Woodford Reserve, the official bourbon whiskey of the Kentucky Derby featuring 212 flavors

bourbon Once you start taking an interest in whiskey, there is a name you are bound to come across at some point. It is the one known as 'Upo-ri'. Woodford Reserveall.

The official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby and the one most used by bartenders worldwide for Old Fashioneds Whiskey It is one of them.

The History of Woodford Reserve — From the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery to Premium Bourbon

Whisky has been produced since 1812 on the land in Versailles, Kentucky, where the Woodford Reserve Distillery is located.

Elijah Pepper first started distilling at this location, and the history began in earnest when his son, Oscar Pepper, inherited the distillery.

The current main building of the distillery was built in 1838 and is one of the oldest distillery buildings in Kentucky.

It is registered on the U.S. National Register of Historic Sites, and in 2000 National Historic LandmarkIt was also designated as such.

James Crowe and the Birth of Modern Bourbon

If one were to name the most important figure in the history of Woodford Reserve Distillery, it would undoubtedly be James C. Crowall.

Crow, a Scottish physician and chemist, worked at this distillery for about 31 years, from 1825 until his death in 1856. Simply put, what Crow did was transform whisky production, which had relied on 'intuition,' into 'science.'.

He systematized sour mashing and introduced saccharometers and pH measurements to ensure consistency in the fermentation process. Bourbon, which previously had inconsistent flavors from batch to batch, finally achieved predictable quality under Crow's care.

Kentucky and Tennessee are located on limestone terrain, so the water is rich in minerals but is also hard water. Sour mashing was essential to ensure stable fermentation with such alkaline water.

Crow established a method to lower the pH by adding acidic residue (backset) from previous fermentations to the next batch, which became the prototype of the bourbon sour mash process that continues to this day.

Chris Morris, former Master Distiller at Woodford Reserve, once said, “This distillery pays tribute to Pepper and The Crow, but it is not a place that recreates 19th-century whisky. It is a place that continues the ‘exploration of possibilities” demonstrated by The Crow.”

Closure and Revival — Brown-Forman's Choice

After Oscar Pepper passed away in 1867, the distillery was passed to his son James E. Pepper, and then sold to Leopold Labrott and James Graham in 1878.

since Labrot & Graham DistilleryIt was operated under the name and consistently produced whiskey, except during the Prohibition period.

In 1941, Brown-Forman acquired the distillery. However, during the slump in the bourbon market in the late 1960s, the distillery was sold, and the site was used as a farm for a while.

The turning point came in 1993. Brown-Forman repurchased the distillery and embarked on a major renovation. At this time, copper pot stills made in Scotland were installed inside the distillery, which were a miniaturized design of the Glenmorangie distillery's stills.

In 1996, a whisky named 'Woodford Reserve' was finally introduced to the market and was evaluated at the time as the 'rebirth of bourbon'.

In 2004, the distillery officially changed its name to Woodford Reserve Distillery, and in 2021, it solidified its position as a leading premium bourbon brand with annual sales in the U.S. surpassing 1 million cases.

Three Master Distillers

There are three master distillers in the modern history of Woodford Reserve.

First Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson...led the brand launch in 1996. Subsequently Chris MorrisIt held that position for 20 years, from 2003 to 2023.

Morris is the figure who elevated Woodford Reserve from a simple bourbon brand into an icon of innovation. He developed Double Oak, Rye, Malt, and Wheat whiskies, and created experimental lineups such as the Masters Collection and the Distillery Series.

For the first time in the world Chardonnay Finishing the bourbon in barrels and Pinot Noir barrels, as well as developing the maple wood barrels himself, are all Morris's works.

February 2023, Elizabeth McCallHe was appointed as the third Master Distiller. McCall, who originally holds a master's degree in counseling psychology, joined Brown-Forman's Sensory Lab in 2009 and rose to his current position after serving as a Master Taster and Assistant Master Distiller.

She focuses particularly on the minute details of the manufacturing process, such as fine-tuning the fermentation temperature profile, and is exploring a new direction called cocktail-inspired barrel finishing.

Woodford Reserve's Production Process — The Only Pot Still Triple Distillation in Bourbon

What decisively distinguishes Woodford Reserve from other bourbons is its manufacturing process. While most Kentucky bourbons are mass-produced using continuous column stills, Woodford Reserve adheres to a triple distillation method using copper pot stills. Woodford Reserve is the only existing Kentucky bourbon distillery to employ this method.

Five Sources of Flavor

Woodford Reserve highlights the five sources that create the flavor of bourbon. Water, Grain, Fermentation, Distillation, MaturationThis is it.

Chris Morris explained that among these, distillation and water are close to being constants.

“Of Bourbon's five flavor sources, distillation and water are fixed variables. Innovation occurs in the remaining three—grain, fermentation, and aging.”

Under this philosophy, Woodford Reserve has changed the mash bill, experimented with new yeasts, and tried various oak barrel finishings.

