WOODFORD RESERVE Historic Barrel Entry

Since 2004, the Woodford Reserve distillery introduced every year a new reference called Master's Collection. This whiskey is a clever blend of the rich history of Kentucky bourbon and the innovation of Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall. For this 2022 version, the latter has chosen to focus on the maturation stage.
Many factors come into play in this process, and the degree of alcohol plays an important role. A higher concentration of water when the wine is placed in the cask reduces the alcohol content during the ageing process, hence less water needs to be added when the wine is released. The result is a greater concentration of the natural aromas absorbed by the burnt oak in the cask.
The degree at which wine enters the cask has evolved over the last two centuries. It was between 50° and 51.5° in the 19th century, then at a maximum of 62.5° after Prohibition (the current standard). This Master's Collection uses the distillery's historic cask strength and is bottled at 45.2°, resulting in a richer, more robust whiskey.