Woodford Reserve Holiday Edition is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey in a festive, collector's bottle, bottled at 43.2% ABV. Behind the decorative label hides the brand's flagship bourbon – the same profile as in Distiller's Select. This is a release from the Woodford Reserve holiday series, whose balanced flavour is composed of over 200 detectable notes – from grain and wood to sweet aromas, spices and fruity and floral notes.
The bourbon is created under the wing of the Brown-Forman corporation, at a distillery with a long history. Woodford Reserve was built on one of the most historic sites in American whiskey – distillation first took place in Woodford County in 1812, and the estate is today recognised as a National Historic Landmark. The modern Woodford Reserve brand was launched by Brown-Forman in 1996, drawing on the heritage of the former Labrot & Graham distillery. A distinctive feature of the brand is the combination of two spirit sources: Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select is a blend of pot still whiskey from the Woodford Reserve distillery in Woodford County and column still spirit from the Brown-Forman distillery in Shively, Kentucky.
The aromatic profile is led by dried fruit and warm baking spices. The nose reveals intense dried fruit, hints of mint and orange with a dusting of cocoa, along with delicate vanilla and spicy tobacco. On the palate the bourbon is round and full – rich, chewy and silky, with complex notes of citrus, cinnamon and cocoa, plus toffee, caramel, chocolate and spices. The finish is silky, almost creamy at first, with a long, warming conclusion.
The mash tub holds a recipe in which corn forms the base, complemented by rye and malted barley, with maturation taking place in new, charred American oak barrels. The bottling year is 2022, the wood type is new American oak, and the country of origin is America. The bourbon works well in classic cocktails. Woodford Reserve can be served in several ways, including neat, on the rocks or as an ingredient in classic cocktails such as an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan.