More to Enjoy
Woodford Reserve Toasted Oak Oat Grain
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Distiller:
Woodford Reserve
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Bottler:
Woodford Reserve
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ABV:
45.2%
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Age:
NAS
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Price:
$$$$$
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Intro:
Perhaps one of the most unique whiskeys to cross my desk this year, Woodford's Toasted Oak Oat Grain actually gives you most of what you need to know in the name alone. It's an oat grain bourbon, that goes on to see toasted barrels for maturation after a period of time in standard charred American Oak. It's bottled at 45.2% ABV and released as part of their Summer 2022 limited, experimental, releases. Let's dive in.
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Nose:
Sweet and creamy on the nose, peach rings, honey, almond, oatmeal and a touch of pepper. Enticing baking spice, icing and a light oak influence.
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Taste:
Really fascinating on the palate. Malty, earthy, the oats stick out. Like a granola bar in whiskey form - it's about the most unique thing I've tasted in ages. Payday bar wrapped up in a bit of nougat and butterscotch blends with a sunflower seed note and light earthiness. Oak is all but gone here, with the mashbill driving the majority of the flavor. Unbelievably interesting.
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Finish:
Long finish, dry, savory, earthy and oat forward. This is a tough one to wrap up because admittedly, there are some flavors here that even I'm having a tough time teasing out. Cocoa and cream.
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Overall:
This is a wild pour. If you love oatmeal and cocoa, this is going to be your jam. If traditional oak and vanilla are your wheelhouse - this might be hit or miss. I love that Woodford continues to lean into a collection of meaningful, yet experimental, ideas and release them - it continues to demonstrate that there's a lot going on under the roof there. I like this miles better than the Chocolate Malt Whisper - oatmeal and cocoa are flavors I enjoy.
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Score:
6
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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