Woodford Reserve Uncorks One Of Its Strongest Batch-Proof Bourbons Yet
Clocking in at an eye-watering 62.3% ABV.
Ultra-potent batch-proof bourbon can be tricky to get right: The higher the ABV, the more difficult it can be to dial in the right flavor and nuance. Woodford Reserve has plenty of experience with high-ABV bourbon via its Master’s Collection series though, and that prowess looks to continue in fine form with the 2023 release of the Woodford Reserve Batch Proof 124.7.
That 124.7 figure refers to the batch proof, and for those following along at home, that checks out to an eye-watering 62.3 percent ABV.
And yet, that’s the beauty of the Woodford Reserve approach to batch-proof bourbon, specifically selected in a nod to the “commitment to craftsmanship” from both Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall and Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris.
Select Woodford Reserve barrels (carefully selected barrels, at that) mingle in one batch before being bottled right at the proof from the barrel. If you favor your bourbon with a bit of a power-packed punch, this is the (responsible) sipper for you.
Past releases, like the 2022 Master’s Collection Batch Proof edition, clocked in at a similarly high ABV (59.2 percent, to be exact), and it’s clear Woodford Reserve has no plans to slow down when it comes to crafting tasteful, high-ABV expressions.
Woodford Reserve already boasts a sweet aroma and tasteful touches of vanilla, toasted oak, spice and fruit, but the Batch-Proof 124.7 expression amplifies those flavors even more (in a properly balanced way).
Woodford’s “trademark flavors” become “more pronounced — and more bold — in this celebrated annual release,” McCall said, noting the 2023 release is a “high-proof bourbon with complex flavors.”
On the palate, you’ll find touches of cardamom, pine and baking spice, with nose notes of cherry, toasted almond and a hint of oak. And crucially, dry vanilla and cedar deliver on the finish.
The covetable bottle remains fairly approachable in terms of price, if you can get your hands on one at the Woodford Reserve Distillery — or select retailers nationwide — at an SRP of $129.99.
That remains a fair price to pay for an expression that pushes Woodford Reserve’s penchant for high-ABV bourbon into the stratosphere.