Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Batch Proof 125.8

American whiskey tasting evening, Sydney, 21 September 18. Whiskey #6 Nose: Rich woody aromas of many types – sawn planks, waxed floorboards, old sideboards, charred barrel staves, hazelnuts, walnuts, etc. Behind this oak-forward profile there are scents of orange flowers and zest, vanilla extract, raisins, Jersey caramels, bananas, tobacco, desiccated coconut and cinnamon. The addition of water brings out a slight minty and menthol hint and opens the nose considerably. Palate: The arrival is massive and richly semi-sweet like a mouthful of stewed prunes and apricots soaked in high-proof alcohol. This is balanced by a tannic dryness that is just enough to prevent the palate from becoming cloying or one-note sweet, and by an intense, but not unpleasant, alcohol heat. There is also a combination of sugary flavours - brown sugar, maple syrup, treacle, toffee and fruit preserves. As it develops the profile becomes drier with dark chocolate and dried figs appearing alongside warm spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. The overall impression is of dark Christmas pudding flambéed with bourbon. Finish: Long. Astonishingly long. Sweet and leathery, the full mélange of flavours from the palate slowly fades away. I was still tasting a memory of this literally hours later. For my 300th Distiller review I was going to rate an iconic scotch single malt, however after tasting this excellent Woodford Reserve at the whisky night I attended last Friday I decided it had to be the subject, as it is one of the best bourbons I have encountered. I do usually prefer scotch whisky to bourbon so you have to bear in mind that my opinion will always be influenced by that preference. In this case there is something about this whiskey that is reminiscent to me of an old cask-strength Speysider. It is a classic bourbon, by which I mean there are no outré aromas or flavours, no fancy finishes and nothing unexpected. What makes it special is the depth and intensity of its character, with manifold layers being conveyed by the high proof, and its exquisite balance. It is, quite simply, a particularly well-made whiskey at cask strength. However, although its powerful profile can be enjoyed neat, in my opinion water is necessary to allow full appreciation of its complexities. The high alcohol volume locks up the character as tightly as a pirate’s buried treasure, so although it is interesting neat it is also unrelenting and hard to penetrate. Dilution makes it a much more enjoyable and rewarding experience. Fortunately, this spirit can swim like an orca. Just a few drops of water lifts the blanket of alcohol and releases more aromatic fruitiness and fragrant oak. This process continues as more water is gradually added - I eventually took it down to under 40% and it was still massive, flavourful and continuing to open. It’s length and staying power are considerable, but perhaps the most outstanding aspect of this bourbon for me is its dynamic personality. The other spirits that were tried on the night seemed small, limited, easy and two-dimensional in comparison. They were still and quiet – unmoving and passive, whereas the Woodford Reserve seemed to be almost alive in the glass, breathing, constantly evolving and challenging the taste buds. A highly recommended whiskey, and even at the relatively expensive price I’d call it value for money. I was very pleased to be able to acquire a bottle. “Excellent” : 89/100 (4.75 stars)

Neat. Opened 1.5 - 2 years (yikes time flies). Derby pour. I recall really enjoying this the last time I had it but haven’t sat down with it for a serious tasting. The bottle is now 2/3rds gone, so time to end it over the next few weeks. Gosh, the first note I am grabbing from the nose is surprising me. It’s a short bread sugar cookie. Very bright and very sweet. As I spend more time in the glass it is darkening into more traditional Woodford territory. Caramel glaze. Plenty of cherry. Some really nice oak and leather. I really the combo of the caramel and sugar cookie. Strangely, for something opened for so long I can still get hit with a blast of ethanol if I get too aggressive. I just want some more sugar cookie and instead I get my nose smacked. Perfect, creamy texture and it lights up the palate with brown sugar, maple and sweet oak. Mmm that was a really good first sip. It transitioned into this creamy milk chocolate with a cherry cream center. Then came the sugar cookie and it ends with a rich caramel. The legs slowly transition back to that sweet oak and they hang out for a bit. Weird how this mutated into this Irish Whiskey meets Woodford combo. The proof on this magnifies all these traditional Woodford flavors. Still makes me never want to drink regular Woodford again. This is so much better. Why not turn this into a normal release or at lease a ECBP multiple batches a year at a better price. At $70 this would be a fun comparison to similarly priced barrel proof offerings. At $130, it is still a hard one to recommend when I think $65 ECBP is still consistently better. It’s worth the experience to understand what Woodford could be but also makes it all the more frustrating too. Great pour while it lasts but I won’t be too nostalgic when this bottle runs dry.

Woodford has always been a go-to for me from the very start. I've loved how it weighs heavier on the side of brown sugar leather notes. This bourbon takes that to a whole other level. I tend to agree mostly with Distiller's taste notes - the nose did have quite a bit caramel, vanilla, oak-y Woodford goodness along with a little heat. Drier taste, but had the classic peppery leather followed by a warm brown sugar finish. Little more of a full-fledged flavor profile on this compared to the classic Woodford I've come to know and love. Thinking of this bottle as a higher proof double oaked - full of awesome flavor and an added bite. High score from me, would buy again (but looks like they're going like hotcakes).

I'm not the biggest Woodford Reserve fan, but this is an excellent bourbon. It's big, sweet and nutty, but balanced. The flavors build on the palate through the finish, which leaves strong cinnamon and light oak notes on the tongue. This really tastes like Christmas! It reminds me of the cinnamon roasted nuts one finds during the holiday season. I even picked up a second bottle to save for December. I know there was talk the Batch Proof release only happened because the tequila finish Master's Collection was canceled - I'm not sure that's true, but either way, Chris Morris really picked out some excellent barrels for this release and it made all the difference.

Neat. Definitely Woodford turned up to 11 Spinal Tap style. Same notes I get from Woodford on the nose. Vanilla, toasted marshmallow, oak, and some nutty spice. Texture is very thick like syrup. Starts as dark cherries and those toasted marshmallows transitions to caramel with long vanilla and floral legs. Does leave a dry mouth feel. Top of my mouth is numb after. Compared to my Woodford store pick, the Batch Proof is noticeably thicker in texture with a lot more emphasis on those darker flavor notes. Less nutty on the taste too. Otherwise it’s almost the same in most of its characteristics. It’s fun to have an amped up version of an old classic.

Great juice- although underrated. A limited addition first run barrel proof from a reputable distillery. What happened? Price. Get past the high price and understand that cask strength is worth its weight in gold as it is traditionally watered down to make three times the amount. Of course it is going to cost more. Master distiller Chris Morris is one of the last credible old school industry master distillers. This juice will be highly sought after in the future. Great flavor similar to EC BP. Makes sense as both are not sourced and from a consistent distilling process. Well done Chris, well done.