Woodford Reserve
Nestled amid the rolling hills of bluegrass and thoroughbred farms sits our historic Woodford Reserve Distillery.
One of Kentucky’s oldest and smallest distilleries, the present-day Woodford Reserve Distillery is built on history, sitting on Kentucky’s oldest distilling site where Elijah Pepper began crafting whiskey in 1812. It was on these same hallowed grounds that years later Master Distiller James Christopher Crow perfected his whiskey-making methods, which today have become common practice, including the implementation of sour mash into fermentation.
The Distillery is home to a 500-foot-long gravity-fed barrel run, our iconic copper pot stills, and 100-year-old cypress wood fermenters. We also boast one of the only heat cycled barrelhouses in the world, ensuring every drop seeps into the charred and toasted white oak, giving Woodford Reserve its colour and signature flavour.
Woodford Reserve® Very Fine Rare Bourbon
In the 1830’s our Woodford County distillery was the setting for a series of discoveries and innovative practices that would define the bourbon industry for generations to come. For this 2020 Master’s Collection release Master Distiller Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall have drawn upon the rich history of that time and their own careers for inspiration.
Local newspapers from the 19th century highlighted auctions of highly aged Bourbon barrel lots as being “Very Fine” and “Rare.” The very rare barrels of Woodford Reserve featured in this Master’s Collection date back to the first year Morris became our Master Distiller. He and McCall have held them back from inclusion in their standard batching process to inaugurate this new package.
“Due to the heat-cycled warehousing at Woodford Reserve our product yield is extremely low. This makes a longer aged product at Woodford Reserve an extremely difficult accomplishment and therefore something that is quite rare.“ – Elizabeth McCall
The result is the Fall 2020 Master’s Collection release named Very Fine Rare Bourbon, a rich and darkly robust expression of Woodford Reserve Bourbon.
Proof : 90.4
TASTING NOTES
- Nose: Layers of rich oak sweet aromatic notes, caramel, brown sugar, chocolate, vanilla merge into a cured tobacco character brightened with apple fruit.
- Taste: Very old oak notes sweetened with honey balanced by a touch of citrus and apple peel and a touch of clove spice.
- Finish: Long and dry clove spice.
Woodford Reserve® Bourbon
The perfectly balanced taste of our Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is comprised of more than 200 detectable flavour notes, from bold grain and wood to sweet aromatics, spice, and fruit & floral notes.
Woodford Reserve is built around flavour. The bourbon has a rich texture of flavours that create opportunities for cocktail and food pairings. Woodford Reserve is designed with perfectly proportioned flavours of depth and complexity. The smooth, balanced spirit has been celebrated as versatile and approachable, contemporary yet timeless.
TASTING NOTES
- Colour: Clean, brilliant honey amber.
- Nose: Heavy with rich dried fruit, hints of mint and oranges covered with a dusting of cocoa. Faint vanilla and tobacco spice.
- Taste: Rich, chewy, rounded and smooth, with complex citrus, cinnamon and cocoa. Toffee, caramel, chocolate and spice notes abound.
- Finish: Silky smooth, almost creamy at first with a long, warm satisfying tail.
Woodford Reserve® Master Collection Cherry Wood Smoked Barley
The Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection has traditionally honored the pioneering and innovative production processes established at our Woodford County distillery in the 1830s by owner Oscar Pepper and Master Distiller James Crow. Today that pioneering spirit is embodied in the Woodford Reserve Distillery’s Master’s Collection series and it’s latest release – Cherry Wood Smoked Barley.
Mash Bill: 70% corn, 20% cherry smoked malt, 10% distiller's malt
Distiller’s Notes
The 2017 Master’s Collection Cherry Wood Smoked Barley is the first Kentucky bourbon to use malted barley that has been exposed to wood smoke during its kilning process. This imparted a rich smoked almond note to the mash that carried over in the distillation process. With 30% malt content the Cherry Wood Smoked Barley mash bill has a greater amount of malt than traditional bourbon. The result is a rich, full-bodied bourbon.
TASTING NOTES
- Colour: Rich amber
- Nose: A complex mingling of deep caramel, brown sugar and dark chocolate top a layer of cherry jam and nutty crumbles dusted with wood spice.
- Taste: Intense smoked almond and malt character sweetened with cherry pie filling and a touch of caramel.
