PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Woodford Reserve’s Kentucky Straight Rye was years in the making, with master distiller Chris Morris experimenting with mash bills from 100% rye down to the final recipe of 53% rye, 33% corn, and 14% malted barley, a pre-Prohibition-style Kentucky ratio that keeps the rye’s spice while letting the corn bring sweetness and body. It’s distilled at Woodford Reserve in Versailles, Kentucky, and is a blend of pot-still and column-still whiskeys, which is what gives the distillery’s bourbon and rye their rich, fruity, slightly creamy signature. It’s aged in new charred American white oak, with no age statement (reviewers estimate about five to seven years), non-chill filtered, and bottled at 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV).
The Ultimate Spirits Challenge, the Beverage Testing Institute’s blind-tasting competition, gave it 97 points in 2016, a rating of “Extraordinary” with an Ultimate Recommendation: “Strikingly resemblant of milk chocolate-covered orange with a hint of pepper and vanilla, it is quite enticing on the nose. Base-y cocoa and coffee flavors coat the palate before giving way to stone fruit and tree nut flavors. Rather long and complex.” It’s a very high score for a rye at this price point, and it has company: the whiskey also took a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (and a Gold in 2020), first place at the 2018 International Whisky Competition, and a Gold at the 2017 American Whiskey Masters, and Forbes has recommended it for rye whiskey enthusiasts.
The distillery’s own notes: “Spicy with distinct notes of rye, black pepper, cedar, and cassia bark, sweetened with a dusting of marzipan. Hints of pear, apple, and almond dance in its depths. On the palate, clove, rye, mint, molasses, sorghum, and honey mingle together with hints of apple and malt,” with a “long and sweetly spiced” finish. Other reviewers find “buttery and creamy” with a “nice spice on the back end,” a “bourbon-to-rye transition,” with “pepper, cinnamon, caramel, and honey.” To be balanced, The Whiskey Wash scored it 83, calling it “a solid, if not exceptional, spirit” whose palate was “a textbook copy of what has come before,” and Whisky Monster found it “a simple whiskey for those who like Woodford Reserve Bourbon and want to try a rye.” That’s a fair summary: a soft, approachable, sweet-leaning rye that’s balanced and spicy without being aggressive, a good entry point for bourbon drinkers and a flexible cocktail rye.
It’s equally at home neat, on the rocks, or in a Manhattan, Old Fashioned, or Sazerac. Enjoy it with dark chocolate, orange desserts, smoked meats, and aged cheddar.
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey is produced by Woodford Reserve (Brown-Forman) in Versailles, Kentucky, from a mash bill of 53% rye, 33% corn, and 14% malted barley, a blend of pot-still and column-still distillates, aged in new charred American white oak, non-chill filtered. No age statement. Bottled at 45.2% ABV / 90.4 proof, 750ml.
Ultimate Spirits Challenge (Beverage Testing Institute) 2016 — 97 Points, Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation
(as supplied):
“Strikingly resemblant of milk chocolate-covered orange with a hint of pepper and vanilla, it is quite enticing on the nose. Base-y cocoa and coffee flavors coat the palate before giving way to stone fruit and tree nut flavors. Rather long and complex.”
Awards: Double Gold Medal, San Francisco World Spirits Competition (and Gold, 2020) · 1st Place, International Whisky Competition 2018 · Gold, American Whiskey Masters 2017 (per retailer listings)
Woodford Reserve (tasting notes):
“Nose: Spicy with distinct notes of rye, black pepper, cedar, and cassia bark, sweetened with a dusting of marzipan. Hints of pear, apple, and almond dance in its depths. Taste: Clove, rye, mint, molasses, sorghum, and honey mingle together with hints of apple and malt. Finish: Long and sweetly spiced.”
Nose
Tawny. Milk chocolate-covered orange, pepper, vanilla, cassia bark, cedar, and marzipan, with pear, apple, and almond.
Palate
Buttery and creamy, with cocoa, coffee, clove, rye spice, mint, molasses, honey, stone fruit, and tree nuts.
Finish
Long and sweetly spiced, with cinnamon, oak, and cedar.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey |
| ABV / Proof | 45.2% ABV / 90.4 Proof |
| Mash Bill | 53% rye / 33% corn / 14% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement (estimated 5–7 years) |
| Distillery | Woodford Reserve — Versailles, Kentucky (Brown-Forman) |
| Filtration | Non-chill filtered |
| Critics | Ultimate Spirits Challenge 97 (2016, as supplied) · The Whiskey Wash 83 |
| Style / Identity | A soft, balanced, chocolate-orange-and-spice pre-Prohibition-style rye |
| Aromas & Flavors | Chocolate-covered orange, pepper, vanilla, cocoa, coffee, cassia, stone fruit, nuts |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
Neat or on the rocks — to taste the chocolate-orange and spice.
Manhattan, Old Fashioned, or Sazerac — a balanced, versatile rye base.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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