Review: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Is Dessert in a Glass

February 28, 2024 –––––– Julia Higgins, , , ,

When Woodford Reserve Double Oaked splashed onto the scene in 2012, it was somewhat of an anomaly: Not only was cask finishing not yet in its frenetic heyday, but doubling down and finishing bourbon in secondary new oak was practically unheard of, with but one exception—Tennessee’s Prichard’s Distillery released a Double Barreled bourbon in 2002, but that was a small, limited expression.

Double Oaked is an amber-hued whiskey that has no age statement, which is typical for Woodford—none of its whiskeys have age statements, as they’re batched together from barrels of different ages, warehouses, warehouse locations, and flavor profiles, and the distillery chooses to forgo stating even the youngest age on the bottle. That said, we know it’s at least 4 years old, given the basic requirements for bourbon maturation, and that the average age is probably closer to 5, given that the whiskey spends just under a year in its secondary barrel. While Double Oaked is a delicious dram, it isn’t a top-shelf whiskey, making it a more accessible option for all whiskey drinkers, both by price and general availability. But what exactly is Double Oaked, and why is it worth sipping?

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon at a Glance:

Age: Not stated
ABV: 42.5%
Cask: Twice-barreled in new charred oak
SRP: $55
Distillery Name: Woodford Reserve
Quick Tasting Notes: Cherries, chocolate, wood spice, toasted marshmallows galore
Overall Thoughts: Everyday sipper, best sipped alongside dessert or served up in a bourbon-forward cocktail like the Boulevardier.

How is Double Oaked Made?

Double Oaked is an intriguing study in wood and char. The whiskey starts as standard Woodford Reserve straight bourbon, crafted from a mashbill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. After its initial maturation in new oak barrels that are toasted for 10 minutes with a 25-second char, the whiskey is dumped into oak barrels that have been toasted for 40 minutes with just a 5-second char. That means a whole lot of wood spice is lending itself to the whiskey, making for a particularly sweet and vanilla, baking spice, and cherry-forward dram.

How We Tasted This

There is a method to tasting whisky, and this is our tried-and-true formula. We use Glencairn glasses for our tastings. With our Double Oaked at room temperature, we initially nosed and tasted the whiskey neat, with no dilution. After that first round, we added a few drops of water to open up the whiskey and coax out any hidden flavors.

What’s Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Smell Like?

This whiskey kicks the flagship Woodford bourbon up a notch, revealing a darker personality on the nose; it’s resplendent with dark fruit, a burst of warming wood spice and toasted oak, a dollop of honey, gooey marshmallow, and plenty of vanilla sweetness.

What’s Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Taste Like?

Wood-forward bourbon lovers, you’re in for a treat with Double Oaked—big, bold flavors are present here, as the palate kicks off with tons of wood spice and cinnamon stick. Dark berries follow, alongside chocolate-covered cherries, roasted nuts, Werther’s caramels, Cow Tales candy, vanilla bean ice cream, and just a hint of polished leather and tobacco leaf.

On the finish, that leather is emphasized, as is rich dark chocolate and more cherries. Oak sweetness lingers, though not for long—the shortness encourages you to take another sip.

Final Thoughts on Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

This whiskey is sure to satisfy bourbon lovers looking for a straightforward, unpretentious sipping experience that delivers big flavors at a reasonable price. At 45.2% ABV the proof won’t knock your socks off, so it may act as a nice entry point into cask-finished whiskeys for newcomers. The sweet, wood-spiced flavors make for a dessert-in-the-glass experience that highlights a more robust side of Woodford bourbon.

Official Score: 90

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked versus Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked

As the success of Double Oaked grew, then-master distiller (now master distiller emeritus) Chris Morris took the concept one step further in 2015 and introduced the first edition of Double Double Oaked. The limited-release bourbon, currently in its ninth year, starts as Double Oaked, but is then finished in a heavily toasted, lightly charred oak barrel for 12 months. Woodford says that extra year in the barrel lends even spicier flavors to the whiskey than the original Double Oaked, which skews to the sweeter side. While Double Oaked is widely available, you’re likely to have a harder time getting your hands on Double Double Oaked, as it’s only released once a year and is exclusive to the distillery and the state of Kentucky. It's also sold only in 375-ml bottles, for $80.

Whiskeys Like Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

If you’re a fan of Double Oaked, or those sweet, wood-forward flavors that come from a secondary oak finish, then you’ll be pleased to know that these days there are more options at hand than there were back in 2012. While they share some flavor characteristics—these are big bourbons touting bold flavors—there are some variations in how much chocolate, spice, or dark fruit notes they pack in, and they vary greatly in ABV and price point.