Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon (Batch 647 Bottle 11042)

Nose: The nose is on the lighter side and I picked up some hints of mint and apple. Overall, though, there aren’t really any dominant scents. You smell bourbon, and you get get “classic bourbon smell". Palate: Woodford has one of the nicest mouthfeels of any bourbon. On the first sip, you get heat on the finish, but the mouthfeel still invites you to let it sit in your mouth for a while before swallowing. On the second sip, I got that rich, chewy “classic bourbon” flavor that has caramel, vanilla and also a bit of oakiness. After the first sip, the heat tones down a bit. On later sips, some other subtle flavors start showing up, but they aren’t easy to identify. It is a bit on the dry side and has a slight earthiness to it. I don’t get much if any rye and I also don’t get a lot of sweetness. Comments: This is 90.4 proof. The mashbill is 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. It is a combination of pot still and column still whiskey and is reportedly between 6 and 7 years old. It is often on sale and you’ll find it is the $30 range. While Woodford isn’t my daily drinker, it easily could be. I’ve always enjoyed it as a very easy and pleasant sipper. I know it sounds contradictory, but it has complexity without being overly complex. I suppose what I mean is, that you’ll enjoy different, and sometimes changing, flavors, but it won’t tax you too badly.