Bourbon Reviews:




Bottling NameWoodford Reserve
Bottled ByLabrot & Graham Distillery Versailles,KY
TypeKentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Alcohol content90.4 Proof
Availability US: Available Japan: Unknown Duty Free: Not Available Europe: Unknown
Views (since 20080612) 195076
Bottling InfoMichael
Nose: Cigar-boxes. Hint of charcoal.
Palate: Very firm. Full of flowers, lightly combined. Whole almonds. Marzipan.
Finish: Very long. Flowery. Violets.
Comments: Perhaps encouraged by the dark-orange colour, the descriptors sound sweet, but the overall effect is one of pithy dryness, with great finesse.

Jim
Nose: Pronounced oak, softened by fruity rye and gentle vanilla. A little toffee and honey.
Palate: Big, big lift off with a powerful oaky-rye surge and an immediate arrival of spice. Toasty toward the middle with the corn arriving late on.
Finish: Long, cocoa and oak finale, burnt toast with a spread of honey. Comments: More oak and age than normal. Being small batch, it does vary but is always delicious.

- Whisky Magazine
Events for this bottling:



Review from coburn_c (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2353, Created:20150925002803) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:Belmont Beverage
Purchased for:~30
Info on this bottle:Batch 1327, Bottle 3571
Nose:Cherry acetone. (Seriously? I'm about to drink acetone?)
Taste:Crisp, clean acetone. Maraschino liqueur. Fire.
Finish:Burning oak trees. Did I just drink good bourbon? It tastes like I just had good bourbon but I don't remember it.... Screw it I want more.
Overall:This stuff is fantastic. My go to. This is everything a good night of drinking should be.

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Review from Augmister (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2308, Created:20141001225453, Updated:20141002214840)
Purchased at:NH State Liquor Store
Purchased for:17.99
Info on this bottle:Batch 137 Bottle 923 375ml Chris Morris
Nose:Sweet. Carmel and Vanilla. Fragrant. Light. A wonderful smelling libation with a wisp of oak. Little sense of alcohol present. Addictive fragrance that I could sniff all night. As mentioned, the nose on this bourbon is remarkably joyful!
Taste:Light flavor that washes the the mouth and tongue with no bite, no burn and just a hint of spice, going down. Very thin feel of the bourbon on the tongue and gums, like a slightly spiced apple juice rinse. Flavor. Not boldness. Suave. Di Caprio not Di Niro.
Finish:A gentle, smooth finish that lasts just long enough to give you the perfect excuse to put the glass back under the nose and slowly slip again, and again and again. No burn or bite. Civil, not rebellious.
Overall:Lost my virginity with WR, tonight while writing this post. A newby at trying different brands. Love the smoothness from nose through finish. Light and flavorful and could only drink and appreciate this bourbon neat. Richer and smother than Cognac, a more satisfying taste to my pallet. I will happily finish this small bottle and replace it with a larger one. A masterful and delicious blend by Chris Morris.

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Review from ConleeC (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2304, Created:20140922000608)
Purchased at:Alameda Liquor, Burbank, CA
Purchased for:$30
Info on this bottle:Batch 882, Bottle 4149 Approved by Chris Morris
Nose:Maple syrup, vanilla
Taste:Vanilla, Corn, rapidly transitioning to spice.
Finish:Unfortunately, the finish elicits a strong black licorice taste, which I'm not a fan of.
Overall:If not for this taste coming thru so strongly, this would be a top shelf bourbon for me. It has a strong taste profile and stands out other bourbons in this price range. I'd rate it 8/10.

