Woodford Reserve

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 43.2%

The official birthplace of the Whisky Slap but does it hold up?

Woodford Reserve Facts

Region: Kentucky

Age: Non Age Statement

Strength: 43.2% ABV

Colouring: Yes

Chill Filtered: Yes

Slaps: Beautifully!

Extra Information:
The official birth of the bottle slap!

Don’t want to read?
Watch the video review here!

Experience

A flat-fronted hip flask shaped bottle which is made out of surprisingly thick glass for a bottle often found on the supermarket shelves. I find the name “Distiller’s Select” a bit confusing especially when “store picks” and other terms are bounded around Bourbon but maybe that is just me?

Some well laid out facts on the label, stating batch and bottle number which helps gives a craft presentation feel which matches with the specific abv percentage of 43.2%. Overall a bit basic, but a bit basic done well.

Nose

A reverse mullet with smooth businessly cream at the front with plenty of punchy wood spice in the back.

There are a fair few classic Bourbon notes flying out from cherries to almonds to toasty oak but nothing truly stand out. Maybe it is my lack of Bourbon comparisons but was expecting a little bit more.

Taste

Middle of the road with a spice truck slip up.

The texture was surprisingly thin, almost overly watered down. Plenty of oak dominating the flavours with a little sprinkle of chili dark chocolate hanging off the tongue. The cherry ice cream starts to cool down the mouth with a good sprig of mint to finish off the taste. This certainly won’t blow anyone away but doesn’t limp away in shame.

Value for Money

Worth trying when on sale, the RRP can jog on though!

I paid £19 in my local tescos which is a very solid purchase to dip your toes into Bourbon, but for the £35 price online at RRP, that will certainly leave a bad taste in your mouth. The average seems to sit around £25 which we cannot sniff at.

For further ramblings about this bottle, feel free to check out my full Woodford Reserve Review on Youtube!

Jeff’s Judgement:

Experience: 6.9/10
Nose: 6.2/10
Taste: 5.1/10
Value: 6.2/10

Total Score: 6.1
GOOD

Liquid Only Score: 6.1

Join the conversation:

2 replies

Ric Cole says:
30 April 2024 at 12:23 am

For the longest I was only a “beer” drinker… I downed it like my life relied on the golden God. Here, later in life I’ve grown fond of whisky and bourbon. Why not? I mean, there is truly a craft in making a good bourbon and whisky. I’m not so sure how Jack Daniels reached the status it holds. Maybe they had good marketing. Maybe Jack was in the right place at the right time Either way, there are numerous expressions out there and, for the most part, each has its own little niche in the drinking world.
Yall have a great f*****g night!
- Jeff Whisky says:
  13 May 2024 at 10:27 am
  
  Feel like a lot of folk start off in beer before the jump to the whisky side. Think as you said, Jack Daniels had the marketing and they made sure their bottles was in the right place at the right time at the right price point. Love to hear what bourbons are your go to? Great to have you here Ric!

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