Review #209 - Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey
While many American malt whiskies, especially single malts, use a mashbill contained 100% malted barley, that isn't the case here - we only have 51% malt, and the remainder of the mashbill is undisclosed by the distiller, but likely comprises of some mixture of corn, rye, and wheat.
This is aged in new charred American oak barrels, like a bourbon, but Woodford doesn't give us any sort of age statement, a theme with a lot of their bottles.
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey
USA - American Whisky
Price Paid: USD 34 (2022)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 36 (2024)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 45.2% ABV
Details: Mashbill contains 51% malted barley
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 15 months; bottles at 100%, 70%, and 50% (blind tasting) fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Somewhat sweet, grain forward, and a little bit oaky - caramel, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla make up the sweet side, while a little bit of astringency and tannins add a spice. Hints of barley sugar, a whiff of cherry fruit, and peppercorns make up the remaining flavors.
Palate: Peppery and sharp, oaky, and a little hot for its strength. The mouthfeel is medium-thin, and it's bringing wood tannins, sweetness from caramel and butterscotch, strawberry preserve, sour cherry, and a hint of an earthy effervescence.
Finish: Medium-short in length, trails off a bit with some herbal spice, lighter sugar flavors, some grain, and a bit of barrel char.
Final Note: A bit simple, and the slightly chemical effervescent flavor that gained some strength in the palate and lingered into the finish wasn't our favorite flavor. This stuck mostly to the grainy baking spice and oak flavors, with just occasional fruit notes adding another dimension; because the price is reasonable, it isn't the worst value, but it isn't a huge recommendation from us.
Our Average Rating: 4.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.35
