Woodford Reserve

Last updated

Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve.jpg#file
Type Bourbon whiskey
Manufacturer Brown-Forman
Country of origin  Kentucky, United States
Alcohol by volume  45.20%
Proof (US) 90.4
Related products Brown-Forman
Website woodfordreserve.com   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Labrot and Graham's Old Oscar Pepper Distillery
Woodford Reserve (3).jpg
USA Kentucky location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Woodford Reserve
Interactive map showing the location of Labrot and Graham’s Old Oscar Pepper Distillery
Nearest city Versailles, Kentucky
Coordinates 38°6′46″N84°48′43″W / 38.11278°N 84.81194°W / 38.11278; -84.81194
Area72 acres (29 ha) (landmarked area)
Built1838
Architectural styleMid 19th Century Revival, Late Victorian, Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals
NRHP reference No. 95001272 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 7, 1995
Designated NHLDMay 15, 2000

Woodford Reserve is a brand of premium small batch Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced in Woodford County, Kentucky, by the Brown-Forman Corporation. It is made from a mixture of copper pot still spirits produced at the company's Woodford Reserve Distillery, and column still spirits from the Brown Forman Distillery in Shively, Kentucky. [2] Each 45.2% alcohol by volume (90.4 US Proof) bottle bears a unique batch and bottle number. The brand was introduced in 1996. Domestic sales of Woodford Reserve surpassed one million cases in 2021. [3]

Contents

History

The Woodford Reserve Distillery, formerly known as the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery and later the Labrot & Graham Distillery, is approximately eight miles from the town of Versailles in north-central Kentucky, off U.S. Route 60 between Interstate 64 and Versailles.

Distilling began on the site of the current day distillery in 1812. [4] Although the site has not been continuously operational as a distillery since, the main structure, built in 1838, stands as one of the oldest distilleries in Kentucky. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is designated as a National Historic Landmark for its well-preserved distillery architecture and its role in the development of the bourbon industry. [4]

Originally established by Elijah Pepper, the distillery was passed on to his son and known as the Oscar Pepper Distillery when James C. Crow worked there in the mid-19th century. During this time Crow undertook a series of activities that improved and codified the understanding and quality of key bourbon-making processes such as sour mash fermentation, pot still distillation and barrel maturation. [4] :24 After Oscar Pepper died in 1867 the distillery was passed to his son James E. Pepper. The Pepper family sold the property to Leopold Labrot and James Graham in 1878, who owned and operated it (except during Prohibition) until it was sold to the Brown-Forman Corporation in 1941. Brown-Forman operated it until the late 1960s, then sold the property and its accompanying acreage to a local farmer. Brown-Forman re-purchased the property in 1993, refurbished it, and brought it back into operation. The Woodford Reserve brand was introduced to the market in 1996. The distillery was renamed Woodford Reserve Distillery in 2004. [5]

The distillery produces: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, Woodford Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey, Woodford Reserve Straight Malt Whiskey, and Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey. It also distills some limited edition releases, including Woodford Reserve Master's Collection, Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Batch Proof, a Kentucky-only Distillery Series, and a special commemorative bottle it releases annually in conjunction with its official sponsorship of the Kentucky Derby.

Master Distiller

Up until 2023, the Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve was Chris Morris (a position he held from 2003) and the Assistant Master Distiller was Elizabeth McCall. [6] [7] [8]

In 2023, Elizabeth McCall was named Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve with Chris Morris to serve as Master Distiller Emeritus. [9] McCall had been with Brown-Forman since 2009, and was previously the Woodford Reserve Assistant Master Distiller. [9]

Reviews and accolades

International Spirit ratings organizations and liquor review bodies have generally given Woodford Reserve solid scores. At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Woodford Reserve's best performances have been in 2005 and 2013, winning a double gold medal each time. It has also won gold (2006–2007, 2011–2012) and silver (2008, 2010) medals at this annual event. The Beverage Testing Institute has given the Reserve scores of between 90 and 91 and Wine Enthusiast awarded it a 90–95 point rating. [10] Spirits ratings aggregator proof66.com, which averages scores from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Wine Enthusiast, the Beverage Testing Institute, and others, had Woodford Reserve ranked in its highest ("Tier 1") scoring category until 2016, and subsequently had it ranked as "Tier 2." [10]

