Woodford Reserve 150th Anniversary Kentucky Derby Bourbon Whiskey 1L (2024 Release)

Woodford Reserve approaches bourbon through what it calls the Five Sources of Flavour: grain, water, fermentation, distillation and maturation. Each is treated as an opportunity to build complexity, with the final whiskey shaped by the interaction between all five rather than any single defining element.

The signature Woodford Reserve Bourbon begins with a mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley, balancing the sweetness of corn with rye spice and the cereal character of malt. Kentucky limestone-filtered water provides the foundation, followed by an unusually long fermentation that helps develop a broad spectrum of flavour.

Distillation is another point of distinction. Woodford Reserve uses three copper pot stills at its historic distillery, creating a rich, characterful spirit that ultimately becomes part of the final bourbon. Maturation in new charred American oak develops further layers of vanilla, toasted oak, spice and sweetness.

The philosophy is one of considered complexity. From its flagship bourbon to the Master's Collection and other experimental releases, Woodford Reserve continues to explore how grain, technique, oak and time can shift the character of American whiskey while remaining unmistakably rooted in Kentucky.