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Bourbon Review: Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Bourbon

We review Woodford Reserve's flagship Distiller's Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

OVERALL RATING

6
$35.00
  • Carin Moonin is a Portland-based whiskey enthusiast and writer.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Appearance:
Reddish gold, the gloss of a well-loved Irish setter, rich mahogany.
Nose:
Very sweet, bordering on lightly creamy. Caramel, orange sponge cake, but also with an undertone of paint drying. This isn’t off-putting, though; think more like the clean and fresh scent of something clean, new, and fresh and ready to go. Another one: chocolate covered oranges.
Palate:
It starts out soft and balanced with a strong caramel apple vibe to carry you through to the finish, which completes a little prickly, like red hots. It’s definitely got sweetness on the palate with a fiery end. Kind of fizzy, too, with hints of POP ROCKS. And afterburn like a tipsy Looney Tunes St. Bernard. (Imagine my disappointment in college when I tried skiing in Colorado for the first time, got stranded on the mountain, and didn’t encounter a bartending canine.)
Finish:
Comments:
This is good…but not great. I think it’d be best in a mixed drink, like a bourbon ginger, which would play well with its carbonated peppery vibe. I’d be more inclined to drink it like this than to sip on its own, which would be a little astringent. It’s not bad but it would welcome some friends. Think of it like the first step of a multi-part skin care program. It’s fine if you just use this, but it’s complemented by other components.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Carin Moonin

Carin Moonin swapped a 5th-floor walkup in Hoboken, NJ, for a house in SE Portland a decade ago and hasn't looked back. She appreciates Portland's vibrant whiskey scene, finding it complements both the weather and her mood. Carin enjoys exploring the diverse world of brown liquor and its many facets. Her writing has been featured in publications such as Salon.com, DailyDot.com, Willamette Week, Portland Monthly, and others. When she's not indulging in whiskey or writing about it, you can find Carin running, reading, or on the hunt for free samples in grocery stores.

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