Today, Woodford Reserve fans will be making a pilgrimage to Versailles, Kentucky.
The mission? Score a bottle of this coveted 2024 WR release: Batch Proof 121.2. Blended under the leadership of Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall, this coveted collectible is a limited edition annual bottling being released today in select cities and at the distillery. Bottled at 60.6% ABV, this Reserve Batch expression will afford enthusiasts a chance to taste Woodford, typically bottled at 45.2% ABV, in all of its cask strength glory. This 2024 limited edition is on sale for an MSRP of $150 for a .700 ml bottle.
“Barrels drawn from the upper floors of our heat-cycled warehouses tend to possess higher proof presentations, including this limited-edition batch. Batch Proof allows consumers to taste Woodford Reserve exactly as it comes out of the barrels.”
—Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall
What’s In The Bottle?
Classic Woodford Reserve is a mingling of column distilled and pot-still-produced whiskeys from a high rye mashbill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. To create this expression, McCall batched over 100 barrels of Woodford Reserve of various ages, which were matured in multiple heat-cycled warehouses and locations within those facilities. The final blend was bottled barrel-proof, clocking in at 121.2 proof.
How Does It Taste?
Company tasting notes report Aromas of vanilla bean, brown sugar pecans, and citrus fruits balanced by baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. On the palate, expect toasted oak, cocoa, pineapple, dried strawberry, and spiced berries, concluding with more dried strawberry and oak plus honey on the finish.
John McCarthy is a spirit, travel, and lifestyle journalist, managing editor, and author of The Modern Gentleman and Whiskey Rebels: The Dreamers, Visionaries & Badasses Who Are Revolutionizing American Whiskey. McCarthy is also editor of Barleycorn Drinks and Director of Judging of the John Barleycorn Awards.
