Forged Oak is the latest release from Diageo’s Orphan Barrel series. The youngest bourbon of the group, Forged Oak is 15 years old and 90.5 proof. Forged Oak is also the cheapest in the series. A bottle should run you about $65. It was distilled at the new Bernheim distillery in Louisville between 1997-1998 and aged at the Stitzel-Weller warehouses. It’s mash bill is 86% corn, 8% barley and 6% rye. Looks like a really low percentage of rye. How does it fare in a glass? (more…)
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
On our way back home from an unforgettable honeymoon in Charleston late last year, my wife and I stopped in Tallahassee for gas. I remembered reading about a great liquor store in the area, Market Square Liquors. We were nearby and decided to take a quick detour. Whenever I travel, I manage to squeeze in a visit to a liquor store or two. I’m glad I did. There was an impressive wall of bourbon and other whiskies. My eye got drawn to a bottle of Wild Turkey 101 Rye. With rye whisky experiencing somewhat of a renaissance, demand is high. Wild Turkey 101 rye got taken off the market for a while. While their 81 proof rye is available in most places, Wild Turkey’s 101 rye whiskey is currently limited to bars. If that’s true, how did Market Square Liquors have several bottles for purchase? Their bar is connected to their retail store and is owned by the same gentleman. Needless to say I snatched up a bottle of WT 101 rye (also picked up a bottle of Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Seasoned Oak Finish.)
Wild Turkey 101 proof rye whiskey is a blend of 4 and 5 year old whiskey stock. On the nose I get primarily vanilla, honey and rye spice. The flavors don’t differ much – lots of rye spice, honey, light caramel and mint. The finish on this is medium and sweet, think honey for the aftertaste.
This is one of the sweeter rye whiskies I’ve tasted. It’s not as sweet as Angel’s Envy Rye. It holds up nicely in one of my favorite cocktails, the sazerac. I hope Wild Turkey’s supply of 101 rye catches up with the demand soon. A liter bottle will run you just north of $30. If you’re in the market for a rye and run across a bottle, snatch it up quickly.
8/10
Wild Turkey Bourbon Whiskey Info, Reviews, and Musings
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