Table Of Contents

The Details

Rating 89
Style
Whiskey
Produced In Kentucky
United States
ABV 45.2%
Availability Year Round
Price $64.99 
Reviewed By
Review Updated 2024-09-03

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Review Review

Woodford Reserve hasn’t been shy about its ambitions in malt whiskey. In addition to a regular release straight malt — distilled from a 51 percent malted barley mash bill — the distillery has also released a number of limited edition expressions featuring various barley varieties, including a five-malt stouted mash for the Fall 2021 Master's Collection bottling.

Clearly, Woodford isn’t done pushing its own boundaries yet. Under the guidance of master distiller Elizabeth McCall, Woodford Reserve recently announced the latest in the Distillery Series lineup: a blended malt composed of several different liquid streams.

McCall is never one to shy away from taking big (sometimes niche) swings with Woodford’s distillate. In my opinion, her eagerness to do so is a huge factor in ensuring these sorts of limited releases stay interesting. After all, if a brand’s master distiller isn’t going to push the envelope, who will?

According to a brand press release, Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt combines a “100 percent malt aged in used barrels then finished in a Ruby Port Barrel” with a “blend of five different styles of malt grains aged in new oak barrels.”

The brand has clarified the product is considered a “whisky specialty” based on TTB regulations. For reference, those would require something labeled “malt whisky” be aged in “charred new oak containers.” Things get a little tricky once you combine liquid aged in both used and new cooperage, so I appreciate Woodford stepping carefully on this!

But enough with semantics and labeling. Let’s get to the most important part: taste!

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Review

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt: Stats and Availability

As with most Woodford Reserve Distillery Series releases, this edition will be available at select Kentucky retail outlets, as well as at the Woodford Reserve Distillery (while supplies last). These bottlings are also generally available for shipping to Ky., N.H., N.D., Neb., and Washington D.C via Woodford Reserve’s online shop. Suggested retail pricing is $65, though to be clear, that’s for a 375 milliliter bottle (the traditional size for these releases).

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

Malt whiskey, blended malt whiskey, whiskey specialty — whatever it’s classified as, Woodford’s new product is unmistakably malty on the nose, with a sweet-and-sour cereal note a little reminiscent of early-stage sour mash fermentation.

We’re not sure exactly how much of the liquid touched port barrels, though rest assured, the influence is prominent. Below that cereal element lies a hefty amount of semi-tart, preserved fruit: orange marmalade (the most dominant note), dark cocktail cherries, and golden raisins. A little brown sugar sweetness meets a vegetal, savory note that develops after a long time in the glass. The closest I can pinpoint is roasted acorn squash lightly basted in sugar and brown butter.

Also noteworthy: the whiskey noses a bit above its 90.4 proof. It’s not heading into overpowering ethanol territory (and I wouldn’t characterize it as “very hot” by any stretch), but the alcohol punctuates those aromas pretty consistently throughout.

Taste

The tart fruit continues through to the early stages of the palate, this time sweeter and with a pronounced flavor of baked green apples. That orange marmalade and cherry folds in shortly thereafter, and the early palate feels much more directed by the port finish than the underlying distillate.

Port doesn’t stay in the driver’s seat for too long, however. Grain builds toward the midpalate with malt but also dried oats and flaxseed. That’s paired with significant oak influence that brings light leather and more than a touch of drying tannins (one would think from the new oak). Baking spices, particularly clove and cinnamon, also accumulate across the back and sides of the tongue, lingering through to the finish.

After the midpalate, we’re back to green apple. Here, it’s coupled with the aforementioned baking spice, and the flavors meld into dehydrated, spiced apple slices.

Finish

Dried apples, dark raisins, and oak lead a dry and mid-length finish. Hints of malt layer intermittently here as the finish alternates between fruit and grain. A somewhat unexpected element of dark cocoa powder provides a mild chocolatey component at the very end.

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Rating

89/100

Recap

Woodford Reserve’s latest blended malt showcases the distillery’s continued willingness to experiment with malt whiskey. And this multifaceted malt brings a wide swatch of flavors, which work well together at most junctures. I found it to be a fairly punchy — if perhaps not quite fully refined — step up from some of Woodford’s other malt releases. It’s certainly got me interested in what comes next from the minds of McCall and her team.

