Woodford Reserve

Make way for Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select, the “Official Bourbon” of the Kentucky Derby AND the Breeder’s Cup!

Perhaps it’s how the horses stay so cool and collected during the race? It is, after all, the “Thoroughbred of Bourbons”.

History
Production
Tasting Notes
Visiting Woodford Reserve
Rating
Comments
Buy Woodford Reserve Collectibles

History

This small batch bourbon comes from a distillery originally built by Elijah Pepper in Versailles, KY in 1812.

It is currently one of the oldest of the nine still functioning distilleries in Kentucky. In 1878 the distillery was purchased by Leopold Labrot and James Graham, who (except during Prohibition) operated it until 1941.

Due to severe war-time restrictions, Labrot & Graham went bankrupt, and the distillery was sold to the Brown-Forman company of Louisville, KY (who also owns the Jack Daniels and Old Forester brands).

Despite the sale, the distillery retained the Labrot & Graham name. Brown-Forman sold it after just three years, only to re-purchase it 23 years later in 1994 and subsequently spent over seven million dollars renovating the property.

The distillery was officially renamed as The Woodford Reserve Distillery in 2003 and is one of the official stops on the Bourbon Trail.

Production

While Woodford Reserve was originally bottled from extra-aged honey barrels of Old Forester, it is now primarily bottled from bourbon made in old-fashioned copper pot stills (as opposed to modern column stills).

Their barrels of bourbon are aged in a 100 year-old stone warehouse, whereas many other whiskey warehouses are built from wood. The stone better retains heat, allowing the warehouse to heat and cool more slowly as the seasons change. This means the whiskey shrinks and expands in the barrel more slowly as well. Some claim that this allows for more predictable aging and consistency in taste.

The barrels are aged for at least 6 years and then poured and bottled at 90.4 proof.

Since 1999, Woodford Reserve annually releases a special bottling for each running of the Kentucky Derby. Additionally, they have also created two other special release whiskeys, their Sonoma-Cutrer Finish whiskey and the Master’s Collection Four-Grain Bourbon, which I will write about in a later review.

Tasting Notes

The nose is quite woody and has light notes charcoal and dark chocolate. On the palate, it is smooth with subtle spice. It has a delicate woody sweetness, but not quite as potent as the nose. The finish is long and dry with a flowery twist. A hint of wood still lingers.

For me, the inviting and markedly strong nose stands out.

Visiting Woodford Reserve

Should you ever find yourself in the neighborhood of Versailles, KY (pronounced “vur-sales”, not “vair-sigh”), it is worth your while to do some exploring and visit the distillery. Tucked away among endless acres of beautifully scenic Thoroughbred horse farms you’ll find the Woodford Reserve Distillery. The site has been designated a National Historic Landmark since 2000.

They welcome visitors, and guided tours are $5 per person. In addition, if you’re serious about your Woodford Reserve, you can even buy your own custom batch. They’ll pair you up with a craftsman to help you pick out the barrels you’d like, and then bottle you 180 1-liter bottles of your own special bourbon, complete with custom labels with your name on them. You also get a private tour of the distillery when you do your barrel selection.

If you don’t plan on picking up and heading to Kentucky any time soon, I suggest you at least venture out to the corner store and treat yourself to a bottle of Woodford Reserve. You can usually pick up a 750ml bottle for around $34 – $38. Most higher end liquor stores should carry it.

Rating

Overall, I find Woodford Reserve to be a solid bourbon. It has a medium complexity with high woody notes, yet it remains fairly smooth. It’s not too sweet, but it’s also not too spicy. In my mind, Woodford Reserve has a nice balance that lends well to mixed drinks, and is often a go-to for me at Derby time when I’m mixing up mint juleps — which seems fitting given its Kentucky Derby sponsorship.

If a bar or restaurant carries any upper-shelf bourbon, this is very likely to be one of them (Brown-Forman definitely has the distribution game down). I would say I’ve seen it in 4 out of 5 major airport bars I have been to in the U.S., so it is a good one to get to know if you travel much.

My only complaint about Woodford Reserve is that it may be a little over-priced in my mind, so I have to dock it a few points in terms of value.

87/100

How do you rate Woodford Reserve? Let us know by leaving a comment.

Looking to buy Woodford Reserve? Check the eBay listings below.

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Maker’s Mark is one of the big boys of the bourbon world. I have a lot to say about it. Since this is a longer than average review, I have added links for you to jump to each section of my write-up.

