Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Brandy Cask Finish

Nose - Intense fruity dark caramel, dark toffee, dried blueberries/cranberries, vanilla, hints of sweet spicy oak Taste - Pleasant sweet spicy tingle, dark toffee, dark chocolate, hints of raisins, dried blueberries, hint of candied orange, vanilla, faint hint of almond/hazelnut skin bitterness, fruity dark roast coffee Finish - Light lingering fruity spice, light nutty bitterness, dark chocolate covered coffee toffee, caramel Score - 91/100 Final Thoughts - I really quite like this one. It hits on most of the flavors I really like in a bourbon. The brandy cask is prominent in the added fruity notes and I think it complements it quite well. Great nose on this one as it's a great balance of dark chocolate, sweet nuts, & dried fruits that all go very well together. Like a good dark chocolate toffee bark or something. Great taste on the palate as most of the stuff in the nose is also present. The light bitterness complements everything well & isn't off putting (at least to me). I think this would be best enjoyed neat as any additional water or ice or bitters might mask the subtle brandy influence that's present. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Yes Would I buy a bottle? - Yes

(Good Spirits Co. Glasgow – Virtual American Whiskey Tasting, 3rd July 2021). Nose: Sour dried fruits (cherries & gooseberries), summer berries, dough/window putty Palate: Caramelised icing sugar, summer berries, strawberries & cream, light vanilla, oak Finish: Medium finish. Sweet, berry fruit, oak. Slightly sour aftertaste, turning to dry and tannic at the very end. 72% Corn 18% Rye 10% Barley Very gentle, there’s no burn and very little spice. Summer fruit, berries and cream throughout. It’s a nice change to have a fruit/berry sweetness than the more typical caramel and vanilla. Gentle and fruity, but a little thin. Came joint last out of the six drams, with 0% (0 votes) of the final vote for favourite of the night. 85% (11 votes) of those present said they enjoyed the whiskey.

Smells of fermented raisins. I know this is a brandy note but I was surprised at the strength of that note until I read that this has been finished for two whole years in brandy casks. I get some hints of baking spice as well. On the tongue, it feels so silky, really a great experience. But before I can relish that for too long, the spices kick in very quickly, and intensely. Lots of wood notes. It finishes with spice and a hint of dark chocolate. Medium to long finish. The brandy influence is there, but nothing like the nose. Not as complex as I was hoping. But still a good pour. 8/17/17

One of the few whiskeys I've ever encountered that has a taste of (of all things) melon to it! Underneath, you can still tell this is a bourbon, but once you let it rest on your palate for a while you can pick up a taste of sour grapes, a bit of eucalyptus, and finally an outright blast of canteloupe or honeydew right at the end. The juice as a whole isn't exactly smooth, but the harshness of it going down actually does well to balance out the cavalcade of fresh fruits that appear elsewhere.

Neat to start and added ice halfway. Berry jam, perhaps raspberry jam, on the nose along with vanilla bean freshly scraped off the pod. Palate reminiscent of scotch origins with mild peat coming through first but then opening up to a wider array including macerated cherries, a sneaky grassy note, and something nutty between walnut and pecan, maybe even both. Peat lingers in the finish and adding ice brightens up the cherry with every sip.

Great oaky and vanilla nose with sweet chocolate. The palette is very sweet and rich. Loads of vanilla with a thick mouth feel. The medium finish brings a little char and oak. Not a lot of spice or burn. Almost to smooth, before I knew it nearly a 3rd of the bottle was gone! If you like sweet you love this one. Colonial Little Rock $105