Woodford Reserve Very Fine Rare Bourbon
Woodford Reserve · Woodford Reserve Distillery
This is Woodford at its most considered. The Very Fine Rare release demonstrates what happens when barrel selection prioritizes complexity over proof — every layer earns its place. A bourbon for sipping slowly and thinking about what restraint actually tastes like.
Nose
Rich butterscotch and dried stone fruit open the nose, followed by dark chocolate and a whisper of charred oak. A second pass reveals toasted pecans and a delicate floral note that hovers without asserting itself.
Palate
The entry is remarkably silky — caramel and vanilla coat the tongue before ceding to deeper notes of leather and tobacco. Midpalate, a flash of rye spice provides necessary tension against the sweetness, while oak tannins give structure without dryness.
Finish
Long and measured, trailing off with butterscotch, charred oak, and a faint echo of dark cocoa. The finish evolves rather than fades.
- Mash Bill
- 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
- Barrel Type
- New charred American oak
- Bottled in Bond
- No
- Single Barrel
- No
- Wheated
- No
Cocktail Suggestion
The Long Pause — 2 oz Woodford Reserve Very Fine Rare · 0.5 oz Demerara syrup · 2 dashes Angostura bitters · 1 dash orange bitters · Stir over a large ice cube, express an orange peel over the glass.
Food Pairing
Smoked duck breast with cherry compote
Selected by Master Distiller Chris Morris from a small handful of barrels aged in Woodford Reserve's century-old stone warehouses along Glenn's Creek in Versailles, Kentucky, this annual release reflects his philosophy that the best bourbon reveals itself in layers.
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