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Review from dave5422 (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2292, Created:20140113184933) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:celebrations
Purchased for:$35.00
Info on this bottle:batch 120 bottle #5392 approved by chris morris
Nose:floral, ripe fruit, light vanilla, light oak
Taste:smooth on the tongue, more taste of oak and vanilla, then caramel and spice fading to fruit and a light bite of alcohol
Finish:somewhat short, fades too quick. floral and fruit at the end
Overall:this spirit was recommended by a friend, a very good bourbon for sure. it fails to intrigue me enough for it to be on my top shelf. will probably try it again, perhaps a different batch. still prefer the higher proofs with more pronounced flavor

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Review from Birdo (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2288, Created:20131226072119, Updated:20131226101727)
Purchased at:Gift
Purchased for:Free, but goes for $30/750ml here in Louisville
Nose:Nothing special, Oak and vanilla typical.
Taste:Nice spice starting out, goes to vanilla and carmel mid palate. A bit of fruit flavor comes thru. Full flavor without being obnoxious, quite nice. Not too dry, not too sweet, just right.
Finish:Reasonable chewey and long.
Overall:Woodford seems to have all the elements of great bourbon in perfect balance. No rough edges or anything unpleasant. Just excellent bourbon.

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Review from Wasatch (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2239, Created:20130913164733) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:SLS Layton, UT
Purchased for:$50 750ml
Info on this bottle:Double Oaked
Nose:Nice dark golden amber color.

This one is very nice, sweet vanilla tones, very nice oaky notes, with some caramel, butterscotch, slight citrus note, some spicyness.
Taste:The taste is very nice, sweet, oaky, with some caramel/citrus notes, and a nice touch of spices.
Finish:Medium/Full Body. Nice long finsh, smooth, slightly dry. Goes down nice for such a high ABV.
Overall:Really enjoy this one, one of the tops on my list. Well done!

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Review from Photoqwest (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2209, Created:20130705011728, Updated:20130705012210)
Purchased at:Mega Liquor Warehouse - Hemet, Ca
Purchased for:$24 on sale
Nose:Sweet, strong vanilla, brown sugar
Taste:Strong oak and spice, leathery tobacco, not getting the sweet tones of the smell, slight metallic tinge
Finish:medium to long linger, oak and spice, the leathery tobacco continues through the finish
Overall:Excellent Bourbon, one of my favorites. Highly recommend!

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Review from poohcrackers (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2058, Created:20120310001047) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:Poured at the Magic Castle
Purchased for:Open Bar
Info on this bottle:Not sure
Nose:A lot of vanilla and caramel. A little bit of alcohol, but the vanilla takes over.
Taste:Slight spice, hint of caramel.
Finish:Long finish, slight spice, and I'm left with the taste of cough syrup at the end.
Overall:Nice nose and start, but not a good finish for me. Never been a fan of cough syrup growing up, and still not a fan. Good thing I tried this at an open bar. Not my favorite.

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Review from Watson Roadster (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2044, Created:20120211001336, Updated:20120214182833)
Purchased at:LCBO Grimsby,Ontario
Purchased for:$44.00 CDN (On Sale!!! $3 off!!!Woohoo!!!)
Info on this bottle:Labrot & Graham...Woodford Reserve...Distiller's Select...Batch#154...Bottle Number 09582...Approved by Chris Morris
Nose:BIG butterscotch!!!Some vanilla...Not much oak (a little bit)..There's an intermingling with the alcohol and a fruity thing going on like sour apples?...Very nice...
Taste:This is good stuff!!!Serious viscosityThe butterscotch is muted and the oak comes through with some prickly spice...Very good mouthfeel
Finish:Long and lingering!!!...Still have the butterscotch mingling with the oak and spice with just a little heat from the alcohol
Overall:I've always been a fan of Woodford.This is very good bourbon,in my opinion.The butterscotch thing is almost overwhelming in the beginning because you can smell it a long way from the glass.As I said,it's much more muted when consumed.A definate winner and always a favourite!I can almost picture myself at Churchill Downs watching the Kentucky Derby when consuming this bourbon...

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Review from Wasatch (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2023, Created:20120101145800, Updated:20120101150834) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:Layton, UT
Purchased for:$34 750ml
Info on this bottle:Batch 569 Bottle # 2015 Approved By: Chris Morris
Nose:Nice dark golden amber color.

