Woodford Reserve
Encyclopedia
Woodford Reserve is a brand of premium small batch
Kentucky
Straight
Bourbon Whiskey
produced by the Brown-Forman Corporation. It is distilled at the company's Woodford Reserve Distillery, and marketed under the former company name for the distillery, Labrot & Graham. The distillery is located in Woodford County
, in central Kentucky
. Formerly known as Labrot & Graham's Old Oscar Pepper Distillery
, the distillery is approximately eight miles from the town of Versailles
off U.S. Route 60
, between Interstate 64
and Versailles. Each bottle is numbered with a batch number and bottle number. Woodford Reserve's alcohol content is 45.2% (90.4 Proof). No age statement is listed on the bottle. U.S. law requires any bourbon aged less than four years to have an age statement, so the Woodford Reserve bottlings must be at least four years old.
, and in 2000 it was designated a National Historic Landmark
.
Originally established by Elijah Pepper, the distillery was passed on to his son and was known as the Oscar Pepper Distillery when Dr. James Crow worked there in the mid-19th century. During this time Dr. Crow went about a series of activities that improved and codified the understanding of, and quality of, key bourbon-making processes such as sour-mash fermentation, pot still
distillation and barrel maturation. Ultimately, the Pepper family sold the property to Leopold Labrot and James Graham in 1878, who owned and operated it (except during Prohibition
) until 1941 when it was sold to the Brown-Forman
Corporation. B-F operated it until 1968 and then sold the then-mothballed property in 1971. Brown-Forman then re-purchased the property in 1993 and refurbished it to bring it back into operation. The Woodford Reserve brand was introduced to the market in 1996. Since premium bourbon is aged for several years prior to sale, it is likely that the early bottlings of Woodford Reserve had been distilled at some other facility.
Among the expressions of bottlings branded as Woodford Reserve are two variations called the Masters Collection, which are produced using the more expensive traditional pot still
distillation method, rather than the more modern column still
technology.
organizations and liquor review bodies have generally given Woodford Reserve solid scores. At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Woodford Reserve's best performance was in 2005, when it won a double gold medal, and it has since won gold (2006–2007) and silver medals at this annual event (2008, 2010). The Beverage Testing Institute has given the Reserve a score of 90 and Wine Enthusiast awarded it a 90-95 point rating. Spirits ratings aggregator proof66.com, which averages scores from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Wine Enthusiast, the Beverage Testing Institute, and others, ranks Woodford Reserve in its highest ("Tier 1") scoring category.
and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
In a contract arrangement with Churchill Downs
, Brown-Forman has purchased the rights to declare Woodford Reserve to be the "Official Bourbon" of the Kentucky Derby
and to be the bourbon used in the $1,000 special premium Mint Julep served at the event. However, it is the Brown-Forman sister brand Early Times
that is used in the lower-priced Mint Julep
s that are sold as the "Official Drink" of the Kentucky Derby
.
Small batch
Small batch whiskey is a term usually referring to bourbon or rye whiskey, and denotes a whiskey produced by mixing the contents of a relatively small number of selected barrels....
Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
Straight
Straight whiskey
Straight whiskey is whisky created by distilling a fermented cereal grain mash to create a spirit not exceeding 80% alcohol content by volume and then aging the spirit for at least two years at an abv concentration not exceeding 62.5% at the start of the aging process.Filtering and dilution...
Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon whiskey
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
produced by the Brown-Forman Corporation. It is distilled at the company's Woodford Reserve Distillery, and marketed under the former company name for the distillery, Labrot & Graham. The distillery is located in Woodford County
Woodford County, Kentucky
Woodford County is a county located in the heart of the Bluegrass region of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 23,208. Its county seat is Versailles. The county is named for General William Woodford, who was with General George Washington at Valley Forge...
, in central Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Formerly known as Labrot & Graham's Old Oscar Pepper Distillery
Labrot & Graham's Old Oscar Pepper Distillery
Labrot & Graham Distillery, also known as Old Oscar Pepper Distillery, WD-01, is the former name of a historic whiskey distillery near Frankfort, Kentucky, now known as The Woodford Reserve Distillery. It makes Woodford Reserve, a brand of small batch bourbon whiskey.The distillery was declared a...
, the distillery is approximately eight miles from the town of Versailles
Versailles, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,511 people, 3,160 households, and 2,110 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.18% White, 8.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35%...
off U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
, between Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
and Versailles. Each bottle is numbered with a batch number and bottle number. Woodford Reserve's alcohol content is 45.2% (90.4 Proof). No age statement is listed on the bottle. U.S. law requires any bourbon aged less than four years to have an age statement, so the Woodford Reserve bottlings must be at least four years old.
