Woodford Reserve Masters Collection 2012

[cowdery]

Woodford Reserve will announce the new Master's Collection offering next week. Meanwhile, they apparently didn't sell all of last year's rye twin pack. They just announced it will be released in Great Britain at GBP 99.99 (USD 161) for the set. That may seem like a lot, but they only have 155 to sell.

[Bmac]

I think the reviews of the rye set killed sales. It's certainly too over priced. I wish it were magical because I in get it in several locations...

[Josh]

I will credit my video review for getting it into the UK. I predict sales of white bikinis will go through to roof as well.

[B.B. Babington]

I've been curious what the new "Four Wood" was all about. Four woods for the finish? I hope!!! Sounds like a good follow up to the oak finish and maple finish.

[tmckenzie]

Wonder if this will be the malt they made. I know the rye got bad reviews, but I really liked it. But I have liked all of the releases I have tried. Especially the sweet mash.

[BradleyC]

Wonder if this will be the malt they made. I know the rye got bad reviews, but I really liked it. But I have liked all of the releases I have tried. Especially the sweet mash.

The only TTB label I saw that they applied for was for the Master's Collection 4 Wood.

https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/viewColaDetails.do?action=publicFormDisplay&ttbid=12118001000105

Woodford finished in maple and wine barrels.

[B.B. Babington]

so... it looks like regular woodford aged in oak, and then finished in maple, sherry, and port barrels. Some folks weren't fans of sonoma. I was a big fan of the maple. This sounds super to me!

So how did they finish in three different woods? Planks in barrels? Using different woods for staves would not work. Shift juice from one barrel to another, three successive times, seems like a lot of labor.

[sutton]

so... it looks like regular woodford aged in oak, and then finished in maple, sherry, and port barrels. Some folks weren't fans of sonoma. I was a big fan of the maple. This sounds super to me!

So how did they finish in three different woods? Planks in barrels? Using different woods for staves would not work. Shift juice from one barrel to another, three successive times, seems like a lot of labor.

My guess would be they finish some in each barrel type and then blend together ... ?

[Bmac]

so... it looks like regular woodford aged in oak, and then finished in maple, sherry, and port barrels. Some folks weren't fans of sonoma. I was a big fan of the maple. This sounds super to me!

So how did they finish in three different woods? Planks in barrels? Using different woods for staves would not work. Shift juice from one barrel to another, three successive times, seems like a lot of labor.

It sounds like a LOT of work. Does anyone get the feeling that Woodford wasn't aiming too far into the future with these releases? It seems like the sort of techniques they are using are ones that can be completed within a year or so. These "finish" techniques allow them to double the price of regular Woodford even though it's only aged an extra few months. If they really wanted to save time they could use both staves and barrels at the same time.

All this makes me wonder....is it really bourbon after all this? Clearly when the rules for bourbon were laid out, no one thought about "finishing" the bourbon in various barrels or adding staves. I know that no additional things could be added like colorant and other additives to change the flavor...but somehow aging in additional barrels doesn't count as an "additive."

Me personally, and I am sure I am ALONE in this, maybe these finished products should be called 'Finished Whiskey" and not bourbon. That way they won't even have to be restricted by other bourbon laws and can make whatever they darn well please.

To me bourbon is a form of art. When it's crafted well and the seasons have been kind...you don't need finishing barrels or staves for the whiskey to taste good. I see these tactics as a way to deal with barrels that maybe didn't make the cut. It's not like it's a single barrel product. They are small batch (i guess.)

I would rather see any extra aged, single barrel Woodford or a cask strength single barrel Woodford as a master collection versus various concoctions.

[HighInTheMtns]

I've wondered the same thing; bourbon with some port added for flavoring after the barrels were dumped couldn't be called straight bourbon; why then should bourbon with port added for flavoring via a finishing barrel merit that name?

However, every finished bourbon I've seen is promoted as such, not simply as a straight bourbon. I don't see any deception going on here. Also, as far as the artistry of whiskey making goes, I think that things like finished whiskey are only advancing that. It gives the distillers another set of flavors and variables to play with. It's also an aging method that Scotch distillers use very commonly. To say it's a tactic to cover up flawed bourbon is unfair.