This one is very nice, sweet vanilla tones, oaky, with some caramel, slight citrus note, some spicyness.
Taste:The taste is very nice, sweet, oaky, with some caramel/citrus notes, and a nice touch of spices.
Finish:Medium/Full Body. Nice long finsh, smooth, slightly dry. Goes down nice for such a high ABV.
Overall:Really enjoy this one, one of the tops on my list. Well done!

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Review from raul (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 2002, Created:20111017200519)
Purchased at:Lancaster
Purchased for:30 something
Info on this bottle:Woodford Reserve Distilers Select
Nose:[Olfactory impressions]nice
Taste:[Description of the initial taste impression]very nice
Finish:[Description of the lingering taste impression]I like it a lot
Overall:[Overall impression of this bottling]I like bourbon, not a bourbon snob, just know what I like, and this is good bourbon, very good bourbon. I may find something I like better but I havent yet, yep, very good bourbon. Can't go wrong with this.

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Review from BuffaloBill (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1998, Created:20111005193625)
Purchased at:MA
Purchased for:$16?
Info on this bottle:WRDS
Nose:Varnish and fruit...
Taste:Roughhouse leather and dye.
Finish:Raspy...
Overall:This little guy went over the top without nitro for a very longtime. Dumped! Nada score... 2/3rds full from 8 month ago. BB

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Review from lowdog212 (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1915, Created:20101231111314, Updated:20101231153926)
Purchased at:Woodman's East - Madison WI
Purchased for:$31.99 plus 5.5% tax - 750 ml
Info on this bottle:Batch # 424 Bottle # 06113 Approved by Chris Morris
Nose:Smells like whiskey.
Taste:Hot chot chot chot cha! It don't taste like oak (what does oak taste like anyway?), or bananas (bananas? Come on, really? Bananas?), or mint, or violets, or caramel, or apples. Man-up for cryin' out loud, it is bourbon! If you want something that smells and tastes like fruit, drink Hawaiian Punch, and get out of my way, because I want some of this bourbon! Bananas?
Finish:Lip-smackin', glass-lickin' good!
Overall:Bottom line is - This is a good tasting, smooth bourbon. Don't water it down with ice you wuss, enjoy it neat, and you'll want to tip the glass back to get every drop! Respect this bourbon, and enjoy it responsibly.

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1828, Created:20100330172114, Updated:20100330174158) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:
Nose:An opening of citrus (orange shading), rye, then whiffs of vanilla, leather, oak, and char. The alcohol is fairly prominent and mingled with it in trace amounts are bist of maple syrup, and some of the softer spices - allspice comes to mind. A very nice bourbon nose with good balance 'twixt the elements.
Taste:Rich corny sweetness greets the tongue followed close on by the heat from the spice and the alcohol. Creaminess lasts right the way through to the back and keeps its share of the ground it took upfront. Excellent viscosity, depth, and balance. Balance is achieved cause neither the thick sweetness nor the zippy spice can dominate the other. A Mexican Standoff on a one lane bridge.
Finish:Fairly long with a nice touch of sweetness hanging on in the rather intense heat.
Overall:Excellent bourbon.............BUT, I prefer the Old Forester Signature from the same distiller. Even though the OF is 100 proof vs the WR 90.4 proof, the WR seems more alcoholic and a bit hotter. And, OF is only a little more than half the cost of WR. Sometime soon, I need to do a thorough side by side with these two bourbons.

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Review from gillmang (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1822, Created:20100319192742, Updated:20100322080329)
Purchased at:LCBO
Purchased for:$45.00
Info on this bottle:Current purchase in Ontario, Canada
Nose:Candy, brown sugar, some notes of pine
Taste:Very smooth despite the evident piny and grassy pot still notes. There is more age on this whiskey than I recall from earlier years. That softens and presents the assertive pot still notes well.
Finish:Lingering with cereal, pine and molasses intertwined.
Overall:Best WR I have had. I think it is better than it used to be because stocks used seem older. Also, I would guess the people doing the mingling currently are working to a specific, almost brandy-like palate. Very good and surely a taste of a certain kind of historical bourbon, i.e., when bourbon was made in pot stills or the fairly primitive three-chambered beer stills. It drinks very well neat but makes a fine Manhattan too.

