Woodford Reserve’s core discipline is blending to create batches, which means it doesn’t offer single barrel whiskey. But its Batch Proof expression in essence showcases what Woodford tastes like straight from the barrel, often referred to as barrel proof. Batch Proof is part of Woodford's Master's Collection, which was originally introduced by master distiller emeritus Chris Morris 20 years ago to push the distillery’s flavor boundaries. The uncut, unfiltered whiskey first came out in 2018, and it's now an annual spring release. The 2019 edition claimed the sixth spot on Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 list with a score of 94 points; subsequent releases ranged between 91 and 94 points. This high-proof Woodford is a top-shelf whiskey, highlighted by decadent notes of banana pudding, dark spice, and toasty oak.
While it’s not quite spring yet, the latest edition of Batch Proof is here. This year’s edition comes in at 121.2 proof (60.6% abv), well above the standard 90.4 proof of Woodford’s core lineup. Like other Batch Proof releases, its mashbill is 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malt. The blend is composed from over 100 different barrels, with master distiller Elizabeth McCall drawing from different production dates, warehouses, and warehouse floors. McCall notes that this year, many of the barrels used in the final blend come from the upper floors of the distillery’s heat-cycled warehouses, as they are higher in proof.
If you want a bottle of the latest Batch Proof, you’ll either have to travel to the distillery in Versailles, Kentucky, where it’s available in limited quantities, or chance finding it at a specialty retail store elsewhere in the country. This year’s bottle is $150, a slight uptick from previous editions which were all priced at $130.
