Maker:
In the 1830s the Woodford County distillery was the setting for a series of discoveries and innovative practices that would define the bourbon industry for generations to come. Today that pioneering and innovative tradition is embodied in the Woodford Reserve Distillery's Master's Collection. A tradition beginning when Master Distiller James Crow joined distillery owner Oscar Pepper to create the first true Kentucky bourbon whiskies.
Distillery:
The art of making fine bourbon first took place on the site of the Woodford Reserve Distillery, a National Historic Landmark, in 1812. You get that sense of history. The history of bourbon is the history of Kentucky, is the history of the United States. Distillers Chris Morris and Elizabeth McCall share the belief that the keys to making the World’s Finest Bourbon are not only time and patience, but science and art. There are five sources to Woodford Reserve's flavour grain recipe, water, fermentation, distillation, maturation. Woodford Reserve is crafted from a grain recipe of 72% corn, 18% Rye, and 10% malted barley. This recipe balances the sweetness of corn with the spice of rye, and the nuttiness of malt to build the base. The water used to craft Woodford Reserve comes directly from the distillery. It is naturally filtered by the limestone deposits under the property. Iron-free and mineral rich, it is a crucial ingredient in the process. The fermentation process is among the longest in the industry. This extra time, paired with our unique yeast strain, creates a great depth of character and a complex range of flavours. Woodford Reserve favours pot stills and column stills for a perfect balance of flavour. Finally, Woodford Reserve is matured in new, charred, white oak barrels made in house. The barrel is a key ingredient in the process, contributing flavour complexity, and balance.
Winestyle/Cuvee:
For this 2023 release, Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall has drawn upon prior creative releases and continued product experimentation for inspiration. In 2014, the Master’s Collection released the first Pinot Noir finished Kentucky Bourbon in history, Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Finish. This was followed in 2016 with the first-ever American Brandy Cask finished Bourbon. The Pinot Noir and brandy barrels used for these releases were obtained from famous Sonoma County wineries. These releases featured big, bold, red and dried fruit flavors along with dark chocolate and baking spice notes. At the same time, many wineries began to age their red wines in used Woodford Reserve barrels to create a new “Bourbon Barrel Aged” genre. These wines featured rich vanilla and caramel notes.
This inspired Elizabeth to experiment with various combinations of the three— including finishing Woodford Reserve in Sonoma County wine barrels that had originally been used to mature Woodford Reserve. The result, Sonoma Triple Finish, is a unique blend of Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that has been finished in Sonoma County Pinot Noir, Brandy, and former Bourbon barrels used to age red wine.
Nose- Oak, New Leather, Cinnamon
The scent of chocolate wafer crisps and caramel-covered Flan fills my nostrils. There’s a nice amount of oak and leather present too. Followed by creamed corn scent. Toasted pecans dusted with cinnamon and some cherries in the mix.
Palate - Red Fruit, Vanilla Bean, Cedar Spice
Sonoma Triple Finish is a rich, fruity, vanilla and spice-forward expression of Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Finish - Char, Red Grape Tannins
Long oak and red grape tannins, Sweet Spice
The Finer Details
Style - Bourbon
Country - United States
Region - Kentucky
Bottle Size - 700ml
ABV - 45.2%