Related Reads

· Brand Profile: Woodford Reserve

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89
POINTS
Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Review
Woodford Reserve hasn’t been shy about its ambitions in malt whiskey. In addition to a regular release straight malt — distilled from a 51 percent malted barley mash bill — the distillery has also released a number of limited edition expressions featuring various barley varieties, including a five-malt stouted mash for the Fall 2021 Master's Collection bottling. Clearly, Woodford isn’t done pushing its own boundaries yet. Under the guidance of master distiller Elizabeth McCall, Woodford Reserve recently announced the latest in the Distillery Series lineup: a blended malt composed of several different liquid streams. McCall is never one to shy away from taking big (sometimes niche) swings with Woodford’s distillate. In my opinion, her eagerness to do so is a huge factor in ensuring these sorts of limited releases stay interesting. After all, if a brand’s master distiller isn’t going to push the envelope, who will? According to a brand press release, Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt combines a “100 percent malt aged in used barrels then finished in a Ruby Port Barrel” with a “blend of five different styles of malt grains aged in new oak barrels.” The brand has clarified the product is considered a “whisky specialty” based on TTB regulations. For reference, those would require something labeled “malt whisky” be aged in “charred new oak containers.” Things get a little tricky once you combine liquid aged in both used and new cooperage, so I appreciate Woodford stepping carefully on this! But enough with semantics and labeling. Let’s get to the most important part: taste! Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Review

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt: Stats and Availability

As with most Woodford Reserve Distillery Series releases, this edition will be available at select Kentucky retail outlets, as well as at the Woodford Reserve Distillery (while supplies last). These bottlings are also generally available for shipping to Ky., N.H., N.D., Neb., and Washington D.C via Woodford Reserve’s online shop. Suggested retail pricing is $65, though to be clear, that’s for a 375 milliliter bottle (the traditional size for these releases).

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

Malt whiskey, blended malt whiskey, whiskey specialty — whatever it’s classified as, Woodford’s new product is unmistakably malty on the nose, with a sweet-and-sour cereal note a little reminiscent of early-stage sour mash fermentation. We’re not sure exactly how much of the liquid touched port barrels, though rest assured, the influence is prominent. Below that cereal element lies a hefty amount of semi-tart, preserved fruit: orange marmalade (the most dominant note), dark cocktail cherries, and golden raisins. A little brown sugar sweetness meets a vegetal, savory note that develops after a long time in the glass. The closest I can pinpoint is roasted acorn squash lightly basted in sugar and brown butter. Also noteworthy: the whiskey noses a bit above its 90.4 proof. It’s not heading into overpowering ethanol territory (and I wouldn’t characterize it as “very hot” by any stretch), but the alcohol punctuates those aromas pretty consistently throughout.

Taste

The tart fruit continues through to the early stages of the palate, this time sweeter and with a pronounced flavor of baked green apples. That orange marmalade and cherry folds in shortly thereafter, and the early palate feels much more directed by the port finish than the underlying distillate. Port doesn’t stay in the driver’s seat for too long, however. Grain builds toward the midpalate with malt but also dried oats and flaxseed. That’s paired with significant oak influence that brings light leather and more than a touch of drying tannins (one would think from the new oak). Baking spices, particularly clove and cinnamon, also accumulate across the back and sides of the tongue, lingering through to the finish. After the midpalate, we’re back to green apple. Here, it’s coupled with the aforementioned baking spice, and the flavors meld into dehydrated, spiced apple slices.

Finish

Dried apples, dark raisins, and oak lead a dry and mid-length finish. Hints of malt layer intermittently here as the finish alternates between fruit and grain. A somewhat unexpected element of dark cocoa powder provides a mild chocolatey component at the very end.

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Rating

89/100

Recap

Woodford Reserve’s latest blended malt showcases the distillery’s continued willingness to experiment with malt whiskey. And this multifaceted malt brings a wide swatch of flavors, which work well together at most junctures. I found it to be a fairly punchy — if perhaps not quite fully refined — step up from some of Woodford’s other malt releases. It’s certainly got me interested in what comes next from the minds of McCall and her team.

