Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection – Maple Wood Finish: Last week we were invited to a Woodford Reserve tasting, where we got to sample the Master’s Collection range. So, over the coming weeks you’ll be seeing quite a lot of the stuff. Now, if you weren’t aware Woodford is one of, if not, the oldest distilleries of Bourbon Whiskey. While they’ve perfected their unique flavour they’ve decided to honour the pioneering work of founder Oscar Pepper and master distiller James Crow, by applying their handcrafted methods to a variety of grain recipes, fermentation styles and maturation processes to create a range of unique whiskeys.
MAPLE WOOD FINISH
On the nose: you’ll unsurprisingly get an immediate hit of maple syrup, followed by marzipan, hazelnuts and walnuts. This is then closely followed by some spices; cloves and cinnamon. And being as it was Shrove Tuesday at the time, this particular whiskey was very fitting. On the palate: those initial notes on the nose will be confirmed on the palate, it starts with that lovely maple syrup, which is then followed by those marzipan notes. You’ll get those walnut and hazelnut notes but there is also a touch of white chocolate in there too. The finish: is very, very smooth, with lingering maple sweetness and then the underlying rye content evens it out so you get a bit of spice.
The verdict: The good thing about this tasting is that I had no preconceptions, I didn’t go there thinking is this just going to be a take on the standard Woodford Reserve. I was greatly surprised at what was in the offering and I’m sure those of you who may pick up a bottle will be surprised too. With this Woodford Reserve Maple Wood – I found it is best enjoyed straight, or with a very small amount of mineral water to allow the flavours to breathe to really appreciate this bourbon whiskey. However, you may want to whip up a cocktail just to mix it up a little.
Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Maple Wood Finish can be found online at The Whisky Shop for approximately £158.
