Woodford Reserve Launches First High-Proof Rye Whiskey

On Thursday, Versaille, Ky.-based distillery Woodford Reserve announced the release of Barrel Strength Rye, the brand’s highest-proof rye whiskey to date.

The Woodford Reserve Barrel Strength Rye is crafted with the same pre-prohibition style mash bill of 53 percent rye used in the brand’s flagship rye. But the new, limited-edition release is bottled at a hearty 125.1 proof (62.55 percent ABV), leading to a bolder flavor profile when compared to the more classic Woodford Reserve Rye, which comes in at 90.4 proof (45.2 percent ABV).

“Barrel Strength Rye honors the legacy of America’s original rye whiskeys, where spice and tobacco take the lead, layered with notes of fruit, floral, and subtle sweetness,” master distiller Elizabeth McCall said in the release. “But rather than presenting the standard 90.4 proof for which Woodford is known, this high-proof expression brings more pronounced spice notes.”

According to the brand, the whiskey delivers aromas of clove, pepper, rich toasted oak, and orange oil-dusted vanilla beans. On the palate, the rye is spicy and warm, with juicy orange, bold baking spice, and hints of tobacco and leather before a long, citrusy finish takes over.

Woodford Reserve Barrel Strength Rye is available for a limited-time at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and select retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $129.99 per 700 milliliter bottle. Consumers in Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Washington D.C. may also purchase bottles for shipping at Woodford Reserve’s online store.

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