The Woodford Reserve brand comes from a storied past. It’s distilled and bottled at the old Labrot & Graham’s Distillery, which started operations in 1780. Through the years the site has been home to several different whiskeys including Early Times, which was the most recent whiskey to be produced on the site prior to Woodford Reserve. While production stopped and the distillery was abandoned in 1973, it was eventually repurchased by Brown-Forman in 1993, and Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select was launched in 1996 as a “new breed of premium bourbon.” Since that time, the brand has invested heavily in the guest experience, including building a new visitor center in 2019.

‍‍Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon consists of a mixture of pot still distillate distilled at the company's Woodford Reserve Distillery in Woodford County, and column still distillate from the Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively, Kentucky. The exact mixture ratio is undisclosed, however considering the distilling capacity at the Woodford Reserve Distillery, it most likely leans to a large volume of barrels from the Brown-Forman Distillery in the mixture.

‍‍Woodford Reserve is also the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. Ironically even though Woodford is the official bourbon, Brown-Forman’s Old Forester Bourbon serves as the bourbon base in the official drink of the Kentucky Derby, The Mint Julep.

‍‍The bottle in review is bottle number 6469 from label batch 0208.

An aroma best described as quintessentially bourbon wafts out of the glass. Scents of vanilla, toasted oak, and caramel are found up front. Behind these are hazelnut, baking chocolate, honey, and orange zest. Overall the scents are straightforward, and while they don’t get delivered with a lot of intensity, they are well defined. It’s a straightforward and easy to enjoy opening.

The midpoint of the sip kicks off with light muddled oranges, oak, and the introduction of spice thanks to a vein of rye spice. A dab of vanilla can be found with some searching. Even at its lower 90.4 proof point, the flavors are thinner than expected, and the mouthfeel is watery. It’s a letdown and the low point of the sip.

The sip ramps back up slightly in the finish, with more classic bourbon notes coming to life. A gentle rye spice leads the charge and is joined by green peppercorn spice, dry oak, leather, and a dab of vanilla bean. A faint note of dried tobacco joins but not enough to misdirect the other flavors. It’s straightforward yet delivered in a pleasing way, and its gentle rye spice lingers helping define it further. Much like its beginning, it’s an easy-to-enjoy ending.

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon was billed as a premium product when it was introduced to the market almost 30 years ago. A lot has changed since then, and many bourbon drinkers would be hard-pressed to call it a premium product nowadays. However, the one thing that continues to remain the same since its launch is its consistent flavor profile.

I last reviewed Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon 8 years ago. A once staple in my early days of drinking bourbon, in all honesty, I have rarely revisited this bourbon since my last review. After capturing my tasting notes, I went back and read my old review and was pleasantly surprised at how little has changed with the bourbon since that time.

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon is the definition of a consistent bourbon that truly embodies a quintessential bourbon flavor profile. Its sip is never deep enough to woo die-hard bourbon drinkers looking for the latest trend in flavor profiles, but it’s never light enough to have them snuff their nose at this bourbon, either. It’s Woodford’s consistency that strikes me most about it. Sure, that’s not a unique quality per se, but to be able to blend barrels from two different distilleries together year after year and have them taste the same should at least be recognized.

As much as bourbon prices continue to rise, you have to hand it to Brown-Forman for keeping the cost of their Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon consumer-friendly. In 8 years, its price has gone up only $5. How many products that you’ve enjoyed in the last 8 years - bourbon or otherwise - have maintained such a consistent price point?

This bourbon delivers a classic flavor profile at a price that most will find acceptable. Sure, there are cheaper bottles out there that will fall in the same overall rating range, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Woodford delivers a pour that is in line with its price point. Almost a decade ago, this wasn’t the best value in the market. However, fast-forward to the present day, and with prices continuing their neverending march upwards, Woodford is priced right where it should be.  

Almost 30 years since its initial release, Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon is undeniably a staple in the bourbon market. Like Maker’s Mark or Basil Hayden, sometimes Woodford is considered the premium bourbon that a bar or restaurant stocks. Thanks to its consistent classic flavor profile, that’s not the worst thing to happen to consumers, either. With a fair price and a no-frills delivery, Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon is the perfect bottle to keep on hand to pour for those interested in bourbon or for times when you want a centered flavor profile that’s low in proof.