Union busting

In April 2024, a judge with the National Labor Relations Board found that Woodford Reserve had engaged in unfair labor practices in violation of the National Labor Relations Act by timing changes in merit pay and vacation policies, as well as handing out bottles of whiskey to workers, in order to influence the outcome of a unionization vote at its distillery in Versailles, Kentucky. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Daniel's</span> Whiskey brand

Jack Daniel's is a brand of Tennessee whiskey. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee, by the Jack Daniel Distillery, which has been owned by the Brown–Forman Corporation since 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maker's Mark</span> Bourbon whisky that is distilled in Loretto, Kentucky, by Beam Suntory

Maker's Mark is a small-batch bourbon whisky produced in Loretto, Kentucky, by Beam Suntory. It is bottled at 90 U.S. proof and sold in squarish bottles sealed with red wax. The distillery offers tours, and is part of the American Whiskey Trail and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven Hill</span> American distillery company

Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. is a private, American family-owned and operated distillery founded in 1935 and headquartered in Bardstown, Kentucky, that produces and markets the Heaven Hill brand of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and a variety of other distilled spirits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild Turkey (bourbon)</span> Brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey

Wild Turkey is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey distilled and bottled by the Wild Turkey Distillery, owned by the Campari Group. The distillery is located in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. It offers tours and is part of the American Whiskey Trail and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eagle Rare</span>

Eagle Rare is a brand of bourbon whiskey distilled and distributed by the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Eagle Rare is 90 proof bourbon, aged for either 10 or 17 years, depending on the variety. It was introduced in 1975 and is distilled in Frankfort, Kentucky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single barrel whiskey</span>

Single barrel whiskey is a premium class of whiskey in which each bottle comes from an individual aging barrel, instead of coming from blending together the contents of various barrels to provide uniformity of color and taste. By contrast, some other whiskeys, even ones that are not blends, may be combined from more than one batch, or even from differing years to achieve consistency. The whiskey from each barrel is bottled separately, with each bottle bearing the barrel number and in most cases the dates for the beginning and end of aging. Each barrel is believed to contribute unique characteristics to the finished whiskey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bomberger's Distillery</span> United States historic place

Bomberger's Distillery, more recently Michter's Distillery, is a non-operating distillery facility that was, at the end of the twentieth century, believed to be the oldest remaining such building in the United States. The distillery closed in 1989. Although there are whiskey products currently on the market using the Bomberger's and Michter's brand names, they are more recently introduced products that have no direct connection to the old distillery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Early Times</span> Kentucky whiskey produced by the Sazerac Company

Early Times is a brand of Kentucky whiskey produced by the Sazerac Company, one of the two largest spirits companies in the United States, which purchased the brand in mid-2020. Before the brand purchase, it was distilled in Shively, Kentucky, by the Brown-Forman Corporation, another of the largest North American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James C. Crow</span>

James C. Crow is credited for his use of the sour mash process. He is also the namesake of the Old Crow brand of bourbon whiskey currently produced by Beam Suntory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four Roses</span> Whiskey brand

Four Roses is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Its Spanish Mission-style distillery was built in 1910 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Old Prentice Distillery. The company's warehouse for aging and bottling operations is in Cox's Creek, Kentucky. The brand and its products have evolved and transformed since the company's founding in the late 19th century, and especially since the firm's acquisition by the Kirin Brewery Company of Japan at the beginning of the 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buffalo Trace Distillery</span> United States historic place

