Versailles, KY – Woodford Reserve announced the latest Distillery Series expression will be 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 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 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 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.
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. Toasted Oak Rye 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.
The creative offerings of the Distillery Series highlight Woodford Reserve’s commitment to innovation. The line began in 2015 with Sweet Mash Redux, which added a non-sour mash to Woodford’s traditional sour mash Bourbon for a higher pH effect. Double Double Oaked followed, an expression achieved by finishing mature Woodford Double Oaked for an extra year in a second lightly charred new oak barrel. Frosty Four Wood was released in early 2016. The original Four Wood Whiskey, which as the name suggests touched four woods (American Oak, Maple Wood, Sherry Wood, and Port), was exposed to record lows in the Polar Vortex, resulting in this unique Frosty release. Five Malt, the fourth in line, was inspired by the malted grains typically used by popular micro-breweries and aged in Double Oaked barrels for only six months.
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Rye Whiskey – A Blend is presented at 90.4 proof with a suggested retail price of $49.99 for a 375ml bottle and will be available for purchase at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and select Kentucky retailers.
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