Limestone filtered water and High Lime Massville

The Glenn's Creek area, where the distillery is located, sits atop Kentucky's distinctive limestone terrain. As water passes through this limestone layer, iron is naturally removed, and the water becomes rich in minerals such as magnesium, zinc, and potassium. This natural filtration process is crucial because iron is a factor that impairs the flavor of whisky.

Woodford Reserve's mash bill consists of 721 TP3T corn, 181 TP3T rye, and 101 TP3T malt.
Most bourbons have a rye content of 8 to 121 TP3T, notably Maker's Mark uses wheat instead of rye, and Jim Beam White Label has a rye content of about 131 TP3T.

In contrast, Woodford Reserve is 18%, which is clearly higher than the industry average, so commonly High Rye MasseyvilleIt is classified as such. This high proportion of rye is a key factor in creating Woodford Reserve's distinctive spicy and dry character.

For reference, Old Forester, also under the Brown-Forman umbrella, uses a similar mash bill, but the yeast types and souring ratios differ. Old Forester undergoes a souring of 121 TP3T and 5 days of fermentation, whereas Woodford Reserve undergoes a low souring of 61 TP3T and a long fermentation of 7 days.

This difference clearly distinguishes the flavors of the two whiskies.

Fermentation — 7 days of slow fermentation

Fermentation at Woodford Reserve takes place in 7,500-gallon cypress fermentation tanks.
The yeast strain used here is 72B, which was developed exclusively for Woodford Reserve.

The fermentation period is 5 to 7 days, which is considerably longer than the industry average of 3 days. The souring ratio is also only 61 TP3T. This is very low compared to typical bourbon distilleries that apply a souring level of 15 to 201 TP3T.

A lower souring ratio means that there is more sugar available for the yeast to utilize. According to Chris Morris, the higher the souring, the lower the total amount of congeners.

Conversely, if you set the souring low like Woodford Reserve, the yeast can work with more ingredients, producing rich esters and fruit flavors.

In fact, it is said that fruit and floral aromas are prominent in the fermentation tanks at Woodford Reserve. The flavor compounds produced at this stage develop into fruit notes such as cherry, blackberry, and cooked peach as they undergo subsequent distillation and aging.

The difference that pot still triple distillation makes

This is precisely the most unrivaled characteristic of Woodford Reserve. The only Kentucky bourbon Triple distillation using a copper pot stillProceed with.

This pot still was manufactured in Scotland and imported during the distillery's renovation in 1995. Its design is a scaled-down version of the Glenmorangie distillery's pot stills, following the traditional gooseneck type pot still structure.

Copper plays a crucial role in the distillation process. Harmful sulfur compounds contained in the vapor undergo a chemical reaction and are removed the moment they come into contact with the copper surface. This allows for the production of a cleaner and more refined spirit.

The alcohol content of the distillate from the third still is approximately 791 TP3T ABV (158 proof). Compared to producing the same alcohol content with a column still, the pot still is less efficient but captures that much more flavor components.

If a column still produces a clean and uniform spirit, a pot still retains more of the grain's natural character and complex flavors.

Aging

After distillation, the spirit is diluted to 54.51 TP3T ABV (110 proof) and then placed in naturally dried American white oak (Quercus alba) barrels. Woodford Reserve owns its own cooperage (bottle factory) and follows a process in the barrel-making process that involves first strong toasting followed by charring.

Woodford Reserve does not specify the aging period. Instead, it adopts a method of blending barrels with various years and flavor profiles to maintain a consistent taste standard for every batch.

A Complete Overview of the Woodford Reserve Product Lineup

Woodford Reserve does not settle for a single flagship bourbon, but develops a diverse lineup with different grain compositions and barrel processing methods.

Woodford Reserve Bourbon

It is Woodford Reserve's flagship and most widely known product. It is bottled at 43.21 TP3T ABV (86.4 proof) and is known to contain 212 flavor compounds.

On the nose, deep amber is accompanied by aromas of waxy honey, lemon thyme, and intense citrus. Nuances of stewed apple, nutmeg, and lemon cake are also detected. On the palate, deep flavors of vanilla fudge and tobacco leaf blend together, and the finish is smooth and long-lasting.

Overall Soft Corn It belongs to the Flavor Camp and is characterized by a sweet and pleasant drinking experience.

The official tasting notes emphasize the even distribution of five flavor domains: Grain, Wood, Sweet Aromatics, Spice, and Fruit & Floral. It can be described as a balanced bourbon with a complex blend of toffee, caramel, chocolate, cinnamon, and citrus.

Among bourbons, it stands out for its unique corn sweetness and smooth drinkability, so I would like to recommend it as an entry-level bourbon whiskey rather than the commonly known "Big 3" bourbons.

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

First launched in 2012, Double Oaked is a product that symbolizes the innovation of Woodford Reserve. With the base bourbon fully aged, Second new oak barrelTransfer to a container and proceed with additional aging.

The key here is the processing method of the second barrel. The first barrel is heavily toasted and then charred, but the second barrel is the exact opposite. Heavyly Toasted and Lightly Charreddoes.

