Woodford Reserve Rye Carson’s Store Pick Review
Woodford Reserve Rye Quick Stats:
Spirit: Woodford Reserve Rye Carson’s Store Pick
Distiller: Woodford Reserve
Aged: This rye is at least 4 years old
Price: $40-45
Proof: 90.4
About The Distillery:
The art of making fine bourbon first took place on the site of the Woodford Reserve Distillery in 1812. The history of bourbon is the history of Kentucky and the history of the United States. Woodford is focusing on sustainability. It has a vision for protecting and conserving natural resources. Woodford takes a focus on recyclability. 98% of waste material is recycled . Ten acres of land on the property is for native grass restoration. 97% of all food scraps are composted on site at the Woodford Reserve property. Woodford Reserve builds upon details. Quality is what we strive for. And if we aren’t great, nothing else matters.
About The Bottle:
The whisky mashbill uses a pre-prohibition style ratio of 53% rye in its mash bill. This pays homage to history’s original rye whiskeys. Baking spice and tobacco are the dominant notes among a sea of fruit, floral, and sweet aromatics, yields a nice sweetness and overall balance. Woodford’s Rye whiskey can deliver complex flavors – neat, on ice, or in a cocktail. A balanced rye makes a more balanced cocktail.
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Nose
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Palate
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Finish
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Proof vs Heat
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Value
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Summary
Notes & Review
Nose: A light nose. Surprisingly for a 4 rye, I get a decent amount of sweet corn, some caramel coated apple and pear slices, with a hint of peppered licorice in the background.
Palate: A pronounced but not overshadowing sample of the peppered clove and fruit teased in the nose.
Finish: The finish is a continuation of the palate. Baking spice and pepper drawn out with a honied fruit.
Review:
Woodford Reserve Rye is a prominent name in the rye game and can be found at the majority of bars and liquor retailers. This one we have today is a personal selection from one of our partners, Carson’s in Lexington, KY. One of the biggest proponents of Woodford Rye on the planet, I’d say these guys know a thing or two about picking an excellent barrel from the rickhouse. This personal selection barrel is no exception. After having enjoyed it thoroughly, I came to the conclusion this is a bourbon drinker’s rye.
The nose gives it away right off the bat. Finding a sweet corn note in the nose of a four year rye is a pretty unique find in my opinion. It unravels into even more traditionally bourbon scents. Caramel, apple, pear and then finally we start seeing the rye characteristics with peppered licorice. A complex but approachable nose which is sure to persuade even some of the most adamant bourbon drinkers to give it a sip or two.
The pour has a watery palate that brings with it a wave of peppered clove towing a fruity caboose. A good mix of sweet and spice that goes down smooth and is begging to be mixed into a fantastic cocktail. Don’t get me wrong, this can and should be appreciated neat as well to see how smooth and tasty of a pour this is.
The palate eases you into the finish and keeps you right on track to fade out into a honey coated spiced fruit.
If you are a fan of ryes, Woodford is always a great choice. This pick is one I break out to ease the more hesitant to try rye crowd into the game. If you’re a newbie taking your first steps into ryes don’t hesitate to jump on any Woodford Rye Personal Selection you see, they’re sure to please the palate.
User Review
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Orion has been friends with Greg since their high school days.
His love for whiskey grew as he tried different pours Greg was reviewing for Whiskey Culture. And, when Whiskey Culture began traveling around the country, he went with them to document their whiskey expeditions.
Orion now works full-time for Whiskey Culture managing our production schedule and ensuring the quality of our content. He oversees our contributor program, and can be found alongside Greg during their trips to Kentucky either behind the camera, or behind a glass of fine whiskey after a long day of shooting footage.