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Review from bradlikesbrew (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1691, Created:20090914145520)
Purchased at:
Nose:Toast, oak, vanilla
Taste:Toasty, caramel, oak, light vanilla, touch of spice.
Finish:Medium in length, some spice.
Overall:Layers of complexity, flavorful, bold. Still think it is too pricey, but it is some good bourbon.

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Review from BourbonDave (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1625, Created:20090710222752)
Purchased at:Liquor Barn, Lexington, KY
Purchased for:$29
Info on this bottle:Batch 390
Nose:Brown sugar sweetness, some caramel and floral notes. One of the best bourbons for nosing, the smell is candy delicious!
Taste:Sweetness upfront, then at mid-palate the rye kicks in to balance the flavor. Great viscosity and a little grainy. More of the brown sugar, maple and a little vanilla, maybe even honey from time to time.
Finish:The fishish is long and warming. The fruitiness of the rye really adds to the finish.
Overall:WR was the first bourbon that I fell in love with. I guess you could say that it was my gateway drug. It is what I compare all other bourbons to. It is a bit pricey compared to some other bourbons, but everytime I have a sip, it reminds me that it is worth every penny. Probably my all-time favorite.

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Review from gillmang (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1592, Created:20090602114119, Updated:20090604095658)
Purchased at:Toronto
Purchased for:$40 plus
Info on this bottle:Same bottle as my last review - current offering at LCBO Ontario
Nose:Definite scent of oils (varnish-like) and the characteristic wood and char of WR
Taste:Very rich for WR, the richest I have ever tasted. Good maple-like sweetness and depth with medicinal hints (always the sign of fine bourbon). The polished wood of the nose is not ascertainable as a separate element, it informs and deepens the mingling on the palate,
Finish:Notes of brown sugar, medicine, barrel char, some echo of the nose as well.
Overall:I thought I would attempt a second review as a whiskey sometimes seems different on a subsequent tasting. This is a classic instance of very good mingling. The pot still element clearly is the source of the metallic oily notes and mingling it with column still-Woodford makes for the perfect combination. What it does is add complexity to a drink that is after all probably not more than 6 years old. I enjoy the differences in the different batches over the years and while the pre-batch 90 (I think it was), all-column still, make had its own character, the current iteration of WR is the best it has ever been as a mingling of pot and column still bourbon IMO.

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Review from gillmang (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1552, Created:20090503165211, Updated:20090504110329)
Purchased at:Toronto
Purchased for:About $50.00
Info on this bottle:Batch 146 (special numbering for LCBO)
Nose:First, hit of rye. Second, seasoned wood and some coppery/pot still notes. The wood notes are cindery-like, a trait the whiskey shares with stablemate Jack Daniels Single Barrel.
Taste:Heavy-bodied, tastes like the nose plus sweet smoked wood. Well knit-together.
Finish:Echos of charcoal, wood, black pepper
Overall:Excellent bottling, quite close to Buffalo Bill's description of some newer-issue WR purchased in Cape Cod. Shows the effects of the pot still (and the relatively young age of the whiskey, I'd guess 6-8 years) but in a suave, rich, cognac-like interpretation. I agree the current Chris Morris-approved examples are superb. This is a versatile bourbon, good for neat sampling, rocks, cocktails. Quality stuff.

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Review from independant (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1526, Created:20090327091144)
Purchased at:liquor barn KY
Purchased for:unknown
Info on this bottle:batch #356 bottle #08658
Nose:WOW!!!! one of a kind, sweet very sweet with flowers. Its like I opened a can of sweet corn in a flower garden.
Taste:The super sweetness dissipates followed by soft honey and lite oak, fruit and vanilla.
Finish:Short. Little to no alcohol burn. Fruit flavor is all that remains. Reminds me of eating a pear.
Overall:To me the best part about this bourbon is its nose. It is really one of a kind. I feel that I am getting so much more sweetness from this batch then others are getting from theirs. Before I finish this bottle I will buy another to see If it was this batch.

