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Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey

Careful, it's delicate

1 774

@casualtortureReview by @casualtorture

4th Nov 2018

1

Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey
  • Nose
    22
  • Taste
    20
  • Finish
    15
  • Balance
    17
  • Overall
    74

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

I was in the mood for a rye last week and picked this bottle up. Bottle open for a week, pour is neat in a glencairn.

Nose: Nippy for 90.4 proof at first but setttles down after sitting for a few minutes. Fruit and vanilla. Think blackberry, red caramel apples, and pears covered in congealed vanilla cream. You know, that dessert fruit salad. Light and delicate.

Palate: Fruity and delicate. Sugar wafers, berries, apple. There is a bit of rye spice as well near the end but no grain notes or nutty notes (which is what I prefer in a rye.) Still getting vanilla fruit salad, and an oaky bitterness.

Finish: Short, starts fruity, ends a bit bitter. Not much rye spice.

Overall: This is a light, delicate, fruity rye. It's not bad, but not really my preference for the style. And at $30USD I think there are better options. Going forward, I'll forgo the glencairn and enjoy this in an old fashioned glass, make no fuss about examining it, and have larger pours. It's sessionable if nothing else.

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7 comments

@Victor
Victor commented

@casualtorture, thank you for your review.

I would be interested to hear how it changes with additional air time. This review makes this one sound a bit weak. Rye should not be weak.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC commented

Thanks for the review @casualtorture! Not exactly what I wanted to hear as I just bought a bottle but hey ho. I'm only really scratching the surface with rye and the 'word' seems to be this is a lighter style, almost more towards bourbon than rye - would that be in line with your assessment?

For what I paid, a good mixer for Old Fashioned's wouldn't be too bad relaxed

6 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor commented

I am also very curious to taste this rye, to see what they did with it. The good news is that samples of it should be very easily obtained.

I own some of the very first Woodford Reserve Rye that they ever made, from that Master's Collection Two-Pack which came out in about 2011. The 'New Cask Rye' from that release was a standard sort of straight rye, which was not at all weak, and quite good. The 'Old Cask Rye' (used cooperage) was a one-off oddball whiskey which some liked and many vehemently detested. The Old Cask Rye started odd and air exposure made it go to even more weird places. My pal @thecyclingyogi called it the worst whisk(e)y he has ever had. I wouldn't say that, but it was one "for the few, not for the many".

Woodford Reserve is willing to sell some daring and often unpopular stuff. You'd think that they were Corsair or something, but I think that Corsair is a better bet for quality in the attempt at innovation.

6 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

@Victor

I take it our friend @thecyclingyogi has not tasted Lambertus...

6 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@Nozinan, I cannot be sure. Maybe he has not tasted Lambertus.

6 years ago 0

@casualtorture
casualtorture commented

@RianC It would definately make some decent old fashions, as most ryes do.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@casualtorture
casualtorture commented

@Victor It is a bit thin and weak unfortunately.

6 years ago 0