Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select
Alcohol Type: Bourbon
Alcohol Content: 45.2%, 90.4 proof
Price Point: Low-Mid Range around $35 for a 750 mL bottle. Can be found just about everywhere.
Nose: Oak, Vanilla, Fruit
Flavor Profile: Very woody oak, some sweetness from vanilla and fruit, slight metallic taste like copper
Bottom Line: Woodford Reserve’s regular “Distiller’s Select” bourbon is a good, crowd-pleasing bourbon. While it feels like a premium bourbon, it’s approachable and easy for people not into whiskey, but has enough character to be special.
Woodford Reserve’s Distiller’s Select bottling makes it feel like a premium bourbon. It’s a unique bottle design with it being so wide. My bottle was bottle 3549 of batch 3848, but I didn’t pay much mind to that. The “Distiller’s Select” is Woodford’s regular line of straight bourbon. The batch and bottle numbers are good marketing for making it seem more high-end than it’s price point suggests.
Pouring it into my Glencairn glass, I get primarily oak and fruit. It’s not very harsh at all. There really isn’t a whole lot to process when it comes to the nose on this one. It’s got the classic bourbon scents.
When it comes to the flavor it’s fairly thin and sweet. This bourbon shows little hints of vanilla, banana, and citrus over oak that intermingle nicely. It has more burn than you would expect for this low proof of a bourbon, but because it’s thin it leaves you wanting a bit more flavor altogether.
Overall, Woodford Reserve’s Distiller’s Select straight bourbon whiskey is a good crowd-pleasing bourbon that would be good for those who like bourbon or those who prefer cocktails. It doesn’t have deep, complex flavors that make it nice for not-quite novices and can be enjoyed when the focus of the night isn’t the bourbon. For many, it’s the first bourbon that gets people hooked on drinking the livation straight. Woodford’s marketing and presentation make it seem like a higher-end bourbon than it really is and can set you up for disappointment if you go into it expecting more. The bottom line is that it’s approachable and good on the surface. Just don’t dive too deep into the bottle and instead make your focus of the night the company you’re with.