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Review from BuffaloBill (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1381, Created:20081209124805)
Purchased at:Cape Cod, MA
Purchased for:$4.25 - 50ml
Info on this bottle:Woodford Reserve (approved by Lincoln W. Henderson)
Nose:A different and older bottling. Heavy rye off the nose, peppery and very straight.
Taste:This possesses the metallic (copper) quality that we sometimes talk about...
Finish:Sharp cut, brief.
Overall:It's the most stringent sample of Woodford's I've had to date, and somewhat unremarkable, lacking the properties of the newer bottlings by Chris Morris. Last years bottlings and the latest approved by Chris are far superior.

2-Stars BB

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Review from BuffaloBill (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1295, Created:20080916204752)
Purchased at:Cape Cod, MA
Purchased for:$4 - 50ml
Info on this bottle:Woodford Reserve (Specially selected and approved by Chris Morris)
Nose:This is amazing WR that's unlike any others. A huge nose, lots of ripe fruit meeting a subtle floral essence and touch of rye. Orange peel and peaches are predominant. Impeccably balanced.
Taste:Silky smooth and very rich. Big stuff... some copper resides beneath the Rye. A delicate honey tone surfaces after a light to medium burn, evolving into a fine bouquet of ripe fruit and leather. This is some of the finest Woodford Reserve I've ever tasted.
Finish:Long. Huge arching legs... lightly peppered. A multitude of residual notes appear after the fact. Fun bourbon...
Overall:Highly impressive. Cheers to Chris - I'm going back to the store and buying the rest of these miniatures. A+

BB

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1175, Created:20080628164846, Updated:20080628165619)
Purchased at:Sigman Bottle Shop, Conyers, GA
Purchased for:$17 for 375 ml
Info on this bottle:Batch 14 Bottle # 06323
Nose:Vanilla, oak, leather, a concoction that is not agressive but is quite pleasing.
Taste:A nice dollop of upfront honey and corny sweetness followed on closely by a grab of warm spice.
Finish:Lingers as a spicy ember, reluctant to give over.
Overall:Very nice bourbon.......not greatly complex nor subtle, however.

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Review from BuffaloBill (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 1108, Created:20080604142619)
Purchased at:Cape Cod (MA)
Purchased for:$28 on sale. Normally $35.
Info on this bottle:Batch #250
Nose:Cinnamon and spice, everything nice. Lovely Amber/Orange, colorful.
Taste:Full flavored, broad mouth-feel. Nothing harsh. The nose matches the flavor profile. Integrated.
Finish:Long and syrupy. A good amount of residual brown sugar.
Overall:When it comes to a good straight-ahead (weighted) full-flavored Bourbon-On-The-Rocks, this baby stands up to ice without losing character. It's an all around good pour for company and at home. This particular Batch (#250) showed very well. I went back to the store and bought a few more to share with friends. An anytime/anywhere, good upper mid-shelf Bourbon that holds true to form.

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Review from gillmang (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 928, Created:20071201124107, Updated:20071201124259)
Purchased at:
Purchased for:Circa $40
Info on this bottle:Current standard bottling at Ontario liquor board, batch 143 (a number apparently reserved for the liquor board and only rarely changed)
Nose:Good notes of barrel wood, light spice, cereals, cherryish fruit - withal the typical WR nose but softer than some bottlings, quite refined.
Taste:First, a soft texture and mouthfeel, like when you put your head on a feather pillow and are not sure when you hit the bottom. Second, a pleasant wood sweetness with some "wet wool" and musky perfumed notes. The taste is very integrated and almost brandy-like.
Finish:Some light metallic notes and wood - the supposed WR copper profile shows through perhaps.
Overall:Probably the best WR I have ever had due to its rich, fine taste. The mingling was done particularly well here. The finish spreads evenly on the palate and keeps going. Some WR's are a little clumsy, but not this one!