Reviewed On: 09-04-2024
89
POINTS
Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Review
Woodford Reserve hasn’t been shy about its ambitions in malt whiskey. In addition to a regular release straight malt — distilled from a 51 percent malted barley mash bill — the distillery has also released a number of limited edition expressions featuring various barley varieties, including a five-malt stouted mash for the Fall 2021 Master's Collection bottling. Clearly, Woodford isn’t done pushing its own boundaries yet. Under the guidance of master distiller Elizabeth McCall, Woodford Reserve recently announced the latest in the Distillery Series lineup: a blended malt composed of several different liquid streams. McCall is never one to shy away from taking big (sometimes niche) swings with Woodford’s distillate. In my opinion, her eagerness to do so is a huge factor in ensuring these sorts of limited releases stay interesting. After all, if a brand’s master distiller isn’t going to push the envelope, who will? According to a brand press release, Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt combines a “100 percent malt aged in used barrels then finished in a Ruby Port Barrel” with a “blend of five different styles of malt grains aged in new oak barrels.” The brand has clarified the product is considered a “whisky specialty” based on TTB regulations. For reference, those would require something labeled “malt whisky” be aged in “charred new oak containers.” Things get a little tricky once you combine liquid aged in both used and new cooperage, so I appreciate Woodford stepping carefully on this! But enough with semantics and labeling. Let’s get to the most important part: taste! Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Review

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt: Stats and Availability

As with most Woodford Reserve Distillery Series releases, this edition will be available at select Kentucky retail outlets, as well as at the Woodford Reserve Distillery (while supplies last). These bottlings are also generally available for shipping to Ky., N.H., N.D., Neb., and Washington D.C via Woodford Reserve’s online shop. Suggested retail pricing is $65, though to be clear, that’s for a 375 milliliter bottle (the traditional size for these releases).

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Review

As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.

Nose

Malt whiskey, blended malt whiskey, whiskey specialty — whatever it’s classified as, Woodford’s new product is unmistakably malty on the nose, with a sweet-and-sour cereal note a little reminiscent of early-stage sour mash fermentation. We’re not sure exactly how much of the liquid touched port barrels, though rest assured, the influence is prominent. Below that cereal element lies a hefty amount of semi-tart, preserved fruit: orange marmalade (the most dominant note), dark cocktail cherries, and golden raisins. A little brown sugar sweetness meets a vegetal, savory note that develops after a long time in the glass. The closest I can pinpoint is roasted acorn squash lightly basted in sugar and brown butter. Also noteworthy: the whiskey noses a bit above its 90.4 proof. It’s not heading into overpowering ethanol territory (and I wouldn’t characterize it as “very hot” by any stretch), but the alcohol punctuates those aromas pretty consistently throughout.

Taste

The tart fruit continues through to the early stages of the palate, this time sweeter and with a pronounced flavor of baked green apples. That orange marmalade and cherry folds in shortly thereafter, and the early palate feels much more directed by the port finish than the underlying distillate. Port doesn’t stay in the driver’s seat for too long, however. Grain builds toward the midpalate with malt but also dried oats and flaxseed. That’s paired with significant oak influence that brings light leather and more than a touch of drying tannins (one would think from the new oak). Baking spices, particularly clove and cinnamon, also accumulate across the back and sides of the tongue, lingering through to the finish. After the midpalate, we’re back to green apple. Here, it’s coupled with the aforementioned baking spice, and the flavors meld into dehydrated, spiced apple slices.

Finish

Dried apples, dark raisins, and oak lead a dry and mid-length finish. Hints of malt layer intermittently here as the finish alternates between fruit and grain. A somewhat unexpected element of dark cocoa powder provides a mild chocolatey component at the very end.

Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Blended Malt Rating

89/100

Recap

Woodford Reserve’s latest blended malt showcases the distillery’s continued willingness to experiment with malt whiskey. And this multifaceted malt brings a wide swatch of flavors, which work well together at most junctures. I found it to be a fairly punchy — if perhaps not quite fully refined — step up from some of Woodford’s other malt releases. It’s certainly got me interested in what comes next from the minds of McCall and her team.

Reviewed On: 09-04-2024