Chris Morris

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Whiskey Review

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Woodford Reserve was the first premium bourbon I really enjoyed when I “graduated” from Jack Daniel’s.  I later learned Woodford Reserve is from the same family: Brown-Forman.  Brown-Forman owns Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve and Old Forester.  Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Old Forester bourbon have been around forever, whereas Woodford Reserve came to market in the mid-1990s.

The minimalist bottle is easy to find on the shelves.  Master Distiller Chris Morris even gives us a batch and bottle number on the small tan label.  The ‘Labrot & Graham’ etched above the ‘Woodford Reserve’ on the bottle is the name the distillery was formerly known as many many years ago.

Coming in at 90.4 proof, Woodford Reserve has high rye content.  It’s evident on the nose, along with vanilla, toffee and caramel.  I get some of that rye spice on the palate.  There’s also caramel, maple syrup, cinnamon and light char.  The char comes on the back end.  The finish is medium and sweet.  Woodford Reserve has a lighter body than I’d like, but it carries an overall nice flavor.

I almost always have a bottle of Woodford Reserve on hand.  It’s nice neat, on the rocks and in an old-fashioned.  The brand promotes a Manhattan cocktail made with Woodford Reserve.  I haven’t tried it yet, so I can’t comment.  The old-fashioned cocktail I’ve made many times with this bourbon is quite tasty.  For $30+ a bottle, I’d recommend picking one up.  Keep an eye out for a limited edition bottle design close to the Kentucky Derby.

7.5/10

Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Sonoma-Cutrer Finish Review

For the past several years, Chris Morris, the Master Distiller at Woodford Reserve, has been tinkering with his bourbon.  He plays around with the different aspects of making whiskey, be it the mashbill, distillation process, aging or the finish.  These experiments are released each fall as a small batch whiskey under Woodford Reserve’s “Master’s Collection” umbrella.

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This year’s release sees Mr. Morris playing around with the finish again.  He finished fully-matured Woodford Reserve Bourbon in barrels that previously held Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir.  Back in 2007 he did something simliar – finishing Woodford Reserve in Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay barrels.  From what I remember reading years ago, that release got mixed to good reviews.   How does this year’s release taste?  Woodford Reserve provided a tasting sample.

So… how does it taste?  In a word:  interesting.  It’s got a deeper color than standard Woodford Reserve.  On the nose, this whiskey is a bit oakier than I was expecting.  Past that, I can make out separate typical bourbon aromas and pinot noir aromas.  Taste-wise, just like in the aroma, there is a lot of oak.  More so than you’d think for a bourbon less than 10 years old.  I really wanted a “big fruit” bourbon with a prominent dark cherry flavor.  What I got didn’t quite meet my high expectations.  The fruit definitely comes out, but it seems to be competing with the traditional bourbon flavors of caramel, vanilla and spice.  There’s obviously more flavor and boldness here versus traditional Woodford Reserve.  What I like about this is that, given the pinot noir influence, it isn’t too sweet.  The finish, however, is sweet, dry, and moderate in length.

I’ve only tasted one other “Master’s Collection” release – their Seasoned Oak Finish from 2009 (which I just picked up last month on my honeymoon.)  That particular bourbon was outstanding.  This one I’ll leave at “interesting.”  At a MSRP of $99.99, I’d suggest you try it before you buy it… although I have a feeling most of you will really like what you taste.

7/10