Everything you need to know about the most popular bourbon whiskey on shelves today. This time: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, a low-proof sipper for nerds and noobs alike.
What is Woodford Reserve Double Oaked?
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is a rare whiskey that's fawned over by new and experienced drinkers. Bottled at a leaner 90.4 proof, it's Woodford Reserve's 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley mash that's matured in a standard charred new oak barrel, dumped, then finished in another barrel that's been deeply toasted and charred as well. The result is a bourbon that starts sweet and vanilla-forward and finishes long with spice, smoke, leather and wood.
The popularity of Double Oaked has played a significant role in putting the Woodford Reserve brand back on the radars of bourbon drinkers, too, and helping justify massive growth in the Brown-Forman-owned brand's production volume. The brand even created a limited release spin-off called Double Double Oaked, which releases annually and sells out quickly. At around $50 for the standard Double Oaked, the bottle is priced to make a good gift to a friend, personal well bourbon or even a higher-end cocktail whiskey.
Who makes Woodford Reserve Double Oaked?
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked is made by Chris Morris' team under the Brown-Forman umbrella. Brown-Forman's whiskey holdings including Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Jack Daniel's, Cooper's Craft and Slane Irish Whiskey. In that company, Woodford whiskey typically fills the craft-driven and lower proof holes left by Jack Daniel's and Old Forester.
How long is Woodford Reserve Double Oaked aged for?
Double Oaked has no official age statement on the bottle or available on the brand's website. It's speculated that the whiskey spends 6 years in the first barrel and another year maturing in the second.
How much does Woodford Reserve Double Oaked cost?
There's enough hitting shelves that there's typically not an issue with out of stock issues or flippers pushing the price up, so Double Oaked remains a good deal at about $50. And given Woodford Reserve recently doubled its production capacity there's no reason this expression should become unobtanium like other popular bottles in the past.
