This review covers Woodford Reserve’s core Kentucky straight bourbon. I reviewed the 43.2% bottling sold in Japan (750ml) — the same strength as the 70cl Distiller’s Select sold in the UK. The current US bottling is 45.2% ABV (90.4 proof), so the American bottle is a little stronger than the one reviewed here. I tasted it neat first, then with water, over ice and as a highball.
It’s an elegant, well-balanced bourbon. The oak is clearly there, but without bitterness or heaviness, and there’s very little alcohol bite, so it’s easy to drink while still tasting rich and layered — vanilla, orange, spice, dried fruit and dark chocolate on a gentle palate. It’s medium-bodied rather than heavy, and it stays interesting glass after glass. The trade-off is intensity: everything is well integrated rather than bold, and the nose is fairly reserved. Woodford Reserve also works exceptionally well as a cocktail base. Its body and balance give a mixed drink enough structure, so the finished drink stays balanced, while the bourbon’s own oak, sweetness and spice remain clearly present rather than disappearing behind the other ingredients. It supports a cocktail without taking it over — one of its real strengths as a bartender’s whisky.
It suits drinkers who want a refined, easy bourbon that still has depth, and anyone mixing highballs or bourbon cocktails at home. If you want more punch and weight, Knob Creek 9 is the bolder bottle; for a lighter, sweeter everyday pour, see Buffalo Trace. At The Whisky Exchange it was £36.75 for 70cl when checked on October 5, 2026; any price shown is a current-market reference and may change. For more, browse our Bourbon reviews.
