Comments on: Review: Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection 1838 Sweet Mash

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:31:33 +0000

Rick, I don’t think that the whiskey is necessarily to young (or too old). It’s just that the flavors don’t seem integrated properly (sweet and fruity at first, then dry and spicy). Sometimes additional aging does enhance integration (like eating a stew the second day), but I don’t know if it would have helped here or not.

By: Rick Duff

Rick Duff — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:45:11 +0000

I picked up a bottle of batch 4 in Kentucky last week. I have to say that it has a harsh “burn” much like the Chardonnay finish did last year. Could it be these just haven’t been aged long enough? It reminds me of young bourbon. I was disappointed and agree with the rating you gave.

By: Gray Gillman

Gray Gillman — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:17:37 +0000

Sam, I think the issue is, i) working with unmalted grains save for the small amount of malt used for conversion, and ii) aging around 7 years prior to release. What would Irish pure pot still whiskey taste like at such a young age…? True, the pot still whiskey made at Versailles is aged in new charred wood but I think the reputation of new charred barrels to age whiskey more quickly than reused wood may be overestimated. I believe the stills are likely fine and that the pot still element, to be really good on its own, may simply need a minimum of 10-12 years aging.

I feel the best expression of Woodford Reserve is the regular one and that the combination of pot still and column still whiskeys produces a complex, most palatable drink. There is an analogy here, to a point, with blended Scotch and Irish whiskies.

Gary

By: sam k

sam k — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:58:50 +0000

It would seem that they have yet to figure out how to make consistently good whiskey with that cantankerous still setup. I continue to be surprised at how difficult it seems to be for them. It says something when the best whiskey they can make consistently is one that’s blended with column spirit. I hope they’re getting a better handle on technique as time goes on.

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:21:32 +0000

Gary, yes, what I called a “common pot still character” is what you are describing as a pot still “steeliness”. However one wants to describe it, it certainly is a common thread in all the pot-distilled Master’s Collection whiskeys.

An extra year helped improve the Four Grain version. It might help with the integration of this whiskey too. Chili is always better the day after you make it. Who knows? Maybe Chris Morris is setting aside some additional barrels of Sweet Mash. Time will tell.

By: Gary Gillman

Gary Gillman — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 22:07:07 +0000

Interesting comments, John. I had a small sample recently and will await the official release to deveop a more definite view, but so far the predominant taste I get is a pot still “steeliness”. I get the woodsy estery notes you mentioned too, but I wonder what this would be like with a few years more aging, rather better I suspect.

I would say that so far, the melding of the matured Versailles pot still and Louisville-distilled column still whiskeys gives the best overall result for the Woodford Reserve brand, at least at the age range the brand is currently being released at.

Gary