Woodford Reserve’s Latest Distillery Releases Are Ryes

Woodford Reserve announces the latest Distillery Series expression as a unique blend of aged rye whiskey. The Woodford Reserve Distillery first made a whiskey from rye mash for the Masters Collection in 2004.  The recipe was 100% rye.  The following year in 2005, the production of rye whiskey for the Distiller’s Select line began.  This was a 53% rye, 33% corn and 14% malted barley recipe. The Distillery Series highlights Woodford Reserve’s creative line of complex offerings showcasing the brand’s commitment to innovation and premium craftsmanship.

This rye expression is the first of a triplet of rye offerings from the Distillery Series to be released this summer: Blended Rye Whiskey, Toasted Oak Rye, and a specialty barrel-finished rye to be announced in the upcoming months will be available for purchase at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and select Kentucky retailers.

“The opportunity to blend two outstanding rye whiskey profiles was too good to pass up,” said Chris Morris, Brown-Forman’s Master Distiller,  “Since the entire Woodford Reserve Series concept is about flavor innovation, this whiskey series expression is sure to impress whiskey aficionados.”

The Blended Rye Whiskey: the original rye mash distillate used in the Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Aged Cask Rye expression had matured in used Woodford Reserve Bourbon barrels. Select quantities of this quality rye were held back to continue maturing until 2017 when it was blended with the last of the original Distiller’s Select Straight Rye barrels to create this unique Rye Whiskey flavor profile.

Toasted Oak Rye (next up in the series): The second rye whiskey in this summer rye series is a Toasted Oak expression. This will be released in June 2017 in time for Father’s Day weekend. Rye mash distillate matured in used Woodford Reserve Bourbon barrels and was re-barreled (finished) in new Woodford Reserve Double Oaked barrels for two years.