Woodford Reserve Straight Bourbon

Woodford Reserve Straight Bourbon is a Kentucky bourbon bottled at 45.2% ABV (90.4 proof). That is a little stronger than the 40% found on many mainstream bourbons, and the extra strength shows up as more body and a longer, warmer finish. As a straight bourbon, it follows the category rules. The mash is corn-led, the spirit is aged in new charred oak, and no coloring or flavoring is added. Bourbons made this way usually show caramel, vanilla and toasted oak from the barrel. Expect those notes here, along with the brown sugar sweetness, baking spice and light grain character that the style is known for. The distributor describes the profile as built around caramel and vanilla, so expect those two notes to lead. Neat is the best way to find out what the bottle tastes like. Pour a measure into a Glencairn glass and nose it before the first sip. The tapered bowl gathers the oak, vanilla and spice aromas that a wide tumbler lets escape. At 45.2% ABV the spirit holds up to a few drops of room-temperature water. Water loosens the alcohol and tends to bring out the sweeter, rounder notes. If you prefer it cooler, one large ice cube in a rocks glass chills it slowly, with less dilution than several small cubes. The proof makes it a good choice for mixing, because the whiskey keeps its character when sugar, bitters or citrus are added. In an Old Fashioned, a sugar cube or a teaspoon of simple syrup, two dashes of Angostura bitters and an orange peel work well with the caramel and oak. A Manhattan, with sweet vermouth and bitters, takes on the baking-spice side of the whiskey. For a Whiskey Sour, shake 2 oz of bourbon with fresh lemon juice and simple syrup, and the vanilla softens the acidity. For a highball, build it over ice with ginger ale or soda water and a lemon wedge. It is a simple drink that still tastes of bourbon. For a plain pour, use a rocks glass if you want to sip it slowly and a Glencairn if you want to focus on aroma. It also goes well with foods that echo the barrel flavors, such as grilled meats, aged cheddar, roasted nuts or dark chocolate.