In the early 1800s, our Woodford County Distillery, thanks to owner Oscar Pepper and Master Distiller James Crow, was the site for landmark discoveries and innovative techniques in bourbon-making.
Pepper and Crow are credited with refining and defining key processes such as sour mashing, yeast propagation, copper pot distillation and the maturing of whiskey in new, charred oak casks. Their work defined bourbon and subsequently rye whiskey as we know them today.
Woodford Reserve Distillery’s Master’s Collection™ honors the pioneering work of Pepper and Crow, applying their handcrafted methods to a variety of grain recipes, fermentation styles and maturation processes to create a range of unique whiskeys.
Chocolate Malted Rye™
Chocolate Malted Rye is crafted by roasting the rye malt to a level that its natural sugars caramelized into a dark chocolate note. This bourbon is presented at 90.4 proof, and contains a mash bill comprised of 70% corn, 15% chocolate malted rye, 15% distillers malt.
Tasting Notes
Color: Medium caramel
Aroma: 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 chocolaty.
Batch Proof™ (2019)
Batch Proof is crafted using the same grain bill and process as Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon. However, Batch Proof takes Woodford Reserve’s trademark flavor range of sweet vanilla and toasted oak to a whole new level — providing consumers the privilege of tasting Woodford Reserve in its purest form (and not the standard 90.4 for which Woodford is known). First introduced in 2018, Batch Proof celebrates Woodford Reserve proprietary batching process — blending barrels and then presenting the liquid at its actual proof, which this year is 123.2.
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep Coffee Amber
Aroma: Rich oak, overripe banana, and marzipan, with hints of orange oil, dusted graham cracker and dried cherry.
Taste: Dried apricot drizzled with rich dark chocolate layered over toasted hazelnuts and coffee with faint flavors of cinnamon and clove.
Finish: A long finish of spearmint and sweet cedar wood.
Oat Grain Kentucky Bourbon
The 2018 Master’s Collection Oat Grain Kentucky Bourbon plays homage to this history by including oats in its grain recipe while minimizing the rye content. Oats are the traditional flavor grain in pot still Irish Whiskey. This four-grain recipe brings forward the barrel’s rich oak flavor contribution and an Irish whiskey’s fruitiness.
Tasting Notes
Color: Rich Russet Brown
AROMA: A soft complex layer of oak character (resinous, fresh sawn, toasted, charred notes) is sweetened with a touch of caramel and brightened with a hint of cinnamon and peppermint spice atop a dash of orange zest.
Flavor: Delicate grain and oak notes evolve into a ripe apple peel fruitiness backed by an orange peel crispness. A
touch of caramel and peppermint build at the end.
Finish: Long with faint memories of apple and orange all dusted with cocoa.
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.
Tasting Notes
Color: Peruvian brown
AROMA: Crisp yeasty and bready notes mingle with soft oak, vanilla, milk chocolate and marzipan. Walnut, pecans and Fall leaves bring the oak tannins forward.
Flavor: 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.
Batch Proof™ (2018)
The Woodford Reserve® Batch Proof™ expression is a way to celebrate the flavor nuances contributed through a change in the finishing presentation and tells the unique Woodford Reserve story. Woodford Reserve Batch Proof Bourbon is crafted using the same grain bill and process as Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Woodford Reserve Batch Proof bourbon takes the flavor range of sweet vanilla and toasted oak, that has become the Woodford Reserve trademark, to a whole new level.
Woodford Reserve Batch Proof bourbon is a highly limited offering from Woodford Reserve. Continuing its innovation in whiskey crafting, Woodford Reserve Batch Proof bourbon is a straight bourbon whiskey from a select group of barrels. This limited edition, product of Woodford Reserve is bottled at 62.9% abv.
Tasting Notes
Color: Rich orange amber
NOSE: A complex medley of wood spice notes including smoked cedar, dark chocolate, pineal, and vanilla are balanced with hints of orange zest, grilled pineapple and cherry fruit. Sweetened with a trace of marzipan, peppermint, and malt.
Flavor: Dark chocolate drizzled over toasted almonds, hazelnuts and malty shortbread spiced with hints of leather, cedar, and nutmeg.
