Good things sometime come from accidents. Take Alexander Fleming’s 1928 discovery of antibiotics by a lab slip-up, that seemed to work out pretty well for everyone. Or the 1853 discovery of the potato chip, created out of spite by a chef to irritate a nagging customer complaining about their French fries. That definitely worked out well – FOR EVERYONE. We may not have popsicles if an 11 year old boy in 1905 didn’t leave his powdered soda water with a stick in it outside on a frigid night.
{STORY: 5 “Happy Accidents” That Made Some Good Bourbon}
Along those lines of accidental greatness hail Woodford Reserve’s new Distillery Series limited edition release “Chocolate Malt Whisper”. It’s a Kentucky Straight Bourbon birthed immediately following the production of what was later released as the 2019 Master’s Collection edition, Chocolate Malted Rye. Some of the flavor notes from that Malted Rye carried over in the distillate of the next batch of bourbon. It influenced the flavor profile, resulting in a bourbon enveloped in roasted chocolate notes.
“Sometimes unforeseen developments occur in the distillery that result in great flavors,” said Master Distiller Chris Morris. “This is one of those cases.”
Chocolate Malt Whisper is part of the annual Distillery Series, which Morris created to push Woodford Reserve’s creative boundaries of whiskeys to the extreme. Each selection is masterminded by Morris & Assistant Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall and is available for purchase at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and limited Kentucky retailers. There are three annual releases of the distillery series.
2018 Distillery Series: “Bottled-in-Bond”
2017 Distillery Series: “Five-Malt”
COST & AVAILABILITY
Chocolate Malt Whisper Bourbon is available in 375ml bottles and presents at 90.4 Proof. It is available for an SRP of $49.99 at the Woodford Reserve Distillery’s gift shop and at select Kentucky retailers. For more information on the Distillery Series and Woodford Reserve’s portfolio visit www.woodfordreserve.com.
TASTING NOTES: Provided by WR
Color: Orange chocolate
Aroma: A medley of dark chocolate, dusty cocoa and roasted coffee beans brightened with a hint of citrus oil and mint.
Flavor: Smoky roasted cocoa, vanilla beans and dark chocolate sweetened with a very slight drizzle of caramel atop faint fruit and citrus notes.
Finish: Lingers like a chocolate brittle walnut fudge brownie.
