Woodford Reserve Rye 1L 45,2%

Woodford Reserve Rye is a premium Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey inspired by the style of American rye whiskeys from the pre-Prohibition era. Unlike modern rye whiskeys with a very high rye content, it features a balanced recipe in which rye makes up 53% of the grain bill. As a result, the typical rye spiciness blends with fruity, sweet, and subtly malty notes.

The mash bill consists of 53% rye, 33% corn, and 14% malted barley. Rye contributes peppery spice and an herbal character, corn adds sweetness, and malted barley rounds out the final profile. The result is a rye whiskey that retains the distinctive character of rye while remaining harmonious and approachable.

Woodford Reserve Rye is bottled at 45.2% alcohol, or 90.4 proof. Its complex profile offers not only spice but also fruit, honey, molasses, mint, malt, and subtle woody notes.

Tasting Profile:

Color: Rich honey.

Aroma: Spicy with pronounced notes of rye, black pepper, cedar wood, and cassia, softened by a hint of marzipan. Pear, apple, and almond emerge in the background.

Taste: Cloves, rye, and mint blend with molasses, sorghum, and honey. The whole is complemented by subtle notes of apple and malt.

Finish: Long and sweetly spiced.

Recommended Serving:

Woodford Reserve Rye is complex enough to enjoy on its own, works well on the rocks, and—thanks to its balanced blend of spicy and sweeter notes—is well-suited for classic whiskey cocktails. We recommend it neat, on the rocks, or as a base for a cocktail.

One classic example is the Rye Manhattan, which combines two parts Woodford Reserve Rye with three-quarters of a part sweet vermouth and three dashes of Angostura bitters. The spicy character of the rye whiskey blends well with the sweetness of the vermouth.

Awards:

Among this whiskey’s accolades are, for example, a gold medal from the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and first place at the 2018 International Whisky Competition.

About the Woodford Reserve Brand:

Woodford Reserve is one of the most respected American whiskey brands from Kentucky. It combines a long tradition of bourbon production with a modern approach and an emphasis on a rich, complex flavor. The brand itself was founded in 1996, but the history of the distillery in Versailles, Kentucky, dates back to 1812.

Woodford Reserve is known for its well-balanced whiskeys with notes of vanilla, caramel, fruit, spices, and oak. Their character is shaped by carefully selected grain blends, water filtered through Kentucky’s limestone bedrock, traditional distillation, and aging in new, charred American oak barrels.

The brand isn’t limited to classic bourbon. Its lineup also includes rye whiskey, the bolder Double Oaked, and limited-edition and luxury releases, which experiment with different types of barrels and aging methods.