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, United States, owned by the Sazerac Company. It has historically been known by several names, including the George T. Stagg Distillery and the Old Fire Copper (O.F.C.) Distillery. Its namesake bourbon brand, Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey, was introduced in August 1999. The name "Buffalo Trace" refers to the ancient buffalo trackway that crosses the Kentucky River in Franklin County, Kentucky. The Sazerac Company purchased the distillery in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1792 Bourbon</span> Kentucky straight Bourbon whiskey produced by the Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, KY

1792 Bourbon, formerly known as Ridgewood Reserve 1792 and 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, is a Kentucky straight Bourbon whiskey produced since 2002 by the Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. The brand and distillery have been owned by the Sazerac Company since 2009. It is part of a line of small-batch bourbons aimed at the high-end liquor market. It is sold at 93.7 U.S. proof.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Forester</span> The first bottled bourbon

Old Forester is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whisky produced by the Brown–Forman Corporation. It has been on the market continuously for longer than any other bourbon, and was the first bourbon sold exclusively in sealed bottles. It was first bottled and marketed in 1870 by the former pharmaceutical salesman turned bourbon-merchant George Garvin Brown – the founder of the Brown–Forman Corporation. During the Prohibition period from 1920 to 1933, Brown–Forman received one of only six licenses authorizing lawful production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willett Distillery</span> American Whiskey Distillery

Willett Distillery Ltd, is a private, family-owned-and-operated company that produces bourbon and rye whiskey. Over the years, the company has bottled whiskeys that range from two years of aging maturity up to 28 years. The company was named Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD) between 1984 and 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sazerac Company</span> Alcoholic drinks company based in New Orleans, US

Sazerac Company, Inc. is a privately held American alcoholic beverage company headquartered in Metairie in the metropolitan area of New Orleans, Louisiana, but with its principal office in Louisville, Kentucky. The company is owned by billionaire William Goldring and his family. As of 2017, it operated nine distilleries, had 2,000 employees, and operated in 112 countries. It is one of the two largest spirits companies in the United States, with annual revenue of about $1 billion made from selling about 300 beverage brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Taylor</span> American whiskey brand

Old Taylor Bourbon is a brand of straight bourbon whiskey produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Franklin County, Kentucky, by the Sazerac Company. It was named in honor of the historic distiller Col. Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willett Pot Still Reserve</span>

Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon is brand of a bourbon whiskey produced in Bardstown, Kentucky by the Willett Distillery.

Master distiller is a title often used for a distilling expert or a key leader or owner at modern distilleries. The title doesn't have a fixed definition and can mean different things at different companies. Although the craft of distilling has existed for centuries throughout history, the term "master distiller" only dates back as far as the 1800s when it was first used to acknowledge the distilling expertise and knowledge a person gained after practicing and perfecting the craft of distilling for many years. In more recent usage, the term can have a much broader meaning and is sometimes used for owners and company leaders who run their companies but do not actively create the distilling recipes and processes used at their distilleries.

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. "Behind the Scenes of Woodford Reserve". www.drinkspirits.com. September 13, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  3. Banaag, Juan (March 16, 2022). "The bourbon whiskey market continues to increase". Lane Report. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "NHL nomination for Labrot and Graham's Old Oscar Pepper Distillery". National Park Service. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  5. Zoeller, Chester (2009). Bourbon in Kentucky: A History of Distilers in Kentucky. Butler Books. p. 213. ISBN   978-1-884532-97-9.
  6. Bleier, Evan (May 27, 2020). "Workspace 101: Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris Shows Us His Kentucky Office". InsideHook. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  7. "Forty Under 40: Elizabeth McCall". Louisville Business First. September 25, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  8. Risen, Clay (July 11, 2021). "In the male world of whiskey, more women are calling the shots". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  9. 1 2 Kilgore-Marchetti, Nino (February 6, 2023). "Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Role Now Belongs To Elizabeth McCall". The Whiskey Wash. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Proof66.com's Summary Page for Woodford Reserve". Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
  11. Schreiner, Bruce (April 10, 2024). "Woodford Reserve tried to undermine unionization effort at its Kentucky distillery, judge rules". AP News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.