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Review from spun_cookie (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 923, Created:20071126123914)
Purchased at:Delta Airlines. For sale on Delta Aircraft only...
Purchased for:$5
Info on this bottle:50 ml
Proof Of this Bottle:90.4
Nose:Full, rich caramel and vanilla. I picked up the apples and pears again... with a touch of cinnamon and oak
Taste:This time, the nose equaled the nose. I picked up all of the above in the tastes.... I plan to have another shot at it tonight on the way to Salt Lake City
Finish:Longer and fuller than the previous review. I wish I had 1.75 mL of this one. It would move way up my list.

Overall:Much better than the bottle I had at Fry's. Makes my wonder if the bottle I had sat in the sun on the back dock to long... or maybe it was the altitude :o)

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Review from spun_cookie (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 854, Created:20071012164839, Updated:20071106191951)
Purchased at:Frys Tucson, AZ
Purchased for:~$29
Info on this bottle:750 ml
Proof Of this Bottle:90.4
Nose:Vanilla, oak, and apples
Taste:Taste does not equal to the nice nose. Little flat with more earth tones than I had hoped. Lacked complexity, balance, and depth I had looked for.
Finish:Moderate finish with some sweetness
Overall:Affordable bottle to sit and consume on a poker night.

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Review from Kendall (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 836, Created:20070910154804, Updated:20070913175033)
Purchased at:Liquor Mart II , Richmond,Ky.
Purchased for:29.00/750ml
Info on this bottle:Woodford Reserve /batch 210 bottle #05845
Proof Of this Bottle:90.4
Nose:vanilla, sweet, fresh, maple syrup, makes you want to keep smelling it.
Taste:wood, not as good as the nose. Light, fruity. no burn.
Finish:Silky, warm, makes you want to drink more.
Overall:A good bourbon, very smooth.
Add a liitle water and this stuff goes down smmoothhh.

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Review from bourbonv (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 798, Created:20070703152643) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:You can only get this at the Bourbon's Bistro
Info on this bottle:Bourbon's Bistro personal selection, unfiltered, 10 years old
Proof Of this Bottle:90.4
Nose:The rich amber red color immediately lets you know this is a different breed of Woodford. The nose has a rich creme brule' caramel and vanilla start followed by a ripe apples and very ripe pears fruit aroma with a little nutmeg and cinnamon spice and a hint of oak tannins.
Taste:Very fruity flavor - Apples and dates with caramel toffee, a little fine leather and tobacco with just a hint of pepper spice.
Finish:Long and sweet - caramel and fruit with just a little oak wood and mint.
Overall:Drink it neat and maybe with a little chocolate.

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 757, Created:20070428154059, Updated:20070428185240)
Purchased at:Sigman Bottle Shop, Conyers, GA
Purchased for:$16 for 375 ml
Nose:A robust nose with vanilla and oak, the aroma of Granny Smith tart apples pops up along with some caramel. The nose is deep and complex, the aromas infuse the nose with their insistence. Given time some smokey char becomes assertive. A nose that is anything but timid.
Taste:Nice sweetness that becomes quite zippy about mid way cross the mouth. A rich creamy coating makes its way following the spice. A balanced, tasty bourbon to my palate this time around. Better than in the past. Still, It doesn't seem quite the equal of the nose
Finish:A moderate finish with the spice and sweetness working together for the fun of it.
Overall:Best example of WR in my experience. A very 'good' bourbon.

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Review from gillmang (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 669, Created:20061216165754, Updated:20061216170231)
Purchased at:Ontario liquor monopoly
Purchased for:$20 (CAN)
Info on this bottle:375 ml. size, Batch No. 1 signed Chris Morris
Nose:Cherry wine, slugging a 70's pop wine at the bar-b-que
Taste:Woody, ethanol, a little gritty and very full
Finish:Lingering and full with coppery, ethanol tangs
Overall:An excellent, full-bodied whisky but not one with finesse