All that said, I haven't bought a PHC 2011 yet, although I love the 2010 and 2012 releases. I haven't bought an Angel's Envy. I haven't bought any of the finished Woodfords, and I'm unlikely to buy this one. I'm with you, though - I would buy a cask strength Woodford. But that's just a matter of taste.

[Bmac]

However, every finished bourbon I've seen is promoted as such, not simply as a straight bourbon. I don't see any deception going on here. Also, as far as the artistry of whiskey making goes, I think that things like finished whiskey are only advancing that. It gives the distillers another set of flavors and variables to play with. It's also an aging method that Scotch distillers use very commonly. To say it's a tactic to cover up flawed bourbon is unfair.

I get what you're saying...however with products like Jack Daniels and George Dickel it stands to reason why it should change. JD and GD both start as bourbon in the mashbill, they use new charred oak barrels, and it ages for more than 2 years. It wasn't considered bourbon because of the "filtration" method. Probably because it imparts a flavor. So how does finishing a bourbon in a different cask keep it as bourbon? See the confusion? Don't get me wrong, I am not saying distilleries shouldn't and I am not saying finishing is bad, i just have a hard time calling it a true bourbon...straight or not. Just an opinion, of course. Won't stop me from buying if it's good. However, knowing WR's policy on pricing the 4 woods will probably 90 - 100 bux. -____- I'd rather bunker another JPS18 or find another PHC.

[Trey Manthey]

I will credit my video review for getting it into the UK. I predict sales of white bikinis will go through to roof as well.

Josh, now that you've introduced the world to the white bikini whiskey video review the industry will never be the same.

[Josh]

Josh, now that you've introduced the world to the white bikini whiskey video review the industry will never be the same.

Thanks! I'm thinking of wearing one myself for the next review.

But seriously folks, Jennifer is in a ska band called Slip Agent 6. They will be opening for the Skatalites for their Detroit show at the Magic Stick on Woodward on October 26. Book early to avoid disappointment!

[HighInTheMtns]

I get what you're saying...however with products like Jack Daniels and George Dickel it stands to reason why it should change. JD and GD both start as bourbon in the mashbill, they use new charred oak barrels, and it ages for more than 2 years. It wasn't considered bourbon because of the "filtration" method. Probably because it imparts a flavor. So how does finishing a bourbon in a different cask keep it as bourbon? See the confusion? Don't get me wrong, I am not saying distilleries shouldn't and I am not saying finishing is bad, i just have a hard time calling it a true bourbon...straight or not. Just an opinion, of course. Won't stop me from buying if it's good. However, knowing WR's policy on pricing the 4 woods will probably 90 - 100 bux. -____- I'd rather bunker another JPS18 or find another PHC.

[Josh]

:deadhorse:If it's labeled as Straight Bourbon finished in X or With X added, it's fine legally. Whether you consider it "true bourbon" or not is up to you.

[cowdery]

I predict Sutton is right about the process. They were probably experimenting with finishes and decided to experiment further by mixing a couple of them together.

[Bourbon Boiler]

...However, every finished bourbon I've seen is promoted as such, not simply as a straight bourbon. I don't see any deception going on here. ...

If I were in charge, that's all that would be important to me. No bourbon afficianado is going to read the label, buy it, and be disappointed that it isn't "traditional" bourbon. He may be disappointed in the taste/value, but that's true for anything.

[sphauser]

The Four Grain is my personal favorite of the Master's Collection thus far, although I have to say among the members of our bourbon club, the Sonoma Cutrer is by far the overall favorite.

I had high hopes for the Double Oaked when it came out this year, hoping it would be as bold as the MC Seasoned Oak, but I would put it only 1/3 of the oak strength as it's MC brother.

I am pleased with PHC's Blend of Mashbills, to me it has all the elements of complexity I enjoy chewing and churning through to find.