History
Making Maker’s Mark
Making the Brand
Tasting Notes
Recommendation & Rating
Comments
Buy Maker’s Mark collectibles

History

Maker’s Mark — the only big fish in the small pond of Loretto, Kentucky.

Dominating a town with a total area of only 3.5 miles, the Maker’s Mark distillery is probably the reason they get their own zip code. Make no mistake about it, Loretto is a company town, intensely proud of their single product.

The very first bottle of Maker’s Mark was introduced in 1958, at the luxury price of $7 per bottle.

A masterpiece crafted by Bill Samuels Sr., Maker’s Mark is distinguished by its red wax seal, and, of course, by it’s notably sweet taste. Mrs. Samuels was a fine pewter collector, thus always in search of “the mark of the maker”. She also collected bottles of cognac, many of which were often sealed in wax. These two hobbies inspired her to suggest both the name and the emblematic red wax dip.

After countless experiments in the family kitchen, Bill Samuels, Sr. concluded that the recipe should use gentle winter wheat as the flavor grain, instead of the traditionally used rye. This provided a sweeter flavor with no trace of bitterness or heavy spice.

Making Maker’s Mark

Though six years is a fair estimate for the typical age of each finished barrel of Maker’s Mark, there is no predetermined aging time like many other brands of bourbon. And thus there is no aging claim printed on the bottle.

Instead of having an expiration date at the warehouse after a certain number of years, Maker’s bottles based on taste. Warehouse personnel also routinely rotate barrels of aging bourbon from the top floors of the warehouse to the bottom to benefit from the difference in temperature and improve consistency in the aging as the seasons change. As the barrels reach maturity, each must be approved by expert tasters before its contents are poured.

The final product is bottled at 90 U.S. proof (45% alcohol by volume). Workers hand-dip the bottle in red wax, giving each bottle of Maker’s its signature finish.

Maker’s Mark is the most well-known of the “wheater” bourbons — the others being the Old Fitzgerald, Weller, and Van Winkle lines. Wheated bourbons, where the 2nd grain (also called the “flavor grain”) is wheat instead of rye, are generally smoother and sweeter than their traditional rye-based brethren.

Making the Brand

The old Maker’s Mark slogan, “It tastes expensive… it is”, was very successful in the 1960s. The Samuels family was brilliant in predicting, if not creating, the premium bourbon boom, however their whiskey now comfortably sits in the middle of the pack as far as price goes.

Today, depending on where you shop, you can usually get a 750mL bottle for around $24-$28. While it is priced slightly higher than some of its middle-shelf competitors now, Maker’s Mark provides great value for its quality and consistency.

Another building block of the Maker’s brand is its Ambassador program. By creating a team of missionaries for Maker’s, Bill Samuels’ team has smartly built an informal sales force of fanatically loyal customers, who eagerly push Maker’s on to their friends and family. Very few companies work to inspire that kind of loyalty, and that’s just smart business if you ask me.

Also, their distillery tour is unparalleled in its sophistication, breadth, and entertainment value. They have built what might be called a bourbon amusement park. It is always the first stop I recommend for anyone planning to do a tour of the Bourbon Trail circuit.

And if you’re ever in Louisville, KY, the Maker’s Mark Bourbon House & Lounge deserves a visit. In addition to featuring an entire wall of backlit Marker’s Mark bottles, it also showcases an impressive selection of bourbons from many other Kentucky distilleries.

Finally, the Maker’s team have their finger on the pulse of the Kentucky psyche and create products to mirror that. They routinely release limited edition commemorative bottlings dedicated to certain events or Kentucky luminaries. Some of the people honored on these special releases include Bill “Mr. Wildcat” Keightley, “The Unforgettables” University of Kentucky basketball team, Kentucky Derby winners, and others. (see the eBay listings below for some examples)

Because Maker’s Mark does not release a single-barrel or long-aged bourbon, these special bottlings are generally the only collectible Maker’s products you will find on the shelf. But when they’re released, you better hurry! Each time a new commemorative bottle is released, it is the talk of the town, and they are snapped up fast.

The folk at Maker’s Mark make a solid bourbon, but they sit at top of the heap when it comes to building a brand — they are marketing geniuses in my book.

Tasting Notes

As for what to look for when drinking Maker’s:

The nose has subtle hints of fruit and caramel, anticipating the sweetness you will find in the first sip.

