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📚Background: A recurring Reddit favorite, Brown-Forman's Woodford Double Oaked (often abbreviated as "WRDO") owes its name to its double barrel aging process. The first barreling is done in standard new charred white oak barrels, while the second barrel has been specially prepared with a deeper toasting and light charring after their first use to help draw out additional flavors. As such it would be fair to call this a "toasted" bourbon, though they stick with the "double oaked" branding. Beyond Reddit, this bottle has been awarded numerous times, including a Double Gold rating at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
🛒Sourced: $47.99 Costco, GA - 750ml
🧪Proof: 90.4, 45.2% - 90 proof is my mental minimum for bourbon and finished whiskies like this one will have an outsize amount of flavor for the proof. Barrel entry proof is Woodford's Standard 125.
🥔Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% barley. No age statement but the second barreling adds around 6-12 months of additional time in the wood. Toasted barrels work fast and the flavor difference made by just this little bit of extra time are enormous. People speculate 7-8 year old juice when all is said and done.
👃Nose: Very sweet, honey or syrup notes dominate for me. Others have mentioned this reminding them of dark fruit. Little to no alcohol. First sniff was pleasant; the second even more lovely.
😜Palate: Follows closely to the nose, oak-forward opening into more sweetness (syrup or honey to me). Maybe some caramel there, thick and creamy mouthfeel. I would summarize this as a "dessert pour", rich in flavor and in thought. Smooth and unobtrusive, almost no heat.
💦Finish: Medium as the silkiness fades into a vaguely sweet profile, chocolate cake and icing
🏆 Overall: 8/10 - Excellent- I can understand why many name this a favorite and it is certainly a very approachable pour, perhaps one of the most easy drinking in the world. Not much spice or heat and a variety of flavors. If I had to describe this bottle in one word it would be "delightful" Blind, it is very easy to pick out WRDO vs normal Woodford. This is one of those whiskies that puts most allocated bottles to shame. I recommend this bottle often.
Update: 7/12/24 after doing more of these I have come to realize that this bottle really is differentiated from the competition. There are few readily available bottles with this level of decadent flair. Updating to 8/10 or "Excellent".
🔍 Comparison: Definitely an improvement on the standard Woodford release and I've grown even more fond of this bottle over time. There is also a "Double Double Oaked" version that I am actively looking to try!
Initial Rating: 7/10 on 3/18/24
💵Would buy again? Without hesitation sir
⚖️Rating Scale:
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume it by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I'd rather have.
5 | Good | Good, an agreeable dram indeed
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume it by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I'd rather have.
5 | Good | Good, an agreeable dram indeed
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.