Individual Review: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked - Buster's Liquor and Wine Barrel Pick

Opening Statements (Description of the Whiskey:

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced and bottled by Woodford Reserve Distillery which is owned by the parent company Brown-Forman. Opening in 1812 as the Labrot and Graham Distillery, the Woodford Reserve Distillery building is one of the oldest distillery facilities still standing in the United States and has produced a plethora of distinguished whiskeys over the past 200 years (although the building has not continuously operated as a distillery over the past 2 centuries). In 1996 Brown-Forman began using the historic distillery to create the Woodford Reserve line of whiskeys.

Wood Reserve Double Oaked entered the market in 2012 and has been an ongoing release since. It uses the exact same mash bill as Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select. What makes this bourbon unique is that after it has matured in its initial barrel, the whiskey is then moved into a brand new lightly charred and heavily toasted barrel for an undisclosed period of time before bottling. Woodford does not say when the bourbons are batched together. Hence, it could be before or after placing them into the secondary barrels. They could even batch this whiskey before AND after secondary barreling. Regardless, Woodford claims that this double barreling process "extracts additional soft, sweet oak character." This specific bottle is a barrel pick selected by Buster's Liquor and Wine in Memphis, Tennessee.

Parent Company: Brown-Forman

Distillery & Bottling Company: Woodford Reserve Distillery

Mash Bill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley

Proof: 90.4

Age: At Least 4 Years

Direct Examination (AKA Tasting Notes):

Nose: Toasted Creamy Marshmallow, Caramel, Cinnamon, Smoky Hickory Charcoal, Roasted Candied Nuts, Sweet Corn, and Very Slight Ethanol

Palate: Burnt Caramel, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, and Oak

Finish: Dark Cocoa, Caramel, More Smoky Hickory Charcoal, Dry Leather, Light Barrel Tannins, and a Pop of Pepper

Length: Medium

Mouth Feel: Medium

Cross Examination (AKA The Whiskey's Shortcomings):

Fruit notes and unique palate flavors.

Closing Statements (AKA Conclusions about the Whiskey):

Creamy campfire marshmallows jump out on the nose. Caramel and cinnamon follow. A smoky hickory note appears as well and is reminiscent of a sweet BBQ sauce. Roasted candied nuts, sweet corn, and and a small hint of ethanol close out the nose.

The palate is rather simple, but nonetheless pleasing. Burnt caramel, vanilla, and brown sugar mingle together on the tongue. A note of oak tempers the sweetness, but is not overpowering or unpleasant.

The finish begins with dark cocoa and caramel. More hickory charcoal is evident and again reminds me of BBQ sauce as it mingles with the sweet flavors. The sweetness is not overly strong because it is tempered by the dry leather and barrel tannin notes. The entire experience is wrapped up with a pop of pepper.

If you couldn't tell from the amount of whiskey left in bottle, I really enjoyed this bourbon. The the smoky flavors mix with the creamy vanilla marshmallow and cocoa notes to create an experience not unlike s'mores. The whiskey is very smooth and goes down easy as well. However, I do wish that I had found some fruity flavors. The palate is also lacking memorable notes, but that is just me being picky. All in all this is an easy sip

ping and high quality bourbon.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked can be found between $50-$60 usually, which is a little overpriced in my opinion. Nonetheless, this whiskey holds its own, considering the other whiskeys found in this price range as there are few things to dislike about this bourbon. Thank you to Buster's Liquor and Wine for choosing a quality barrel.

NOTE: I received nothing from Buster's Liquor and Wine for writing this review.

Verdict (AKA Score): 7.75

Verdict Key:

10: I do not possess the vocabulary to describe this masterpiece adequately or accurately. It should not be possible for man to create such art.

9: Incredible. Hoard this stuff. Paying secondary market prices is totally worth it.

8: A real pleasure to sip. Always try to have at least one bottle and a backup on hand.

7: A solid pour. Daily drinker for sure. Try to have a bottle on hand.

6: Would not say no to a pour if offered to me, but I will not go out of my way to find it.

5: Good to mix with a coke.

4: Swing and a miss. A mixer makes it tolerable.

3: Only if I had nothing else to drink in the house.

2: Was this made in a prison toilet?

1: This is the stuff the KGB used to kill prisoners slowly and painfully.

0: An abomination of epic proportions. Should not be called whiskey.