Woodford Reserve is a bourbon whiskey that is produced in small batches by the Labrot & Graham distillery. The distillery is located in the American state of Kentucky, close to the town of Versailles. Woodford Reserve is presented in a recognisable narrow square bottle and is made using a combination of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. It is named after Woodford County, where the distillery is located, and was first introduced to market in 1996.
It is one of the only bourbons that undergoes a triple distillation through copper pot stills (most others are distilled twice or use a column still) and is the official bourbon of the world famous Kentucky Derby horse race. It has won many prizes worldwide including a Double Gold Medal at The World Spirits Competition in 2000 – this made it the first bourbon to ever win that prize.
The distillery was founded in 1812 by Elijah Pepper in Versailles, Kentucky. The current buildings were erected in 1838 and it was named the Oscar Pepper Distillery after Elijah’s son. In 1878, Leopold Labrot and James Graham took control and changed the name to Labrot & Graham. This name appears on the current bottles of Woodford Reserve. Labrot and Graham ran the distillery until 1941, when they sold to the Brown-Forman Corporation.
Brown-Forman are the current owners – they also own the Jack Daniel’s distillery in the neighbouring state of Tennessee. They mothballed and sold Labrot & Graham in 1968. However, they decided to start producing premium small batch bourbons and re-purchased the distillery, which they saw as ideal for the purpose. That was in 1993 and following a complete refurbishment, including new copper pot stills made in Rothes, Scotland, production was restarted.
Woodford Reserve Straight Bourbon is bottled at 43.2% ABV (86.4 Proof) and is widely available in bars, supermarkets and specialist whisky retailers globally. A bottle should cost £32-£35.
Our tasting notes
The colour is coppery amber and the nose is sweet and spicy. Aromas of vanilla, coconut and oak hit immediately. Underneath this, other elements reveal themselves – honey, maple syrup, orange oil and warm spices (imagine ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg), plus hints of cocktail cherry and marzipan. The combination smells amazing.
On the palate, this whiskey presents plenty of oak and vanilla upfront before other notes begin to come through. The vanilla has a creaminess that is reminiscent of top quality vanilla ice cream and combines with notes of fresh coconut, orange oil and warm spices (especially gingerbread). In addition, there are further notes of brown sugar, almond marzipan and maraschino cherry. These add depth and complexity. The initial oak grips the tastebuds and hangs on with late hints of astringent apple juice and peanut butter developing.
The finish becomes increasingly dry, woody and spicy, especially once the sweeeter elements fade – imagine a combination of fresh oak, cereals (especially some bittersweet rye), gingerbread, nutmeg and a bint of old leather.
What’s the verdict?
Woodford Reserve a popular bourbon, especially within the cocktail world where it is a bartender favourite. It is easy to see why as its exaggerated flavours and deep complexity stand out when mixed with any manner of other things. When taken neat, this is a lovely bourbon for those same reasons – the nose is amazing and enticing, while the palate is characterful but is a little drier and woodier than expected. However, that should not stop you trying this excellent whiskey, which also offers great value for money. Mint Julep anyone?
