Woodford Reserve describes this expression as: “An innovative approach to twice-barreled bourbon creates the rich and colorful flavor of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. Uniquely matured in separate, charred oak barrels – the second barrel deeply toasted before a light charring – extracts additional amounts of soft, sweet oak character.” This bourbon was first released in February 2012, a full 15 years after the release of the original Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select.
BSG REVIEW:
Color: Dark Copper
Nose: Toasted marshmallows, vanilla, maple syrup, sweet corn, oak
Palate: Vanilla and oak, dried fruits like apples and cherries, a hint of leather on the back end.
Finish: A mild amount of heat, oak, tobacco and leather at first, then giving way to a peppery ending for this long, lingering finish.
My overall thoughts on this one are, first, the color is so much more deep and rich than the original Distiller’s Select. It is much more intense on the nose and in the flavors as well. On a side note, this bourbon goes great with a backyard BBQ that includes smoked meats. Every time I drink this, my mind goes straight to wanting some brisket burnt ends! I definitely prefer this one over the Jim Beam Double Oak offering. This is quickly becoming one of my go-to comfort bourbons now. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is a great bourbon to enjoy neat and even holds up very well with an ice ball on a hot day! I can see myself always keeping a bottle in my personal collection.
This is the third release in the Whiskey Row Series and is a celebration of the legacy of company president Owsley Brown I, who was granted a permit in 1920 to bottle medicinal whiskey during Prohibition. The typical barrel proof after aging during that time was 115 proof, thus the reason it was chosen for this expression.
BSG REVIEW:
Color: Dark amber
Nose: Graham crackers, brown sugar, black cherry, oak, caramel and the high alcohol content definitely tingles the nose.
Palate: The graham cracker and brown sugar are present early, with the fruit and oak notes coming in not far behind. I get the spicier pepper notes and some nuttiness as it moves further back on the tongue.
Finish: Black pepper, cinnamon, dark chocolate and charred oak are all present in this long finish.
This is definitely my favorite of the Whiskey Row series now. When I first tried it, it was a very close second to the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond. Since drinking them all several more times, I have come to absolutely love this 1920 Prohibition Style above the others. This is something I can say will always have a place in my bar. It is readily available and, though the price is a little on the high side (around $60 in my area), I can see it being widely accepted by those that enjoy high proof bourbons.
Check out the BSG Review for the rest of the Old Forester Whiskey Row series (1870, 1897, 1910) and the movie tie-in release, Statesman.
This 100-proof second release of the Whiskey Row Series was called Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond in honor of the U.S. Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 was introduced to curb the growing trend of rectifiers adulterating whiskey with additives such as tobacco, iodine and wood chips in an effort to shortcut the flavoring and coloring that is normally acquired through aging. A whiskey now labeled as “bonded” cannot have any additives other than water. The distillate must be a product of one distiller in one distilling season. It must also be aged in a government-supervised warehouse for at least four years before bottled at exactly 100 proof. Old Forster is the oldest continually-operated distillery in the United States and was the first to sell their bourbon exclusively in sealed bottles, beginning in 1870.
BSG REVIEW:
Color: Copper with thin, light legs down the glass
Nose: Heavy caramel, vanilla and coffee, some light floral and fruit notes. A little alcohol burn.
Palate: Black cherry, vanilla, caramel and just enough oak and spice to keep it interesting.
Finish: Long and sweet with a little spiciness to round it out. Savory for more than a minute after it’s down.
The Old Forster 1897 Bottled in Bond is a worthy tribute to the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. It’s right in line with the flavor profile I expected after reviewing the first release in the Whiskey Row Series: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch. However, the increased proof of the Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond gives this release a slight edge over the 1870 Original Batch in complexity.
Check out the BSG Review for the rest of the Old Forester Whiskey Row series (1870, 1920, 1910) and the movie tie-in release, Statesman.
The name of this bourbon refers to the year that George Garvin Brown began to batch whisky from three different distilleries in an effort to create a consistent product. To commemorate his process, Brown-Forman decided to blend barrels from three different warehouses that came from three different days of production. Each barrel also varies in entry proof and have different aging profiles to create this minimally filtered first release in the Whisky Row Series: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch.
BSG REVIEW:
Color: Copper, oily with thin legs down the glass
Nose: Citrus fruits like grapefruit & orange, floral, caramel, vanilla, oak
Palate: Dried fruits, tobacco, leather, floral, burnt marshmallow, oak
Finish: Medium-long with cinnamon, dried fruits again, and lingering oak
This is an easy sipping, gentle bourbon at only 90 proof. However, don’t take that as meaning this is boring. There is still enough complexity in it to keep me interested. Even new bourbon drinkers shouldn’t have any problem drinking this one neat.
Check out the BSG Review for the rest of the Old Forester Whiskey Row series (1897, 1920, 1910) and the movie tie-in release, Statesman.
Last month, I had the chance to go on a bourbon distillery tour trip to Louisville, Kentucky with 3 other gentlemen. We decided to take a guided multi-distillery tour provided by Mint Julep Tours. Our tour package included a tasting at the Barton 1792 distillery, lunch at a local eatery, a tasting and tour at the new Lux Row distillery and another tasting and tour at the Maker’s Mark distillery. Also, since we were making good time at all of the scheduled stops, the tour guide had our driver take us to a few extra unplanned places in between. Those extra stops included Heaven Hill, Willett and Jim Beam.
First Stop (Barton 1792 Tasting)
The day started with a 9:15 departure time from the Mint Julep Tours gift shop located at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. We left the Galt House and headed out toward our first stop, Barton 1792 Distillery. Our tour guide, Charlie Robbins, was a fellow Stave & Thief Society Certified Bourbon Steward and was very engaging with the group during the drive. He was very knowledgeable and was able to answer most questions that were asked throughout the day.