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Review from gillmang (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 668, Created:20061216165737, Updated:20061216170905)
Purchased at:
Purchased for:$40 (CAN)
Info on this bottle:Batch 141 signed Chris Morris, apparently selected by Ontario liquor monopoly
Nose:Some new make whiskey and smoke
Taste:Wood predominates, some sweetness, whiskey flavour, a little uni-dimensional
Finish:Wood and ethanol seem to prevail
Overall:Good whiskey, very full-flavoured but not elegant or well-integrated, still very satisfying and "big"

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 636, Created:20061108141748, Updated:20061108145651) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:Sigman Bottle Shop, Conyers, GA
Purchased for:$16
Info on this bottle:Batch 14 Bottle number 06323 - 375 ml
Nose:A nose that asks patience and prompts you to put your smeller well into the glass to realize its wonders. Revealing themselves are vanilla, oak, corn, leather in nice abundance, caramel and some warming rye. This nose says you have a very nice bourbon in your hand.
Taste:Alas, not quite the equal of the nose...........what went amiss? While there is some sweetness and spice which are enjoyable, a lack of complexity, balance, and depth keep it from the top shelf. It lacks the heartiness that characterize some others in this prince range (e.g. VW Lot B).
Finish:A decent finish with the sweet and spice playing footsie out the door to the gullet.
Overall:Woodford Reserve always presents a problem to me. First of all, because I don't really know if it wants to consider itself as a super-premium bourbon (which it ain't in my judgement.............I can name several in this price range that are superior which don't seem to want to sell themselves as super-premium) or secondly. because I know people who think WR is the creme de la creme of bourbon. I have never sat down with these folks to have a drink and done any side by side comparison so they may in fact be one dimensional in their bourbon taste. Still, because I respect those folks as descriminating people, I have gone out of my way on several occasions to be optimistic about WR.

Alas, my palate and desire to be objective won't give over. In my opinion, Woodford Reserve is a very good bourbon that, experience tells me, never makes it over into the top shelf realm. Frankly, I am growing a bit tired of trying to put it there.

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Review from bourbonv (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 483, Created:20060426095549) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:Bourbon's Bistro Bar
Purchased for:8.00
Info on this bottle:Batch #52
Proof Of this Bottle:90.4
Nose:Ripe fruit - apricots, with caramel, nutmeg spice, fine aged tobacco and leather.
Taste:Sweet caramel and oak with fine leather and tobacco.
Finish:Short and sweet with caramel and a little fruitiness.
Overall:Very good neat or in a manhattan cocktail.

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Review from BourbonSteve (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 448, Created:20060412185908)
Purchased at:whitlock package, mar
Purchased for:$33
Nose:syrupy, caramel, vanilla, (the distillary calims green apple but I don't catch it).
Taste:Sweet, smooth, long on the palate, light body, no burn whatsoever. A bit of oak, cotton candy, and maple syrup.
Finish:Sweet arrival that make you take notice but doesn't knock you on the head. Wispy, ends somewhat quickly. Nice but a bit flat.
Overall:For my money it's better than Knob Creek. A bit sweeter, smoother and just enough complexity with its' hint of marshmellows, oak and vanilla it lends a fine touch with no burn in it. A good primer to those new at drinking bourbon and still a favorite of many.

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Review from MikeK (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 447, Created:20060412032951)
Purchased at:Michael's Wine & Spirits, Weymouth MA
Purchased for:$15.99 for a 375ml
Info on this bottle:Batch #9 Bottle #10567 Approved by Lincoln W. Henderson
Nose:Caramel, blueberries, cherries, banana, vanilla
Taste:Sweet with a late burn at the back of the mouth. Burnt caramel richness, honey, banana, mint, gooey caramel.
Finish:Short to medium in length. Soft and spicy with a subtle sweetness.
Overall:A very enjoyable pour. Fruit and caramel in a glass. Hopefully this really was a low batch number bottle and they didn't restart the numbering or use a different sequence for the 375ml bottles ...

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Review from jbohan (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 138) View discussion on this review.
Purchased at:Several bottles given to me for birthday
Nose:Nice enough, nothing too complex, it lets you know this is good bourbon, not bottom shelf product.
Taste:Here's where it does the job, leave it on your tongue as long as you can to enjoy the effects the copper pot stills bring. You really need to enjoy this part because...
Finish:The finish is weak and short. To me the finish is the most important part of a tasting and this fails the test.
Overall:Certainly a good product, although at a steep price. Much better bourbons are available for less.

