Woodford Reserve has released Woodford Reserve Very Fine Rare Bourbon — its oldest bourbon yet — as part of the distillery’s super limited release 2020 Master’s Collection.

For this limited-selection and one-time-only product, Master Distiller Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall used very rare barrels of Woodford Reserve to debut a new, modern bottle design.

The bourbon includes liquid from barrels that are 17 years old and date to 2003, the year Chris Morris was named Master Distiller. Morris and McCall have been holding back the barrels to batch with other barrels for a special release.

“The name Very Fine Rare Bourbon is a nod to the descriptors used by our ancestors to auction highly-aged Bourbon barrel lots,” Morris said. “While Woodford Reserve will always honour the past, this Master’s Collection is about the present and future.”

The tasting notes describe it as having layers of rich oak sweet aromatic notes, caramel, brown sugar, chocolate and vanilla, which merge into a cured tobacco character brightened with apple fruit flavour. There are very old oak notes sweetened with honey balanced by a touch of citrus and apple peel and a touch of clove spice. It has a long finish of raisin fruit and malty sweetness.

This expression marks the 15th release of the Master’s Collection, which was created to honour the many discoveries and innovations that occurred at the 1812 distillery site where Woodford Reserve is now located. Starting with the 2020 edition, all future master’s collections will focus on modern innovation by Morris and McCall.

The original Master’s Collection bottle design was shaped like a pot-still, a nod to the pot stills used for distillation at Woodford Reserve Distillery. The new design references the classic and iconic flask-shaped Woodford bottle.

McCall said this Master’s Collection has special meaning for her. It is the first time her name will appear on the bottle hang tag since being named Assistant Master Distillery in 2018.

“What a fitting tribute to use these oldest barrels of Woodford Reserve to celebrate Chris Morris’ legacy while also looking to the future,” McCall said.

This limited-edition Master’s Collection arrives at 90.4 proof and is available from 15 July at Dan Murphy’s and selected bottle shops (but is expected to sell quickly) with a suggested retail price of $250 for a 700ml bottle. For more information, visit www.woodfordreserve.com.au.

Woodford becomes priority brand for Brown-Forman

Brown-Forman, the company behind Woodford Reserve, recently announced it will bring a new sales and marketing strategy to Australia and Germany, which is aimed at raising the profile of its super-premium brands.

CFO Jane Morreau said: “And each of those markets are going to have one common priority across all, which is our great Woodfood Reserve brand that we’re so excited about.”

Premium bourbons grew underlying net sales with both Woodford Reserve and Old Forester in Brown-Forman’s 2021 fiscal results, maintaining strong double-digit growth. Woodford Reserve was also named a “Hot Brand” by Impact Magazine.

Brown-Forman reveals its plans for Australia