The Barton 1792 Distillery recently made headlines for the unfortunate 2-stage collapse of one of their barrel-aging warehouses. You can’t actually see the fallen warehouse from any public areas, but we did get to talk about it a little while we were enjoying a few samples of their Barton Bourbon Ball Cream liqueur, Very Old Barton bourbon and 1792 Small Batch bourbon.
Second Stop (Heaven Hill Gift Shop)
By finishing up a little early at Barton, we had the chance to stop by the Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center and gift shop before lunch. This was a quick stop, but we did have time to look at the displays of old distillery equipment and several dusty, partially evaporated bottles of old bourbon.
Lunch (Kurtz Resaurant)
After the Heaven Hill stop, it was time for lunch at Kurtz Restaurant in Bardstown, Kentucky. This is an old-fashioned local eatery that has been serving homestyle Southern meals and classic cocktails since 1937. I had the Kurtz family-recipe cole slaw, Kentucky country ham special and the bourbon bread pudding for dessert that were all delicious.
Third Stop (Willett Gift Shop)
After lunch, we had a a little extra time for another unplanned stop at the Willett Distillery. We had just enough time to visit the gift shop and take a few pictures of some of the buildings on the property.
Fourth Stop (Lux Row Distillers Tour)
Next, we were on our way to our first distillery tour at the newly opened Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown, Kentucky. Lux Row just opened for public tours starting in Spring 2018. Lux Row is responsible for such products as Rebel Yell, Ezra Brooks, David Nicholson and Blood Oath. You can find my review of Blood Oath Pact No. 4 here.
This new distillery sits on a 90-acre site that was previously the Ballard farm. The 200-year-old Ballard House is a stone structure that still remains on the property. You will see the house, and potentially a peacock (or seven), as you pull into the parking lot. This home is included on the National Register of Historic Places, and is being renovated with a new roof and stone exterior refurbishment.
Lux Row’s walking tour reveals their every step in the whiskey making process. We got to see everything from fermenting to distilling to aging through their 18,000-square-foot facility. Lux Row uses two mash bills: wheated, for brands like Rebel Yell and David Nicholson 1843, and ryed, for brands like Ezra Brooks and David Nicholson Reserve. For the distillation process, a 43-foot-tall Vendome Copper & Brass Works copper column still was installed in a silo-style room on the side of the new distillery. When fully complete, they plan to have six barrel-aging warehouses. We got to tour the first completed barrel warehouse, while construction was still being completed on the second.
After completing the walking tour, we were brought to the tasting room to try four samples. Three were selected by the distillery, with a chocolate pairing for each. Finally, the fourth sample was our choice (though Blood Oath was not on the list). The first three bourbons were: Rebel Yell, Ezra Brooks and David Nicholson Reserve. For my fourth sample, I chose the Ezra Brooks Straight Rye Whiskey. After the tasting, our tour was over and we headed into the gift shop. I found out that if you buy Blood Oath Pact No. 4 at the distillery, you can choose to take a bottle signed by the creator and master blender John E. Rempe for no extra charge. Obviously, I chose the signed bottle!
Fifth Stop (Maker’s Mark Distillery Tour)
Now we were off to the fifth stop and second distillery tour of our journey: Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. On the drive to the distillery, we passed the barrel-aging warehouses that are off-site from the distillery itself. Upon arrival, all Maker’s Mark Ambassadors are greeted for the tour with an Ambassador’s pin to wear while on the property. This allowed us to recognize other Ambassadors and we occasionally got a comment, or even a thank you, from an employee of the distillery. The Maker’s Mark Distillery property is a beautiful sight to see in person. Photos can’t really do it justice.
In 1954, Bill Samuels, Sr. baked several loaves of bread with different combinations of grains to try to find a flavor profile that he wanted to call his own. He used those experiments to ultimately arrive at the Maker’s Mark mash bill that uses red winter wheat instead of a spicier rye as the secondary grain. The Maker’s Mark product lineup includes: Maker’s Mark, Maker’s 46, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, Maker’s Mark Private Select and Maker’s White (only available at the distillery). Maker’s Mark has one of the most recognizable bottles on the shelf. With their iconic red-wax-dipped top, it easily stands out in a crowd of other products.
After making it through the walking tour of the fermentation, distillation, barrel aging, label making, stave finishing and bottling processes, we were brought to one of four tasting rooms. Maker’s Mark allows you taste all five of their offerings before you walk through the beautiful Dale Chihuly glass-ceiling-art hallway on the way into the gift shop. In the gift shop, if you buy a bottle (or almost any other item), they will let you hand-dip it yourself into the signature red wax. I purchased a bottle of Maker’s White to dip since it was the only product that is available for purchase exclusively at the distillery.
Sixth Stop (Jim Beam After Hours Drive)
By the time we left Maker’s Mark, it was the end of a long day. However, the tour guide and driver decided to swing through the Jim Beam property in Clermont, Kentucky after closing time so we could get a glimpse of one more distillery property on our way back to the Galt House in Louisville.
The End of a Great Day
Our tour bus arrived at the Galt House Hotel at around 6:15 p.m. We gathered our belongings and started walking back to our hotel through all of the concert-goers in the crowed streets near the Yum Center. I had so much swag (and bourbon) in the bags I was carrying that the cops working vehicle and pedestrian traffic were even asking if I had brought any bottles back for them! Yeah, it was a good day.
Keep an eye out for a later post where I will talk about working on completing the Urban Bourbon Trail and visiting a couple of Whiskey Row distilleries while in Louisville. Cheers!
Are you of legal drinking age?This website contains material pertaining to the subject of alcohol and requires you to be of legal drinking age to access. Please verify your age to view the content, or click "Exit" to leave.