- Finish: Long smoked almond notes fade into a rich cherry fruit jam.
Woodford Reserve® Old Fashioned Syrup
Woodford Reserve® Old Fashioned Syrup is the finest way to enjoy an authentic old fashioned, the world’s favorite classic cocktail. The spice of barrel-aged bitters, aromatics of cherry and orange, and delicate sweetness compliment the beautifully complex and perfectly balanced flavor of the world’s finest bourbon, Woodford Reserve®.
Please enjoy responsibly.
Woodford Reserve® Master Collection Chocolate Malted Rye
The 2019 Master’s Collection Chocolate Malted Rye uses a malted rye as a dynamic flavour contributor. The rye malt was roasted to a level that its natural sugars caramelized into a dark chocolate note.
Composing 15% of the recipe, it makes this Kentucky Bourbon rich in mocha, dusty cocoa and assorted chocolate notes. Mash bill: 70% corn, 15% chocolate malted rye and 15% distiller’s malt
TASTING NOTES
- Colour: Medium caramel.
- Nose: Soft mocha, delicate caramel and roasted nut notes mingle with hints of cedar, soft oak and a touch of fruit.
- Taste: Roasted rye grain, dry cocoa nibs and dark chocolate spice up a soft mocha character atop a layer of cherry fruit and toasted oak.
- Finish: Long and chocolatey.
Woodford Reserve® Double Oaked
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is an innovative approach to twice-barreled bourbon that creates a rich and colorful flavor unlike any other bourbon in the market. Starting with Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, which is matured in handcrafted new white oak barrels; the bourbon is then uniquely matured for a second time in another new barrel. The second barrel is deeply toasted before a light charring, creating the unique flavors of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked - a smooth, full-bodied bourbon with a long, rich finish.
TASTING NOTES
- Colour: Deep Amber.
- Nose: Rich notes of dark fruit, caramel, sharp honey, chocolate, marzipan and toasted oak.
- Taste: A full-bodied mix of vanilla, dark caramel, hazelnut, apple, fruit and spices.
- Finish: Long and creamy with lingering hints of honeyed apple.
Woodford Reserve® Master Collection Brandy Cask Finish
The Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Brandy Cask Finish is the latest and 11th release in the series. As the first whiskey to be finished in an American brandy cask, this new expression is yet another product of Woodford Reserve’s continued appreciation and commitment to innovation and craftsmanship.
Brandy, a spirit distilled from wine or fruit, is often aged in oak barrels. These may be used a number of times because Brandy does not have the new, charred barrel requirement that our Kentucky Bourbon does. Finishing fully matured Woodford Reserve in these barrels does not add any new flavours to the whiskey, but instead accentuates Woodford Reserve’s rich dried fruit and nut characteristics that come from our grain recipe and long fermentation process.
TASTING NOTES
- Colour: Warm red ochre.
- Nose: A medley of chocolate, maple syrup and caramel drizzled over toasted hazelnuts, dark raisins and dried cranberries. Soft notes of oak and spice linger in the depths.
- Taste: Toffee-covered dried fruit and toasted hazelnuts warmed by delicate wood spice notes.
- Finish: Long and warm with a touch of caramel lingering on.
Woodford Reserve® Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey showcases the five sources of flavor with an emphasis on the nuttiness of grain and toasted oak of the barrel delivering a more buttery expression than our bourbon. Using Malt grain allows the wood to play a big role in the flavor. Coming out of Prohibition the Federal Government approved four straight whiskey standards: Bourbon, Rye, Wheat, and Malt. These reflected the types of whiskies produced in the United States prior to Prohibition. While most people associate Malt Whiskey with Scotland, Kentucky has a history of Malt Whiskey production pre-Prohibition. Woodford Reserve Malt draws upon this pre-Prohibition heritage for inspiration.
- Colour : Warm Umber
- Nose : Soft nutty notes drizzled with light caramel and milk chocolate coat a light layer of tropical fruit character. Delicate hints of brown spice, mint, brown sugar and soft oak float beneath.
- Taste : Dark chocolate and caramel covered nuts are dried out with a sprinkle of cocoa and brown spice. Faint ripe tropical fruit brighten a trace of toasted coconut and oak.
- Finish : Nutty and subtly sweet chocolate malt notes linger on.
