Woodford Reserve Rye

Woodford

Origin

USA

Type

Rye Whiskey

Barrel

New Oak

Age

No Age Statement

Alcohol

45,2°

Value

50 points

About the product

Rye whiskey holds a special place in the history of our favourite drink. At one time, it was the most popular type of whiskey drunk in the USA. Not surprisingly, a lot of the classic cocktails with whiskey originally called for rye whiskey as a base. However, rye slowly went out of fashion and its place was taken by the slightly more accessible bourbon, which is generally a bit sweeter and softer to drink. Fortunately, rye is making a comeback, and there are again many good examples of this real old-school American whiskey on the market.

Woodford Reserve Rye is definitely one of the best of them. The base, the grain recipe or mashbill, is really according to the old recipes from before Prohibition: 53% rye forms the core, making spiciness and tobacco the main flavour elements. Far from being a simple drink, this whiskey offers you a world of complexity, both to drink on its own (with or without ice) and to incorporate into cocktails.

The colour of the whiskey is already particularly inviting: rich honey! The nose then offers plenty of spice, with a clear presence of the rye, black pepper, cedarwood and cassia bark. A bit of marzipan sweetens the palate and hints of apple, pear and almond take turns calling for attention. On the palate, the spices continue: clove, mint, molasses, sorghum and honey mingle with hints of apple and malt. The finish is long and gently spicy, a reward for those who deserve it!

About the brand

Woodford Reserve is inspired by the history of bourbon whiskey itself. On the site where Woodford Distillery now stands, bourbon was first made as early as 1812. Not surprisingly, then, the distillery itself has been recognised as a national historic landmark. The history of Woodford is the history of bourbon, and the history of bourbon is the history of the state of Kentucky and by extension the entire United States.

Woodford's flagship product, the Woodford Reserve bourbon, is made from a mashbill of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. That grain recipe guarantees a balance between the sweetness of the corn, the spiciness of the rye and the nutty components from the barley malt. At Woodford, they employ one of the longest fermentation times in the entire industry. The entire production process is in the hands of Chris Morris and Elizabeth McCall, who have been essential in shaping Woodford's story and the role of innovation. Examples include the very first bourbons ever to receive finishes in Chardonnay or Pinot Noir casks, for example, and the first examples of using casks that previously contained maple syrup. In addition to a strong focus on quality, there is also a strong focus on sustainability at Woodford; for example, they recycle more than 98% of all the waste they produce while making their whiskeys.