Finish: Rich aged leather spice and dark chocolate lead to a crisp dry finish.
Cherry Wood Smoked Barley
The Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Cherry Wood Smoked Barley is the 12th release in the series. Cherry Wood Smoked Barley marries innovation with the bourbon industry’s historic roots by paying tribute to the craftsmanship and vision of past distillery industry leaders Oscar Pepper and James Crow, who once distilled on the current day site of the Woodford Reserve Distillery.
This is one of the first Kentucky Bourbons to use malted barley that’s been exposed to cherry wood smoke. With 30% malt content, the Cherry Wood Smoked mash bill has a higher concentration of malt than a traditional bourbon.
Tasting Notes
Color: Rich amber.
Aroma: A complex mingling of deep caramel, brown sugar and dark chocolate top a layer of cherry jam and nutty crumbles dusted with wood spice.
Flavor: 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.
Past Releases
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 flavors 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
Color: Warm red ochre.
Aroma: 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.
1838 Style White Corn
The Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection 1838 Style White Corn is the latest and 10th release in the series. It combines innovation and inspiration from distilling industry pioneers Oscar Pepper and Master Distiller James Crow, whom began distilling on the site of our present distillery in 1812.
1838 Style White Corn was created by adjusting the whiskey’s first source of flavor – grain. The use of white corn instead of traditional yellow corn complements additional grains in the whiskey and allows for a sharper whiskey that’s lighter in body with a softer, sweeter, fruit-forward profile.
Tasting Notes
Color: Light golden honey.
Aroma: Soft and nutty with a malty grain note sweetened with apple fruit, hints of spun sugar, cooked sugar and vanilla. Glimpses of cedar and clove spiciness through a delicate veil of oak smoke.
Flavor: Shortbread and a subtly cool lemon custard note are lightly spiced and dried with a dash of white pepper.
Finish: Long and slightly dry with a lingering sweet, buttery texture.
Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir Finish
The Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir Finish is the latest in product innovation from Woodford Reserve, and marks the ninth release in the series. The Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir Finish was produced by taking a batch of mature Woodford Reserve and finishing the spirit in Pinot Noir barrels freshly emptied and shipped from California’s famed Sonoma-Cutrer Winery. Take a look at our Master Distiller’s explanation behind his inspiration for Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir Finish here.
DOUBLE MALT SELECTION
The Double Malt Selection was released in November 2013, but supplies were limited, so ask your retailer today.
Globally, whiskey is presented in a wide range of flavor profiles, often described as either Old World or New World in style. Old World whiskys (Scotch, Irish, etc.) typically have a grain-focused flavor profile, and those of the New World (Bourbon, Tennessee, etc.) highlight the impact of new-oak cask maturation.
The Double Malt Selection affords you the rare opportunity for a side-by-side barrel style comparison so you can see and taste the difference for yourself. Both bottles feature a malt recipe spirit that was uniquely triple distilled in Woodford Reserve’s copper pot stills; the primary difference is in their maturation. We like to say that one is ‘grain forward’ and the other more ‘barrel forward.’ Try them for yourself and decide which style you prefer!
2017 – CHERRY WOOD SMOKED BARLEY
2016 – BRANDY CASK FINISH
2015 – 1838 STYLE WHITE CORN SELECTION
2014 – PINOT NOIR FINISH SELECTION
2013 – CLASSIC MALT SELECTION
2013 – STRAIGHT MALT SELECTION
2012 – FOUR WOOD SELECTION
2011 – NEW CASK RYE
2011 –AGED CASK RYE
2010 – MAPLE WOOD FINISH
2009 – SEASONED OAK FINISH
2008 – SWEET MASH (First International release)
2007 – SONOMA-CUTRER CHARDONNAY FINISH
2006 – FOUR GRAIN
2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: Gold Medal – Master’s Collection New Cask Rye
2011 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: Gold Medal – Master’s Collection Maple Wood Finish
2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: Double Gold Medal – Master’s Collection Seasoned Oak Finish
2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: Gold Medal – Master’s Collection Sweet Mash
