Woodford Reserve Historic Barrel Entry Review | Whiskey Raiders
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Woodford Reserve Historic Barrel Entry

  • Distiller:

    Woodford Reserve

  • Bottler:

    Woodford Reserve

  • ABV:

    45.2%

  • Age:

    NAS

  • Price:
    $$$$$
  • Raided Score: 90
  • Publication: Drinkhacker
  • Excerpt: The whiskey is surprisingly lively throughout, and the apple notes give it more of a fruit-forward tone than any other Woodford release that immediately comes to mind. That’s not a bad thing in my book.
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  • Raided Score: 90
  • Publication: The Whiskey Wash
  • Excerpt: If cost is no issue, I would definitely try this but at the suggested MSRP ... it is targeted towards collectors and enthusiasts, and not casual drinkers.
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  • Raided Score: 81
  • Publication: Breaking Bourbon
  • Excerpt: While Historic Barrel Entry delivers a slightly elevated sip compared to the standard Woodford Reserve and is well-composed, the asking price doesn’t match the overall sip.
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  • Raided Score: 80
  • Publication: Whiskey Raiders
  • Excerpt: It's not my favorite from the brand, but that's the risk of an experiment, and I celebrate Woodford taking the risk either way.
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Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. Please see the FAQ for more.

  • Intro:

    Released in the winter of 2022, this special bottling from Woodford Reserve features whiskey that was matured with a barrel entry proof of 100. It's still bottled at Woodford's classic 45.2% ABV, but this marks a unique divergence from the producer's standard barrel entry proof. Is the difference starkly noticeable or subtle? Let's dive in!

  • Nose:

    Big and rich and sweet, this pour has tons of caramel, vanilla, apple, brown butter and a touch of funk on the nose — unusual but enticing.

  • Taste:

    The mouthfeel is moderate, although the whiskey tastes a bit younger than I was expecting. Lots of citrus and fruit, some undeveloped tannin and a light mustiness on the palate.

  • Finish:

    The finish is short and simple: brown sugar, a touch of oak, pears and apples, and a touch of must once more.

  • Overall:

    This release really felt like it had incredible potential. But between the lack of age and the low ABV, I'm not sure which feature contributes more to the must of this pour. It's not my favorite from the brand, but that's the risk of an experiment, and I celebrate Woodford taking the risk either way. Better luck next time, gang!

  • Score:

    4

  • By t8ke
  • Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.

  • Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources
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