Woodford Reserve® Derby 146 (2020 Edition)
Woodford Reserve, the Presenting Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby, is honoring “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” with the release of its 2020 commemorative Derby bottle.It features the work of Louisville artist Richard Sullivan, a former Atlanta Braves baseball player. Sullivan’s stunning watercolor image is of thoroughbreds as they thunder toward the finish line, with the famed Twin Spires of Churchill Downs in the background.
TASTING NOTES
- Colour: Clean, brilliant honey amber.
- Nose: Heavy with rich dried fruit, hints of mint and oranges covered with a dusting of cocoa. Faint vanilla and tobacco spice.
- Taste: Rich, chewy, rounded and smooth, with complex citrus, cinnamon and cocoa. Toffee, caramel, chocolate and spice notes abound.
- Finish: Silky smooth, almost creamy at first with a long, warm satisfying tail.
Woodford Reserve® Master Collection Select American Oak
The 2018 Master’s Collection Select American Oak Kentucky Bourbon has been matured in one specific terroir sourced oak - Ozark. This Ozark Oak was selected for its terroir’s fast-growing characteristics. Having barrels that share a common wood structure gives this special batching of Woodford Reserve a distinct nutty and sweet aromatic character that will remind you of warm baked goods.
Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malt
Proof: 90.4
TASTING NOTES
- Colour: Peruvian Brown
- Nose: Crisp yeasty and bready notes mingle with soft oak, vanilla, milk chocolate and marzipan. Walnut, pecans and Fall leaves bring the oak tannins forward.
- Taste: Soft nutty character and a sip of sweet tea bring a deep hint of peach and cocoa powder to life.
- Finish: Long and warm with a hint of wood spice.
Woodford Reserve® Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
The perfectly balanced taste of our Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey is distilled, matured, and bottled in Kentucky and delivers bold and spicy character. Made with a lower amount of rye in the mash bill than most contemporary rye whiskies, Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey is representative to a more traditional Kentucky Rye. It’s bold character and emphasis on spice delivers a long and sweetly spiced finish.
TASTING NOTES
- Color: Deep Amber.
- Nose: Spicy with distinct notes of rye, black pepper, cedar and cassia bark sweetened with a dusting of marzipan. Hints of pear, apple and almond dance in its depths.
- Taste: Clove, rye, mint, molasses, sorghum and honey mingle together with hints of apple and malt.
- Finish: Long and sweetly spiced.
- 2020 - GOLD MEDAL at San Francisco World Spirits Competition
- 2018 - 1st Place at International Whisky Competition | EXCELLENT, HIGHLY RECOMMEND at Ultimate Spirits Challenge | Gold Medal at Class Bartender Awards
FREE GIFT
- Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Syrup 473ml
Woodford Reserve® Master Collection Historic Barrel Entry
In 2004 the Woodford Reserve Distillery introduced a new era of innovation to the historic Kentucky Bourbon industry with the first release of its Master’s Collection, “Four Grain”. For this 2022 release Master Distiller Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall have drawn upon the rich history of Kentucky Bourbon and their own interests for inspiration. When “new make” Bourbon is entered into the barrel it begins the maturation process.
There are many factors involved in this and barrel entry proof plays an important role. Proof is controlled both as it enters the barrel (barrel entry proof) and as it leaves the barrel (bottle proof) by adding water to achieve a desired flavor profile. A higher concentration of water added as it enters the barrel, resulting in a lower proof, allows for less water to be added upon exit, which results in a greater concentration of the natural flavors absorbed from the charred oak. Barrel entry proof has changed over the past two centuries. The bourbon of the 19th century had a barrel entry of 100 to 103 proof. After the repeal of Prohibition, barrel entry proof levels began to increase.
In 1962 the barrel entry proof was increased to the present 125 proof standard. This 2022 Master’s Collection features the 100 proof entry of a bygone era and is presented at 90.4 proof. The result is this Historic Barrel Entry, a rich and darkly robust expression of Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
TASTING NOTES
- Colour: Deep russet orange.
- Nose: An alluring medley of vanilla bean and dried apple dusted with nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon with a hint of cocoa. Roasted coffee and hazelnut soften into notes of dark cherry and plum muddled with spearmint.
- Taste: Rich toasted oak is tempered by overripe banana and a medley of cooked berry fruits. Hints of leather, coffee, and baking spice trail into minty dark chocolate.
- Finish: A lingering finish of charred oak, leather, and orange oil.