Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked Bourbon Review (2025)

 

Woodford Reserve is a brand known for doing things its own way. Founded in Versailles, Kentucky, it may be one of the most beautiful campuses I've enjoyed visiting. Nestled in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by horse country, views abound, and the setting seems intimate and almost romantic. Woodford is owned by Brown-Forman, one of the largest beverage conglomerates in the world.

 

Woodford does things a bit differently than many other distilleries. It starts with a mash of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. They use limestone water obtained on the grounds of the distillery. Nothing unusual with that so far, but it is the next steps that matter:  It uses a six-day fermentation process, which is longer than the industry average of three. It is triple-distilled using a blending of whiskeys from both pot and column stills. Entry-proof is also lower than average, brought down to 110° before filling new, #4 charred-oak barrels.

 

Aging at Woodford is done in heat-cycled warehouses. If you're unfamiliar with that term, they heat the inside of the warehouse in the winter. When it reaches a pre-determined temperature, it is cooled by venting out all the heat. Think of it as artificial seasons meant to cause additional interaction of whiskey and wood.

 

There is plenty of innovation happening at Woodford Reserve. Under Elizabeth McCall and her predecessor, Chris Morris, these Master Distillers have a history of creating fascinating special releases. Its newest is called Double Double Oaked.  

 

“Rare and revered, this handcrafted double-barreled Bourbon has a deep richness, unlike any other American whiskey on the market. Resting 5-7 years in the first barrel, then up to two years in a second barrel, this liquid features extraordinary flavor notes. It is unexpected and complex.” - Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall

 

Double Double Oaked is available in 700ml bottles with a suggested price of $199.99 and is available at the distillery, in select Kentucky retail shops, or can be procured online and shipped only to Kentucky, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Washington D.C.

 

Like most Woodford Reserve whiskeys, Double Double Oak is packaged at 45.2% ABV (90.4°). And it shouldn’t be confused with the regularly-available Woodford Reserve Double Oaked.

 

So, how does this taste? To answer that, we #DrinkCurious and I must thank Woodford Reserve for providing me with this opportunity in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.    

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass and explored it neat. Inside, this was a rich, chocolatey color with an orange hue, making its lengthy interaction with heavily charred oak obvious. A thick rim discharged widely-spaced, fast, husky tears.

 

Nose: Before approaching it, I allowed this whiskey to rest for about 15 minutes. The first thing I smelled was buttered biscuits. As I took a second sniff, I picked out maple syrup, plums, cranberries, caramel, and toasted marshmallows. I drew the air into my mouth, and a taste of orange zest and dark chocolate demanded my attention.

 

Palate: A rich, oily texture greeted my tongue, and at my initial swallow, my palate was a bit overwhelmed, not due to heat but rather by a flush of various flavors that hit me all at once. Subsequent sips revealed a front filled with tart cranberries, sweet cherries, and ripe boysenberries. The mid-palate was comprised of molasses, marshmallows, and hazelnuts. On the back, I found dark chocolate, clove, and (unsurprisingly) charred oak.  

 

Finish: The duration ran 1:36, making it a medium length. The finish featured dark chocolate, clove, molasses, burnt marshmallows, and leather. The dark chocolate was the first and last sensation; the rest came and went somewhere in between.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Remember how I said Double Double Oaked should not be confused with Double Oaked? I stand by that so much that I couldn’t tell they were from the same mashbill, let alone the same distillery.

 

Double Double Oaked is a stunning pour. It was full of interesting notes, and I found it impossible to be distracted while drinking it. I found it properly proofed; there was no heat and all flavor. Yes, it is expensive. It is also one of those Bourbons that’s a real treat, and because of that, I’m awarding it my Bottle rating. Cheers!

 

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.