The palette adds a deep molasses element and no hint of bitterness. The short and sweet finish is smooth and almost too abrupt.

It is a simple but pleasant whiskey, one where you know what to expect and won’t feel too challenged. Think of it like a comfort food, a trusty old friend, if you will.

Recommendation & Rating

I consider Maker’s Mark to be a staple for any bourbon shelf. For many, it serves as a gateway into the wide world of bourbon. It is readily available, an iconic, well-recognized brand, consistent in quality, and provides an easily accessible drinking experience due to its sweet, smooth flavor.

If you are new to drinking bourbon or looking for a good choice to serve to non-whiskey drinking guests, Maker’s is one of only a few whiskeys you absolutely must have.

For old-hands, Maker’s sometimes is described as boring or uninspiring. For me, I once felt that way due to developing a taste for more traditional rye bourbons. I will say, however, as I have moved past bourbon drinking adolescence, I have re-developed a fondness for Maker’s Mark. I know what to expect, I know I can always find it. It’s trusty. It’s reliable. And it’s good.

While I hesistate to rate bourbons, since I feel there are very, very few bad bourbons on the market, I know some of you have asked me to start doing so.

So to put a number on it, I rate Maker’s an 85 / 100.

Was Maker’s also your gateway bourbon? Is it still a staple for you? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.

Looking to buy collectible Maker’s Mark bottles? Check the eBay listings below.

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Introduction
History
Production
Tasting Notes
Rating
Comments
Buy Wild Turkey Collectibles

Fire!

Both a fair description of Wild Turkey 101’s taste and an interesting footnote in its recent history.

On May 9th, 2000, a huge seven story warehouse in Anderson, Kentucky became engulfed in flames, and thousands of gallons of Wild Turkey bourbon subsequently spilled into the Kentucky River. Several hundreds of thousands of fish across 66 miles of the river died. The good people at Wild Turkey reportedly paid $256,000 to help restore the population of our gilled friends.

Apparently the fish were not accustomed to drinking like a fish.

Anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of sampling some “Kickin’ Chicken” would argue that the most devastating loss was the loss of bourbon. Wild Turkey has been winning the hearts and palettes of whiskey aficionados and amateurs alike for decades.

Wild Turkey’s history can be traced back to 1869, when the Ripy family opened their distillery, on what has come to be known as “Wild Turkey Hill”. Its famous name originated from a group of friends’ annual Wild Turkey hunting trip in 1940, when Ripy distillery executive Thomas McCarthy brought along some of his company’s wares. His hunting buddies enjoyed it so much, that the following year they asked him to bring more of that “Wild Turkey” bourbon, and the rest is history.

photo courtesy of charmingman

With a distinct rye-heavy mashbill aged for 8 years, Wild Turkey 101 is a unique bourbon with an easily recognizable taste. Its low price belies the quality of what you will find in the bottle.

Contrary to popular belief, its name is not a nod to its educational value for those unfamiliar with Wild Turkey, but rather a reference to its alcohol content. At 101 proof (50.5% alcohol by volume), the “Dirty Bird” is one of the bolder mass-market bourbons you’ll find.

Despite a trend toward lower proof whiskeys in the ’70s and ’80s, the Wild Turkey folks did not compromise on their flagship bourbon (instead, they released an 80-proof red-headed step-child version). Even after being acquired by the spirits conglomerate Pernod-Ricard in 1980, they stuck to their guns. In fact their motto is “Uncompromising since 1855″. Keeping true to form, the whiskey that made them famous retains the same kick it had 50 years ago.

Wild Turkey has a wonderfully inviting nose of honeysuckle and leather, lulling you into a false sense of security. Its powerful taste first hints at sweet berries and vanilla but quickly moves to a spicy and peppery wallop. The finish is rather long, with echoes of oak. The “chicken” definitely packs a punch – or a kick, rather, so this bourbon is not recommended for the novice, despite its popularity at frat parties.

According to Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, Wild Turkey is still made “the old fashioned way”, meaning (among other reasons) that they don’t sacrifice quality for quantity by distilling at higher proofs and then watering it down.

You can pick up a 750ml bottle for yourself for the reasonable price of about $14-18. It is widely available, in nearly every liquor store and bar. If you wander into some place without the sense to stock it, high tail it out of there.

Rating: 86/100

Know any other euphemisms for Wild Turkey?
Leave a comment below.

Looking to buy collectible Wild Turkey bottles? Check out the eBay listings below.

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