Woodford Reserve Maple Wood Finish

[nblair]

Saw three bottles on the shelf in Northern Kentucky today for $89.99. I really want to try this stuff, but couldn't make myself dish out the $90.

[OscarV]

So it is finally been released.

Does anyone here have it and/or tasted it?

[cowdery]

Like John, I've also tasted a review sample and hope to post some notes soon. After reading his post I glanced at my notes and see that I wrote, "crazy finish," so I obviously had some issues with the finish as well.

[B.B. Babington]

So it is finally been released.

Does anyone here have it and/or tasted it?

[BBQ+Bourbon]

This product is sitting on the shelves in Kansas City currently. I will anxiously await the arrival of the Ryes, but this one isn't tempting to me. The part I like about seeing the WRMC is that it means Bourbon Season will soon be open!

[jburlowski]

Had my first tastes of this today. My impressions are somewhat mixed.

This is pretty much standard WR until you get to the finish. The immediate impression is of resiny wood. Then there is a definite sugary sweetness... I'm not sure I would identify this as maple in a blind tasting. But this is largely overpowered by the bitterness of tanins and wood.

It suffers from the same characteristic I find in all the re-barreling and faux-aged bottlings (by the latter I mean short agings in very small casks). The whiskey immediate picks up the effects of the wood but in a heavy, leaden, one-dimensional way. Missing is the complexity of tastes that comes only with the passage of time. (This is also true with last year's WRMCSO --- which I happen to like a lot.)

None of this is necessarily bad... more a matter of taste. Hence my somewhat indifferent impressions. Totally different from any other bourbon yet still solidly in the bourbon category. This is interesting and unique enough that I would recommend that all have a taste --- but I'd say certainly try (if you can) before buying.

This may get better with subsequent samplings....

[nblair]

Hmmm, that us kind of weird. I figured since the barrels were only toasted (not charred) and full-sized 50+ gallon barrels, that it wouldn't pick up THAT much wood. Sounds like I'd be disappointed.

[LouKyLover]

I'm going to a tasting on Nov 17 with Chris Morris. Supposedly, he will be introducing the 2010 Ed. of the Master's Collection. I will let you all know what it really is.

[jburlowski]

I'm going to a tasting on Nov 17 with Chris Morris. Supposedly, he will be introducing the 2010 Ed. of the Master's Collection. I will let you all know what it really is.

We know what it really is... but it will be good to hear your impressions on how it tastes.

[bourbonNOOG]

WRMC Maple Wood Finish hit the shelves in TN today. Picked one up. I'm a huge fan of last years offering (Seasoned Oak), hopefully this one won't disappoint.

[troyce]

Availability is good around Atlanta, but it's at $100. I'll pass.

[B.B. Babington]

Taking it head to head with the seasoned oak tonight.

The oak is darker color, of course. Not too many whiskeys go that dark. They have similar woody and Woodford nose. Both are very robust flavors and surprisingly somewhat similar to my palate. These have nice strong flavors that I like. The oak has finish reminiscent of current EC18 but stronger. The maple has harsher finish, but still very enjoyable to me.

If you like the seasoned oak, then you will like this maple, as well. I'm getting a second bottle and maybe a third - since I'm half way through this one already. It's a definite recommend to anyone that likes experimenting with different whiskeys.

[jburlowski]

Had this again tonight (admittedly at the end of the evening after several other pours). Hard to get past the weird, resiny finish. Grade: fail.

Hard to beleive they made 14K bottle sof this "experimnt".

[nblair]

I have to give BT props for doing their experimental bourbons in 375mL. I think some of these Woodford Experimentals sound good, but I am totally unwilling to pay $80-$100 for something that is such a toss up.

[BourbonJoe]

I have to give BT props for doing their experimental bourbons in 375mL. I think some of these Woodford Experimentals sound good, but I am totally unwilling to pay $80-$100 for something that is such a toss up.

[nblair]

You won't pay 80-100 for a 750 of Woodford Experimental but you will pay 65-70 for a 375 BT Experimental. Go figure.

Joe :usflag:

My bad. I see they are $59.99 at The Party Source, I thought they were closer to $40. Still, if BF did half bottles for half the cost, I'd be more intrigued.

[jburlowski]

After several attempts, I finally poured this sucker down the drain.

:puke:

WR: better luck next year.

[sku]

After several attempts, I finally poured this sucker down the drain.

:puke:

WR: better luck next year.

Wow! That bad, huh?

[B.B. Babington]

you should have let your buds try it. but yea, some stuff ya don't like can be mixed with coke or sprite and choked down, but this would overpower anything ya put with it.

after a couple weeks with maple, I still love it. I'm sipping regular woodford right now and will follow with maple a little later.

it is pretty stout. If you think Stagg neat is for sissy's, then maple may be for you.

[jburlowski]

I had several friends (experienced bourbon drinkers) also try it and their reaction was similar to mine.

I really, really tried to like this one but couldn't get past the resiny finish.

YMMV.

[Parkersback]

I wonder if they'll eventually lower the cost.

I'm reminded of how Crown Royal's Lot 16 started at well over $100, but now can be had for around $30.

[OscarV]

After several attempts, I finally poured this sucker down the drain.

:puke:

WR: better luck next year.

[jburlowski]

I decline my offer to split a bottle with some others three ways.

Thanks John for being the crash test dummie.:grin:

[B.B. Babington]

...I really, really tried to like...

There's the attitude of an experienced drinker. Try it one day, try it another day, try it some more. After all that effort, if it's still effort, then it's not worth it. But ya gave it every chance ya could.

I'm experiencing that with a 1.75 ER10 I recently picked up. Read on the forum about inconsistency in recent ER10 and ER10 has been a fav of mine for decades, so bought one to check it out. This bottle was surprisingly sub-par. I've still not reached final conclusion, but after trying it three different days it may soon be relegated to offering to guests I don't like that much or are too drunk to notice. I'm very anxious to try some other bottles of recent ER10 to see what's up. I dug through the bunker for old ER10 but none found.

[Virus_Of_Life]

I wonder if they'll eventually lower the cost.

I'm reminded of how Crown Royal's Lot 16 started at well over $100, but now can be had for around $30.

Yeah, but, you couldn't give the Four Grain away when it first came out, now for some absurd reason they are selling like hotcakes on ebay. As I've said before, just goes to show there's plenty of collectors out there with more money than sense.