Classification: Whiskey Finished in Tawny Port Barrels
Company: Brown-Forman
Distillery: Woodford Reserve Distillery / Brown-Forman Distillery
Release Date: May 2025
Proof: 90.4
Age: NAS (Aged at least 4 years per TTB regulations)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Bronze
MSRP: $65 / 375mL (2025)
Lush mixed berries | Vanilla | Buttercream frosting | Sandalwood | Faint pecan | Touch of pink cotton candy | Inviting
Dry oak | Light vanilla | Rye spice | Faint leather | Spiced raisin | White peppercorn
Rye spice | Dry oak | Vanilla | Faint mixed berries | Faint lingering heat
Taking an innovative approach to wine-finished whiskey, Woodford Reserve Distillery Series: Tawny Port Finish will appeal to those looking to try something new in this crowded category.
Following up on their fantastic Chocolate Whisper Redux release, Woodford Reserve is back with another installment in their Distillery Series, this time focusing on a tawny port-finished whiskey. To create the whiskey, Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall blends rye and bourbon together before finishing in tawny port barrels. The finished blend is then blended with additional bourbon. McCall states that “this expression highlights our ability to artfully blend rye and bourbon whiskey, as well our approach to barrel experimentation.”
The whiskey’s nose is sweet with scents of lush mixed berries gripping you right away, followed by sweet notes of vanilla, buttercream frosting, and a touch of pink cotton candy. Sandalwood adds a more grounded scent, which the palate latches onto, highlighting dry oak, faint leather, and mixed spices, including an intriguing spiced raisin note. As flavorful as the nose and palate are, the finish pumps the brakes, focusing on more traditional rye spice, dry oak, and vanilla, with a faint mixed berries note being the only reminder that this was finished in tawny port barrels.
Wine finished whiskeys seem to be a dime a dozen nowadays, and it’s getting harder and harder to stand out in this crowded space. By blending a bourbon and rye before finishing in the tawny port barrels, followed by layering in more bourbon into the finished blend, McCall is taking a path less traveled. The end result is an intriguing whiskey highlighting its individual components well. The nose and palate start things off on a great note, while the finish is a noticeable drop-off compared to the rest of the sip. For the price, this will appeal to those who love wine-finished whiskeys and are seeking out something new in the space.