I’m a big fan of the Woodford Reserve Distillery Series not only because my highly coveted Double Double Oaked is part of it, but because it’s fun to watch (and taste) a brand experiment with various aspects of bourbon production.
In other words, it’s fun to see Master Distiller Chris Morris play mad scientist.
The latest release — Woodford Reserve Brandy Cask Finished Bourbon — launches today, May 26, at the distillery’s gift shop and retails for $49.99 for a 375ml bottle.
According to a news release, the product is a blend of Woodford finished in French and California brandy barrels, and it has loads of brown sugar and caramel notes, as well as — get this — “chocolate-coated vanilla wafer laced with cotton candy and citrus peel.” Now there’s a mouthful, all of which I’d like to have in my mouth.
“Each core expression of Woodford Reserve pushes the creative boundaries of whiskeys to the extreme, and I wanted this one-of-a-kind limited expression to be no exception,” said Morris in the release. “The result is a unique whiskey — the perfect addition to Woodford’s Distillery Series expressions.”
Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch gets a makeover
Evan Williams just got back from “the doctor,” and it looks like he’s beginning to experiment with Botox. But instead of poison that makes your skin puffy and temporarily removes wrinkles, Williams’ botox was filled with extra proof — and he got a facelift while he was there!
The Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch will now be released in a fancy new bottle and at a higher proof: 90 (up 4 points from 86). The new bottle features Williams’ signature blown in across the top, and it now looks like a premium spirit — but at an affordable price: $19.99.
“Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch pays homage to some of the earliest years of licensed distilling in Kentucky, and an important year for bourbon and the Commonwealth’s signature industry,” said Julie Cole, Evan Williams Senior Brand Manager, in a news release.
“With a return to the original 90 proof, the award-winning mash bill … is full-flavored and works both as a cocktail base and stand-alone sipper. We are excited to bring more focus to what is known as the ‘best kept secret’ in the Evan Williams Bourbon family.”
Around The Horn
So I haven’t been keeping up with some of these release announcements because I’m a busy girl … and there’s like a new bourbon coming out just about every day now. But I’ll try to be better by doing better.
Also, I have a bar full of new bourbons to try, and I’m gonna need some help! I’m way behind on my Tasteless Tastings, so I’ll need to schedule one of those ASAP! Holler at me if you’d like to join, and that way I’ll know you’ve read this entire post to the end.
But, a quick look at some other new releases:
- E.H. Taylor Warehouse C Bourbon — 10-year-old bourbon aged in Buffalo Trace’s Warehouse C, which Col. E.H. Taylor built in 1885.
- Weller Full Proof — Blue label Weller, bottled at 114 proof. Good luck, you won’t find it.
- Weller C.Y.P.B. — Stands for “Craft Your Perfect Bourbon,” while label Weller, bottled at 95 proof. Good luck, you definitely won’t find it.
- Angel’s Envy Finished in Madeira Casks — Part of the Cellar Collection, this new release is finished in Madeira wine casks, a type of wine made on the Portuguese Madeira Islands off the coast of Africa.
- Buzzard’s Roost Peated Barrel Rye — For this release, the brand’s sixth, they actually imported peat logs from Scotland to add smoke to the process, much like peated scotch in Scotland.