Woodford Reserve Batch Proof is part of their Master’s Series Collection where they show off what experiments they have been working on at the distillery. These releases have included multiple experiments over the years and some even gaining a lot of attention for how bad they are. What Woodford usually wins with are the smaller 375ml bottles that have included releases such as; Double Double Oaked, Four Grain, and Five-Wood to name a few.
Woodford Reserve Batch Proof
Proof:
Age: NAS
Distillery: Woodford Reserve
Mashbill: 72/18/10
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Nose: Allspice, Banana, Butterscotch, Candied Caramel, Cedar, Clove, Mocha, Hazelnut, Honey, Orange peel, tobacco, and sweet vanilla cream.
Taste: Astrigent/Velvety mouthfeel. Almond, Banana, dark berries, sweet caramel, charred oak, mocha, leather, tobacco, brown sugar, black pepper, and vanilla.
Finish: Medium-long length. The finish is surprising with this one. The spice kicks it up a notch, but this somehow helps elevate the sweetness within the bourbon. Notes of blackberries and black cherry start poking out through the middle of the finish before ending on a nice, yet delicate vanilla custard note.
Overall: Compared to normal Woodford - this is a huge step above! This is something Woodford should have out year around for those high proof junkies like myself. Woodford Reserve’s master distiller, Chris Morris, is a fan of higher proof offerings, so it is a shame this is not something we can get our hand on more often. There are a few takeaways that send this above the regular offering, but at the same time, it doesn’t blow me away. This is very delicious juice that I wish everyone could enjoy more often, but given it is a limited yearly release, I would have to recommend something else most of the time.
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Positives: Amazing nose, Tons of flavor, Good finish.
Negatives: Limited release, Retails for $120, Too many other competitors that have a standard Barrel/Batch Proof offering that is always on the shelf.
Rating: 6.9/10
Price Rating: 4/10
Overall Rating: 5.45/10