History
Distilling on the site began in 1797 or 1812 and the distillery building itself was erected in 1838, making it the oldest of the nine bourbon distilleries in current operation in Kentucky as of 2010 – although the site has not been continuously operational as a distillery during that history. In 1995 the distillery was listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, and in 2000 it was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
Originally established by Elijah Pepper, the distillery was passed on to his son and was known as the Oscar Pepper Distillery when Dr. James Crow worked there in the mid-19th century. During this time Dr. Crow went about a series of activities that improved and codified the understanding of, and quality of, key bourbon-making processes such as sour-mash fermentation, pot still
Pot still
A pot still is a type of still used in distilling spirits such as whisky or brandy. Heat is applied directly to the pot containing the wash or wine . This is called a batch distillation ....
distillation and barrel maturation. Ultimately, the Pepper family sold the property to Leopold Labrot and James Graham in 1878, who owned and operated it (except during Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
) until 1941 when it was sold to the Brown-Forman
Brown-Forman Corporation
The Brown-Forman Corporation is one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business.Some well-known brands of the corporation include Jack Daniel's, Southern Comfort, Finlandia Vodka, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Canadian Mist, Early Times, Old Forester, and Korbel champagne.-...
Corporation. B-F operated it until 1968 and then sold the then-mothballed property in 1971. Brown-Forman then re-purchased the property in 1993 and refurbished it to bring it back into operation. The Woodford Reserve brand was introduced to the market in 1996. Since premium bourbon is aged for several years prior to sale, it is likely that the early bottlings of Woodford Reserve had been distilled at some other facility.
Among the expressions of bottlings branded as Woodford Reserve are two variations called the Masters Collection, which are produced using the more expensive traditional pot still
Pot still
A pot still is a type of still used in distilling spirits such as whisky or brandy. Heat is applied directly to the pot containing the wash or wine . This is called a batch distillation ....
distillation method, rather than the more modern column still
Column still
A column still, also called a continuous still, patent still or Coffey still, is a variety of still consisting of two columns invented in 1826 by Robert Stein, a Clackmannanshire distiller, and it was first used at the Cameron Bridge Grain Distillery in Fife, Scotland. The design was enhanced and...
technology.
Reviews and Accolades
International Spirit ratingsSpirit ratings
With a growing number of microdistilleries and an expanding number of offerings from large corporate entities, a number of institutions have arisen to provide professional evaluations of individual spirits...
organizations and liquor review bodies have generally given Woodford Reserve solid scores. At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Woodford Reserve's best performance was in 2005, when it won a double gold medal, and it has since won gold (2006–2007) and silver medals at this annual event (2008, 2010). The Beverage Testing Institute has given the Reserve a score of 90 and Wine Enthusiast awarded it a 90-95 point rating. Spirits ratings aggregator proof66.com, which averages scores from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Wine Enthusiast, the Beverage Testing Institute, and others, ranks Woodford Reserve in its highest ("Tier 1") scoring category.
Marketing activities
The Woodford Reserve Distillery offers tours and is part of the American Whiskey TrailAmerican Whiskey Trail
The American Whiskey Trail is an initiative of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States that promotes the history and cultural heritage of distilled beverages in the United States.-History of whiskey in the United States:...
and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
In a contract arrangement with Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...
, Brown-Forman has purchased the rights to declare Woodford Reserve to be the "Official Bourbon" of the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
and to be the bourbon used in the $1,000 special premium Mint Julep served at the event. However, it is the Brown-Forman sister brand Early Times
Early Times
Early Times is a brand of Kentucky whisky produced by the Brown-Forman Corporation. The whisky sold under this brand name outside the United States is labelled as bourbon, while most of the brand bottlings sold within the U.S. do not meet the qualifications for marketing as a bourbon and are just...
that is used in the lower-priced Mint Julep
Mint Julep
The mint julep is a mixed alcoholic drink, or cocktail, associated with the cuisine of the Southern United States.- Preparation :A mint julep is traditionally made with four ingredients: mint leaf, bourbon, sugar, and water. Traditionally, spearmint is the mint of choiceused in Southern states, and...
s that are sold as the "Official Drink" of the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
.
See also
- American Whiskey TrailAmerican Whiskey TrailThe American Whiskey Trail is an initiative of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States that promotes the history and cultural heritage of distilled beverages in the United States.-History of whiskey in the United States:...
- Bourbon TrailBourbon TrailThe Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a program of the Kentucky Distillers' Association to promote the bourbon industry in Kentucky....
- Bourbon whiskeyBourbon whiskeyBourbon is a type of American whiskey – a barrel-aged distilled spirit made primarily from corn. The name of the spirit derives from its historical association with an area known as Old Bourbon, around what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky . It has been produced since the 18th century...
- Brown-Forman
- List of bourbon brands