A set of two 100% rye whiskeys, triple distilled in copper pot stills, with the difference between them being the type of barrels in which they were aged. One was matured in a new charred cask, while the other one was aged in a used cask. They are packaged in half-bottle sizes (375 ml) and sold as a set for $100. Very pale in color, showing the limited oak influence. The used cask allows the rye to shine. An uncluttered whiskey, with fresh mint, soft cinnamon, creamy vanilla, hay, cut grass, and honeyed orchard fruit (green apple, pear, peach). Grassy finish. The more elegant of the two.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2012)

Fresh-shucked sweet corn on the nose, a wisp of hot clove spice, some fresh grassiness; a clean aroma. True on the palate, with a bit of fresh cob as well, and firm oak. Lean and a bit leathery in the Woodford style, but lighter in the mouth; is the lightness from the white corn? I like this; I tend to give Woodford a bit more latitude in these essays.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Winter 2015)

The oak juts out a bit in this otherwise fresh and pleasant bourbon, where toasted oak meets cake batter, Honey Nut Cheerios, and porridge with pecans. It’s lacking much in the way of a ‘wow factor,’ but following the slightly tart fruit palate is a redeeming finish, balancing tasty apricot and bright citrus peel with drying oak tannins.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Spring 2019)

This malt whiskey shows some maple syrup and honey sweetness, but its character comes from savory notes of earthiness and wet leaves. The easygoing palate offers some stone fruit and sweet overripe banana, like a banana cream pie with graham cracker crust. But the finish circles back to savory and herbal, suggesting youth. A creative, if peculiar choice for Woodford, crafted from 51% malted barley.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2018)

Fairly light in flavor, with warm cereal and honey notes laced with aromas of green herbs, chamomile, and spearmint. Seems well-crafted, but the flavors are generally understated, offering gentle sweetness and fleeting glimmers of baking spice. Modest body and a touch hot on the finish.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Spring 2019)

The nose is a bit hot and generally restrained, with dried leaves, earthiness, and waxy crayons. Light-bodied, very soft, and somewhat juicy. Stone fruit and grain flavors combine for an enjoyable peach-pie quality before the tannic finish.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Spring 2019)

Much darker in color than the Classic bottling (also reviewed this issue), as is expected. The nose warns of a wood-whelmed whiskey: dark, bitter wood notes, with a caramel underlay. The mouth is much hotter than the Classic bottling, with bold oak spice in the front and a gooey caramel/toffee sweetness underneath…only it’s not as good as that sounds. It’s all rather one-dimensional, including the hot oak finish. An interesting lesson in wood, but not at $200 for the pair.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Spring 2014)

Two malts: same distillation run, same proof, but this one was aged in used bourbon barrels. The color is much lighter than the new barrel bottling (also reviewed this issue), a pale straw. Nose is delicate, notes of haymow planks, clover honey, fresh grain, and sweet orange peel. Somewhat pedestrian on the palate: sweet malt, dried hay, more citrus, and a touch of pepper, with a somewhat bitter finish. No real flaws, but no excitement either. Disappointing.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Spring 2014)

Finished in toasted maple wood. I love the nose on this: complex notes of rum, golden raisin, maple syrup, nougat, polished leather, and warming cinnamon. The love continues on the palate, but toward the finish the flavors turn a bit aggressive (leather, tannins), which somewhat tarnishes an otherwise exciting, well-orchestrated whiskey.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2010)

Finished in pinot noir barrels. A very fruit-forward whiskey. I love bourbon, and I love pinot noir, but the wine influence is very intense and, to me, the flavors don’t integrate well. Cherries, red raspberry, and red currant dominate, along with a coating of caramel. Cinnamon and clove struggle to emerge from underneath it all. Sweet, fruity finish. Bonus points for uniqueness, but a bit overdone with the wine influence.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2015)

Aged in American oak, and then finished in maple, sherry, and portwood. The nose is intriguing and entertaining, but the palate loses me. At the beginning, it’s sweet to the point of bordering on cloying, and then there’s an emergence of flavors (wood spice, stewed fruit, caramel, etc.) that turns very busy and lacks integration. The flavors just don’t play well with each other. To me, the whiskey is trying too hard to impress and achieves the opposite.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2013)

Background on the Master’s Collection: this is the fourth of the 100% pot still whiskeys from Woodford Reserve in their Master’s Collection series (the previous being two different Four Grain releases and a Sonoma-Cutrer wine finish expression). All four have a common pot still character to them, and their flavors really expand most bourbon drinkers’ concept of bourbon. The second batch of Four Grain is still my clear favorite of the releases so far. It’s balanced and complex.
1838 Sweet Mash review: Burnt orange/amber color. Sweet, fruity, and spicy on the nose and palate. Notes of orchard fruit (peach, apple), golden raisin, bramble, and spice (cinnamon, evergreen, nutmeg, and clove) on a bed of sweetness (maple syrup and honey). It’s thick and viscous in texture and quite sweet on the front end of the palate, but dried spices and oak emerge mid-palate and rescue it. Long, spicy, resinous finish. I would rather the whisky didn’t go from predominantly sweet to mostly dry and gritty. I wish these two components were better integrated. If they were, I would have rated this whiskey higher.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2009)

This is pot still Woodford Reserve bourbon finished in Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay wine barrels. (It’s the second iteration in the Master’s Collection, following the Four Grain release.) The wine influence is immediately obvious-it is sweet and fruity on the nose and palate. Notes of caramel apples, toffee pudding, butterscotch, toasted pecan, and peach crisp. Polished oak finish. I’d like a little less sweetness-or a little more of something to balance it, like more dried oak spice.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2007)

Four barley types—two row, pale chocolate, kiln coffee, and Carafa—and malted wheat; aged 6 months in used Woodford Reserve Double Oaked barrels. Initial pungency and varnish. Then freshly-cut grass, petrol, wood shavings, and a slight hint of chocolate. New make mouthfeel. A hint of honey and milk chocolate is quickly overtaken by an astringent finish. In another few years, maybe this will become more palatable, but this is far from ready, and bourbon remains this distiller’s strong suit. 375ml

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2016)