Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve, Flask style bottle, 750ml, 90.4 proof, $27-32.



After doing lawn & garden work all day yesterday myself and the wife had out first cookout on the deck I built last weekend. Steaks, corn, potato salad, almost a mini-prep for Memorial Day weekend .

Having given some time for the food to settle I poured some Woodford Reserve in my glass and went out to watch the sunset over the farmland that surounds me. This is my second bottle of Woodford Reserve as I was unsure about the quality of the first. I was going to do this review a few months ago but decided to give Woodford Reserve a second try with a new bottle I bought last week.

Sadly, the results are the same for me. While not a bad bourbon and certainly a step up from some I've had it, in my opinion, did not live up to the reputation that I have heard and read about. With expert reviewers like Michael Jackson and Jim Murry giving this a 9 and 8.5 rating respectively I thought that it would be a better drink.

Woodford Reserve noses very nicely with subtle oaky and charcoal and a touch of sweetness that bourbon is known for. However, upon tasting the oak is now longer subtle but rises up and takes control of the flavor. Oak is OK when it is in balance with the rest of the drink but this was entirely too much. Oak almost drowns the other flavors making it very hard to detect anything underlying.

I tried really hard to like this bourbon but for the money I can get Wild Turkey Rare Breed or for $3 more a 1.75L bottle of Elijah Craig both of which I like more. While I am seemingly in the minority with my opinion different tastes are the reason that there are so many quality bourbons to choose from. If you like it fine, but I have many more I'll reach for first.

Ratings will never be able to eliminate the element of individual taste. If Woodford Reserve doesn't do it for you, it doesn't do it for you. However, it does it for me, and now there will be more of it, for me.

I'm also on the positive side of Woodford. Sorry it doesn't work for ya, AVB! ??? I believe I will take a trip down to the distillery this summer. It should be pretty neat.

I will give the "Rare Breed" a try to see how it tastes.

Thanks for the review!

Floyd T. :sign:

After doing lawn & garden work all day yesterday myself and the wife had out first cookout on the deck I built last weekend. Steaks, corn, potato salad, almost a mini-prep for Memorial Day weekend .

Having given some time for the food to settle I poured some Woodford Reserve in my glass and went out to watch the sunset over the farmland that surounds me.

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Sounds like the set up was perfect. Too bad the pitch was not more to your liking.

I just took a tour of it this weekend and it was pretty damn cool. I myself will probally pickup a bottle soon.

I to like the Woodford Reserve. But I always drink it after having sweet dark beers. And always w/ 4-5 pieces of ice. I find that after a little ice melts, the flavor opens up nicely.

Emo

AVB, unless your opinion has changed, I'm with you on the Woodford Reserve. It's not a bad bourbon, by any means, there's just better stuff out there. I saw you mention the Wild Turkey Rare Breed and got some at the NEX this week. Really smooth, especially for the proof. I did some research on their site and saw that they recommend sticking the bottle in the freezer. I did, and it made it even better. No need for ice cubes to water it down, which I had to do when it was at room temp. I may be a "salty sailor", but there was no way I could drink it neat. :laugh:

No, my opinion hasn't changed yet. I'm not one to put my booze in the freezer either so Rare Breed neat or over one ice cube does me fine. I don't plan that far ahead to put the bottle in the freezer.

AVB said:

No, my opinion hasn't changed yet. I'm not one to put my booze in the freezer either so Rare Breed neat or over one ice cube does me fine. I don't plan that far ahead to put the bottle in the freezer.

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Wouldn't putting booze in the freezer also take a toll on the nose of a good whisky?

ThankYouForNotSmoking said:

Wouldn't putting booze in the freezer also take a toll on the nose of a good whisky?

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I think it would take a small toll. It is not something I would do with most bourbons, but with this one, it would be either ice cube(s) or the freezer. This way, as it warms slightly, you still get the good nose, but without having watered down your whiskey. It was not something I would have thought of myself, but I am glad I did. Johnnie Walker recommends doing the same for the Gold. Not sure I'd do that, though. Is that inconsistent of me? Well...I guess.

acharpe said:

ThankYouForNotSmoking said:

Wouldn't putting booze in the freezer also take a toll on the nose of a good whisky?

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I think it would take a small toll. It is not something I would do with most bourbons, but with this one, it would be either ice cube(s) or the freezer. This way, as it warms slightly, you still get the good nose, but without having watered down your whiskey. It was not something I would have thought of myself, but I am glad I did. Johnnie Walker recommends doing the same for the Gold. Not sure I'd do that, though. Is that inconsistent of me? Well...I guess.

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I mean, this bourbon never struck me as needing rocks or cooling - it doesn't have a lot of bite. I would go so far as to say that its blended to make it drinkable for non-bourbon drinkers who spend money at the Derby in May. As in, it's tailored to be more mellow. Just my opinion though, still not a bad bourbon and worth the $22 you can sometimes find it for at duty free.

You guys are getting confused. The Wild Turkey Rare Breed was the one mentioned about going in the freezer and not the Woodford. See post #7.

Sorry about the confusion, guys! Wild Turkey Rare Breed's in the freezer. Woodford's in the liquor cabinet. I shouldn't have changed the liquor mentioned in the Woodford Reserve thread. :blush: I do put a splash of filtered water from the dispenser in the fridge with my Woodford when I drink it. In fact, that is what I do with all of the scotches and bourbons I drink. I find it helps, not to dilute them, but to open up the flavors. I am still a whisk(e)y noob though, so take that with a grain of salt. :laugh: I do appreciate all the great reviews here though, but I don't think my wife does. Awful lot of new bottles in the liquor cabinet the past few weeks!