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Review from Mike (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 137)
Purchased at:Sigman Spirits, Conyers, GA
Purchased for:$30
Info on this bottle:Batch 116, bottle # 10588
Nose:Sweetness, rye, very little oak or vanilla, alcohol seems a bit out of proportion to the actual proof, to this nose nothing seems to stand out. A very mediocre nose for a fairly renowned bourbon.
Taste:Proper amount of sweetness, but nothing much else comes through for me. Is a smooth whiskey but complexity is not its name
Finish:Moderate length, due primarily to the alcohol. WR doesn't activiate my sensory module............
Overall:I know people who swear by Woodford Reserve, people I like and respect a lot...........I can't get it. Understand, it is not a bad bourbon, but in these days that is like damning with faint praise, which, I suppose, is exactly what I am about here. There are too many other lucious bourbons out there for this opinionated bastard to spend his time and money on this one. For you WR lovers............our taste be different!! This bottle of WR is being blended with Elijah Craig 18 YO and a touch of first class Cognac in preparation for someone giving me some Distiller's Masterpiece to taste (Bourbonv, you are a culprit here!). Utter heresy, I know, but no one has accused this ole boy of being strictly orthodox!

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Review from bourbonv (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 75)
Purchased at:Given to me by Lincoln Henderson
Info on this bottle:Batch 3 VIP bottle
Proof Of this Bottle:90.4
Nose:Vanilla and oak, and then more vanilla with floral tones - violets. Subtle hint of spice, maybe allspice.
Taste:Smooth with no burn, but some warmth. Sweet toffee and and spiced apricots.
Finish:WOW! The finish is my favorite part of this bourbon. It leaves a pleasant sweet oak flavor that you just don't want to end. It almost soesn't, as the finish lasts for several minutes.
Overall:This is an early batch of Woodford Reserve made from 100% honey barrels before they started putting pot still whiskey in the product. It is great bourbon and I chose this today so I can come back with a more modern version to do as a comparison.

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Review from bunghole (BourbonEnthusiast Review ID 60)
Purchased at:Virginia ABC Store
Purchased for:$30.90
Info on this bottle:Batch # 142 Bottle # 07319 Approved by Lincoln W. Henderson
Proof Of this Bottle:90.4
Nose:These newer vatted malt batches of Woodford Reserve have a lighter shade of amber than the old single malt versions of yore.

The nose of smokey oak; vanilla, and maple sugar candy top notes. Fruity elements of green apple; pears, and appricots play like a brass section punctuating the downbeat of the bourbon. There are some minor nuances of a matalic astringency/tannicness deep underneath.
Taste:There has been some drift in the flavor profile as Woodford Reserve transmorgrified from a single malt variant of Old Forester to the vatted malt of copper pot stilled and the column stilled whiskey. There is an astringent metalic taste on the sides of the tongue now that wasn't there before, but it is not unpleasent - just different. Gone is the ultra candy of batch #40 (my favorite) and in it's place is the tart fruitiness of the 'brass section' that tastes like a mixed fruit jam of some kind which is a very unique and unexpected delight. Yes it's different now. More like a variation on a theme rather than a whole new tune.
Finish:A cooler finish prevails. Not softer, but not the spicey heat of the Old Forester single malt. Again there is some metalic tartness of the copper stilled element. Along with a pleasent, but a decidedly different and intriguing finish of respectable lenght.
Overall:OK it's different now. Accept it or don't drink it. The Woodford Reserve of old is gone with it's do-wop sweet melody line and hot soulful finish, but you can still enjoy this in Old Forrester 100 proof.

Enter the jazz inflected copper tinged complexity of a new vatted malt in an odd numbered time signature. A new flavor terrain to transverse and a new sinewy stripped down finish to savor. Copper pot honey come to papa!

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