Review #255 - Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Woodford Reserve's entry level offering, a Kentucky straight bourbon from Versailles, Kentucky - no age statement or other details, but we get a strength of 45.2% ABV (90.4 proof), which is at least a bit higher than some of the standard 40% or 43% bottles in this price category.
The brand's website claims that there are 'over 200' flavor notes to be discovered in this whisky - let's see how many we can come up with.
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon
USA - Bourbon
Price Paid: USD 30 (2023)
Current Locally Available Price: USD 30 (2024)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 45.2% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 4 times over 3 years; bottles at 60%, 100%, 90%, and 80% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: A mixture of baking spices and some fruits: brown sugar, vanilla, and grain, but also hints of cherries, some mushy bananas, a tiny hint of stone fruit. Grows sweeter and more grainy with time, and there's a hint of permanent marker smell occasionally.
Palate: A medium-thin mouthfeel; raw oak, slightly nutty spice, some generic brown cooking spices as well. Not too sweet at first, but we did find candied pecans and brown sugar; the fruit from the nose has disappeared, and the grain notes have grown stronger. A bit simple and mellow, and again, that soft permanent marker smell lingers.
Finish: Soft oak, just a hint of astringency, and the finish grows sweeter than the palate. Brown sugar, cardamom, and malty grain mingle; a bit plain, and it lasts a medium-short amount of time.
Final Note: Quite a plain bourbon - not offensive, but not a lot of interesting flavor development. There was definitely a focus on grainy flavors and baking spices, and while the palate was not initially too sweet, the finish became saccharine, maybe a little too sweet. The permanent marker smell wasn't a particularly pleasant addition, possibly hinting at some youth, as well.
Value here is fine - this is generally the sort of flavor we expect at this price level, other than a few standouts here and there.
Our Average Rating: 5.1 / 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: 6.52
Check out our other Woodford Reserve reviews:
Review #209 - Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey
