Woodford Reserve

In addition to affecting color, the type of barrel in which a whiskey is aged can account for as much as 80 percent of its taste. This is dramatically demonstrated with Woodford Reserve’s Rare Rye Selection ($99.95). This is the sixth and latest offering of their Masters Collection, in which master distiller Chris Morris periodically […]

Not only is Woodford Reserve the oldest distillery in Kentucky—with a history dating to 1797—it is unique in that it triple pot-distills its bourbon (most American whiskeys are double distilled) and maintains an on-site cooperage. This has enabled master distiller Chris Morris to produce bespoke barrels and, in turn, to create the Woodford Reserve Master’s […]

Acclaimed craft bourbon distillery Woodford Reserve continues its tradition of turning out innovative, limited-edition spirits with its sixth Master’s Collection release. Called the Rare Rye Selection, it comprises a set of two different rye whiskeys, each distilled from the same 100 percent rye mash recipe. One version matured in new charred oak casks, acquiring deep […]

Generally, we are averse to selecting the same distillery for inclusion in our Best of the Best issue two years in a row, even when the whiskeys in question are dramatically different. Yet we cannot ignore master distiller Chris Morris’ consistent innovation in developing his ongoing Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection. Last year we recognized his […]

For this, the fifth in a series of innovative limited editions by master distiller Chris Morris, triple-distilled Woodford Reserve bourbon—aged over seven years in American white-oak barrels—was “finished” in sugar-maple barrels. This extra aging added a flavor element of maple syrup, a rich, sugary sweetness enhanced by toasted cedar, lemon, and apricot. But the whiskey […]