It is essentially a structure where the heat treatment of the first and second barrels is reversed. Through this process, additional oak sweetness is added, and the vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch flavors become even deeper. The color is also noticeably darker than Upori Bourbon.

It is bottled at the same 43.21 TP3T ABV, and is a product worth trying for anyone who likes oak flavors and wants to experience the difference of barrel aging.

It can be purchased for around 130,000 to 140,000 won in Korea in 2026.

Rye, Malt, and Wheat Whisky

In addition to its flagship bourbon, Woodford Reserve is releasing three whiskies with different grain compositions.
All are Kentucky Straight Whisky and are aged in new charred oak barrels.

It is good for comparing the bourbon character based on the mash bill with the standard bourbon (corn 721 TP3T, rye 181 TP3T, malt 101 TP3T). Since corn makes up about three-quarters of the basic bourbon, a sweet and full-bodied structure forms the basic framework, and the spice of the rye and the nuttiness of the malt balance this out.

It is characterized by a smooth, rounded flavor that blends vanilla, caramel, citrus, and toffee.

rye(Rye 531 TP3T, Corn 331 TP3T, Malt 141 TP3T) is a composition where the roles of corn and rye, which used to be the stars in bourbon, are reversed. In this mashbill, which recreates the rye ratio of the pre-Prohibition style, the dry spices characteristic of rye take center stage.

The subtle pepper and cinnamon nuances that were present in the bourbon become the main characters in the rye, and complex aromas such as tobacco leaves and marzipan are added.

The sweet corn body of the bourbon takes a step back but does not disappear completely, maintaining a balance of spiciness and some sweetness.

malt whisky(Malt 51% + Other Grains) uses malted barley as the main grain. It is unique in that it does not use 100% malt like typical single malts, but instead adds a bourbon-style process of aging in new chad oak barrels to the 51% malt ratio.

By comparison, instead of the sweet body of corn, the savory and nutty flavor characteristic of malt comes to the center.
According to Woodford Reserve’s official description, this product “amplifies the nutty character already present in the basic bourbon.”.

Notes of milk chocolate, apple, and tropical fruit linger smoothly, while the flavor is significantly heavier than bourbon and features a prominent presence of grains.

If you are familiar with Scotch single malt whisky, you can experience an interesting combination of the oak sweetness of bourbon layered over a familiar malt character.

Wit whisky(Wheat 52%, Malt 20%, Corn 20%, Rye 8%) is the softest and lightest of the four products. Wheat is a grain that is not as assertive as rye or corn. Therefore, the spicy rye character typically found in bourbon almost disappears, and instead, floral and fruit aromas come to the forefront.

The body is also much thinner and more delicate than Bourbon, making it suitable for whisky beginners or those who prefer a light drinking experience. If Bourbon is characterized by a 'rich sweetness,' then Wit can be seen as closer to a 'refreshing sweetness.'.

In summary, when produced at the same distillery using the same method but with only the grain changed, corn imparts a sweet body, rye adds dry spices, malted barley brings a savory nutty flavor, and wheat adds soft floral and fruit aromas to the whisky.

If you place four bottles side by side for a comparative tasting, you can feel how fundamentally Mash Bill changes the flavor of the whisky.

Masters Collection & Limited Edition

The line that best showcases Woodford Reserve's experimental spirit is Master's Collectionam.

In this series, various attempts have been made to break the mold of traditional bourbon, such as four-grain mash bills, sweet mash, a Chardonnay finish, and four types of wood maturation (bourbon barrels + Oloroso + Port + maple wood finish).

Chris Morris has also introduced two types of straight malt made from 100% malted barley in this collection. One was aged in refill casks, and the other in sachad oak. In 2025, the brand will reach its highest-ever ABV at 139.4 proof (69.7%). ABVChocolate Whisper Redux Bourbon was also released as a limited edition.

Batch Proof는 cask It is a product bottled at the same alcohol content as its strength, and, Distillery SeriesIt is a limited edition available only in the Kentucky region. Also, every year Kentucky Derby commemorative bottleReleasing [it] is also a tradition unique to Woodford Reserve.

Product Comparison Table

product	Massville	ABV	Main flavors
Distillers Select	Corn 72%, Rye 18%, Malt 10%	45.2%	Vanilla, caramel, citrus, toffee, nutmeg
Double Oaked	Distillers Select + 2nd Barrel	45.2%	Butterscotch, rich vanilla, dark chocolate, maple
rye	Rye 53%, Corn 33%, Malt 14%	45.2%	Pepper, tobacco, spices, fruit, marzipan
malt whisky	Malt 51% + Other Grains	45.2%	Nuts, caramel, honey, toast
Wit whisky	Wheat 52%, Malt 20%, Corn 20%, Rye 8%	45.2%	Fruit, floral, smooth body, wheat sweetness
Batch proof	Corn 72%, Rye 18%, Malt 10%	Varies by batch (approx. 60~70%)	Concentrated flavor, strong oak, spice