Woodford Master's Collection addition due out

October 28, 8:52 AMDrinks ExaminerBill Dowd

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Drinks Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Sunday, November 1, will bring you something more than a return to Standard Time.

It is when Woodford Reserve releases the latest bourbon in its Master’s Collection, the fourth in the series of limited edition bottlings.

This one is called "Seasoned Oak Finish." It is finished, says master distiller Chris Morris, in barrels crafted with wood that has been seasoned longer than any previously used in the industry.

“Of all the distillers in our industry, we are the only bourbon company that crafts its own barrels, giving us unique knowledge and control of the process,” Morris said.  “As the rough oak staves are exposed to seasonal weather changes and subsequently dried, this natural cycle develops a new range of flavors in the wood.”

As Morris explains for those unfamiliar with what wood-aging does, the seasoning progression changes the wood by reducing tannins and ultimately creating a new range of flavor compounds.

The staves for most bourbon barrels are seasoned for three to five months. "Seasoned Oak Finish" combines fully-matured Woodford Reserve with barrels crafted from wood that has been exposed to the outdoors for three to five years, the longest seasoning known in the bourbon industry.

Previous releases in the Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection series were the Four Grain, Sonoma-Cutrer Finish and Sweet Mash products. The spirits are released periodically at the master distiller’s discretion. They are 90.4 proof, or 45.2% alcohol by volume.

Woodford Reserve Distillery is located in Versailles, KY.