Age Statement
-90.4 proof
-Price: $40

Nose: Starts off spicy, with heavy rye grain and black pepper. Crème brûlée, pear, apple, and cedar lurk in the background.  

Taste: Vanilla cream, green apple taffy, honey, with  cinnamon toast crunch, mint, rye and black pepper spice.

Finish: Medium in length with a sweet spice.  

Conclusion: While this is nothing like the 2012 Master's Collection Rye, this whiskey is delicious in its own right. It took a few pours to open up, but quickly became a favorite among the bottles I had open. If you are a Woodford Reserve fan like me, its a must try with a friendly price tag around $38. 

My Rating: B+ (Very Good) 

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Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked begins its aging process just like the Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select bourbon that we have all come to know and love. However, after the standard 7-8 years, this is then re-barreled in a second, deeply toasted oak barrel. This "double oak" process produces a whiskey with unique and dessert like character.

Details:
90.4 proof
Aged in two separate charred oak barrels
No Age Statement 

Nose: Extremely sweet with notes of chocolate, honey, vanilla, and deep oak. While slightly diminished, I also noticed some coffee bean and cherry soda. It's very nice, and I wish it was a cologne.

Taste: The palate is savory, creamy, and soft. Chocolate pie, sweet corn, nutmeg, maple syrup, and honey. Hints of cherries, spiced apples, almonds, and toasted oak combine for a well balanced and uniquely sweet bourbon. Honestly, it tastes like dessert, and I don't share my dessert.

Finish: Medium in length; fairly dry with lingering notes of marzipan, coffee ice cream and toasted oak.

Conclusion: As I really enjoy Distiller's Select, this Double Oaked bourbon did not disappoint. Try to pour yourself a glass and let it sit under your nose for 5 minutes- it's a daunting task only men with an iron-will can accomplish. The price tag is a bit heavier ($55) than the Distiller's Select, but the over-toasting of the second barrel produces a sweet, savory and intense bourbon full of flavor which is certainly worth a try. 

My Rating: B+ (Very Good)

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 Bourbon Brothers Review:

Woodford Reserve Sonoma-Cutrer Finish

When Woodford Reserve announced the release of their 2014 Master's Collection- a straight bourbon whiskey finished in red wine barrels- I was left feeling frustrated (why not another experimental rye, hyperaged bourbon, or barrel proof?). Previous experiences with whiskeys such as Angels Envy and High Wests' Mid Winter Nights Dram (both similarly finished in wine barrels)  have left me with poor impressions and a bad taste in my mouth. Nonetheless, I am a Woodford Reserve fanboy at heart, and when my brother-in-law told me he had gotten his hands on a bottle of this Sonoma-Cutrer finish, I was excited and hoped that this whiskey would be different. 

Details:
Fully matured Woodford Reserve bourbon finished in sonoma-cutrer pinot noir barrels 
90.4 proof 

Color: Deep red

Nose: A blast of red fruits in the form of cherries, raspberries, and blackberries. In addition to some burnt caramel and oak, there is a heavy dose of baking spices in the form of clove and cinnamon.  

Taste: Consistent with the nose, this is an extremely fruit forward whiskey. Fruit punch, cherries, raspberries, and blackberries. Underneath are layers of spice and oak sweetness. 

 Finish: Medium in length (though quicker than anticipated), with a warm, fruity and oaky character. 

Conclusion: I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and character of this whiskey. The fruit and spice characters compliment the other nicely to combine for a  complex, warming, and fruit forward experience. My hat goes off to Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris, as he hit the nail on the head with this release. 

My Rating: B+ (Very Good) 


Bourbon Brothers Video Review: 

Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select

Hi guys, hope everyone is having a wonderful summer so far. Today I've chosen to review one of my "go-to" bourbons, Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select. This is batch 832, bottle 8802. No age statement on the label; bottled at 45.2% ABV. Woodford Reserve is produced by Labrot & Graham (Brown-Forman). Distiller's Select has a Mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley.

Color: Solid Amber

Nose: A young and flirtatious nose. Maple syrup jumps out of the glass along with notes of brown sugar, cherries, dried fruit and bubblegum. After some time I'm able to pick up vanilla and banana. A soft, leathery oak spice is also present.

Taste: Cherries, citrus, brown sugar, and maple initially coat the tongue with a nice chewy mouthfeel. Cinnamon, toffee, and pepper spark my palate. Tannin and oak have a strong influence here but balance the sweeter notes.

Finish: A medium, smooth finish with no burn. Tobacco, burnt sugars, and oak linger.

Conclusion: This is a very good bourbon; drinkable neat yet also makes for an awesome cocktail.  The deep flavors create the pleasant flavor profile that can turn a first time bourbon drinker into an enthusiast. I often order Woodford Reserve when I'm out at a bar as it's something that is always available and comes at a reasonable price tag.

Rating: B+ (Very Good) 

Woodford Reserve: New Cask Rye vs Aged Cask Rye

Welcome back to the Blundon Bourbon Review! Today we're doing a comparison review of the 2011 Woodford Reserve Masters Collection. Both are 100% Rye and bottled at 92.4 proof with no age statement.The difference, is that one is aged in a new charred oak barrel while the other is aged in a barrel that has already been used. I love this 2012 release as it shows the significant impact that a barrel has on the aging process.

Color:

New Cask: Golden Brown

Aged Cask: Clear Straw

Nose:

New Cask: Evergreen, mint, vanilla, caramel, nutmeg, honey, chocolate, apples. Love this nose!

Aged Cask: Much more subtle. Citrus, vanilla, caramel, hay and grass.  Still quite enjoyable.

Taste:

New Cask:  Wintergreen, berries, chocolate, baking spices, cinnamon, oak. The rye is present but it doesn’t bite you. 

Aged Cask: Much more grain forward than the Aged Cask. The rye is lighter; earthy tones such as grass are very prevalent. It's still smooth, and the oak note is more subtle. Still very enjoyable.

Finish: For being 92.4 proof, both of these Ryes have a fairly long finish. 

New Cask:  Sweet vanilla and caramel linger along with a strong rye and oak presence.

Aged Cask:  Mint and evergreen linger with slight oak. 

Conclusion: I love this release because it's an experimental release that is not your typical rye. If the New Cask Rye was a part of Woodford Reserve’s regular production lineup it would certainly be something I would keep stocked in my home bar. It is extremely smooth; its full body and unique notes of berries, chocolate, wintergreen, and rye make for an excellent whiskey. The Aged Cask, while more subtle and grain forward, is also quite enjoyable (however not something I would buy regularly). 

Rating

New Cask: A (Great)

Aged Cask: B (Good)

Video Review: