Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey as today’s review was born out of the fact I didn’t want to crack anything exceptional for review this week with friends coming over next weekend. So I caved and went to the New Hampshire Liquor Outlet out of necessity and was once again reminded why I hate everything about the selection.
I opted to grab Woodford Reserve Wheat which is based on historical recipes but influenced by the iconic core Woodford Reserve Bourbon brand. . As far as when this bottle was released who knows because here in NH stuff sometimes sits in the warehouse for a long time before anyone sees it on the shelves for whatever reason. The bottle states selected by Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall so we know this bottle is from sometime after 2023, most likely 2024.
Whiskey Review:Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey
ABV: 45.2% (90.4 Poof)
Type: Wheat Whiskey
Age: NAS
Label Batch: 0311
Bottle No.: 0026
Mash Bill: 52% Wheat, 20% Malt, 20% Corn, 8% Rye
Distillery: Woodford Reserve
Location: Versailles, KY (USA)
The Nose: At first sniff I was impressed with the banana note that quickly morphed into banana’s foster with its notes of vanilla, brown sugar and cinnamon. As I put down the glass to write the intro to this review, I kept smelling the sweetness lifting from the glass. Subsequent pulls from the glass 10 mins later sees more banana sweetness, plums, vanilla and caramel.
The Taste: Considering how sweet the aroma was I was caught off guard by some of the heat and coarseness of the initial sip which saw an abundance of oak before giving way to sour apples which was more in line with what I was expecting. Subsequent sips see nuances of coconut, mint, and peaches
The Finish: The front of the finish is incredibly sweet with banana, sour apple, coconut and vanilla. Sadly, I wish the front end of the sip lasted longer as it gives way to a longer finish of oak and spice that is dry. While I don’t like to put ice in my drink it was exceptionally humid today and a secondary pour I put in one cube which cut the dryness of the finish considerably.
Conclusion: This is my second go with the Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey with the first go round featuring a selection from Master Distiller Chris Morris. Back then this site was called The Liquor Authority but today that domain serves as a redirect to The Barrel Burner. What a difference selection can make on the Wheat Whiskey. This is a bourbon that has a great nose, flavor profile and finish. In fact, I find it to be a wildly different pour that the bottle I had back in 2022. There were two more bottles left on the shelf when I purchased this and I plan to head back to grab them both in the morning.
Score: 91
Price: $37.99 (750ml)
