Woodford Reserve Distillers Select

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 43.2% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select brings together two distillation methods: whiskey triple-distilled in copper pot stills is combined with whiskey from a column still followed by a thumper. Its grain recipe consists of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. Corn provides the sweet foundation, while rye supports its spicy character.

Maturation takes place in new white oak casks from the distillery's own cooperage. The wood is toasted and charred to the house specifications; the bourbon then matures in warehouses with controlled heat cycles. Casks are selected by taste rather than a fixed age. This bottling has an alcohol content of 43.2% and comes in a 0.7-litre bottle without gift packaging.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Bold grain aromas and pronounced oak lead on the nose. Delicate spice notes add a restrained accent.
• Palate: Sweet caramel, ripe apricots and banana bread come together on the palate. The texture feels balanced, with subtle leather notes, spicy tobacco and distinct mint complementing the flavour.
• Finish: Spice notes linger in balance through the long finish.

Distillery/Bottler:

The Woodford Reserve Distillery lies among horse farms near Versailles, Kentucky. Whiskey was being made on its site, now protected as a National Historic Landmark, as early as 1812. The site's mineral-rich water is naturally filtered as it passes through layers of limestone and is free of iron.

The production process uses cypress fermentation vats and a proprietary yeast. Fermentation lasts five to seven days, giving the yeast time to develop fruity aroma compounds. The copper pot stills were supplied by Scottish manufacturer A. Forsythe & Son. Elizabeth McCall has been Master Distiller since 2023; Chris Morris continues to support the distillery as Master Distiller Emeritus.

Facts: