"It's a time and place situation" was your best comment. I agree that even someone who really enjoys the Double Oaked may not want it all the time. That would be me. But if I'm not looking for something as sweet and smooth as the Double Oaked then I'm reaching for something other than Woodford Reserve. For me, the Double Oak offers something special, even though that something special may not be what I want on any particular moment. I can't say the same for the straight Woodford Reserve.
Cheers! I think ultimately almost all bottles fall to that at some point. And I do think regular ol' Woodford does have its time and place, but it's certainly a more hotly contested time than the Double Oaked. I found myself dipping back to the Double Oaked a lot over the winter as an alternative to Scotch! Cheers!
Larceny isn’t one we see here very often I must say! I love BT products but still haven’t bought a Blanton’s. I really enjoy EH Taylor and always wonder if Blanton’s worth the overs on that 🤔
Well I finally got around to doing a simultaneous 'head to head' along with you in this video, I must admit that the WR has a certain something to it, whether that's the vanilla on the nose, the sweetness on the palate or even the medium finish with the gentle woody heat I don't really know, it's a lovely pour and one that seems to get better as I go through the bottle (tbh I wasn't overly impressed with it when I first opened it) which has been open now for about 2 months. As for the WRDO, well it's very hard to believe that they both started life as the same thing ! I don't get the same vanilla on the nose in fact it's a bit more of those darker dried fruits, a hint of chocolate mixed with a tad of char, the taste is so rich and decadent (as you quite rightly stated) and the finish is a very pleasant oaky spice which is more drying than the WR (which is I suppose largely due to the double barrel process). For the money the WR is a great pour as it is in the sub £30 category and hits differently enough from the old favourites (WT101 & BT) to make it a viable purchase for when you want something different but then again it's only a few quid away from Eagle Rare which is an entirely different beast and one that I do feel trumps it. As for the WRDO, well at £45 (what I paid for mine) it does fall into the same price category as the WT Rare Breed (again I paid £45 for mine) but it holds it's own in much the same way that the standard WR does when compared to WT101 as they're both different enough from each other to be enjoyed without trying to compare the two too deeply. Okay the WTRB is a proof monster and has such a flavour package which makes it hard to beat but the WRDO with it's lower rye content cooks up enough different flavours to make it equally as enjoyable in the right situation/moment. The WR will definitely be replaced when I finish the bottle whereas the WRDO will be all down to getting it for the right price, I wouldn't pay anything over £45 for another bottle but I'd happily snap up a backup bottle for anywhere between £35 to £40 ! Thanks for taking the time to make the video, but I will get around to doing the Sazarac rye Vs the Bulliet rye (swig-a-long video, lol) next as I've managed to get both bottles now, cheers Tom, you're a star !
Haha! Excellent summary there! In general I'm with you on all of that, I do have their weird thing on occasion where WR is just the right thing at the right time but it's certainly not as common as say Eagle Rare which is just hard to beat now we can get it more reasonable prices. Cheers!
woodford is one the few mass produced bourbons that are pot distilled, I think that is what makes the profile different from other bourbons, I am not that big of a fan the regular, buy I really like the double oak
I did not know about the pot distilling! Every day is a school day! That makes a load of sense. I think I'm certainly in the minority here with the opinion on this, but I can certainly see the perks for both. Cheers!
I loved this review and share your opinions in their entirety; Unlike the fact that I have felt changes in viscosity between the classic and the Double Oaked; The latter for me has a more pronounced oily/buttery consistency. 🥃
Another double oaked bourbon that you should try out would be Old Forester 1910. Interestingly it’s kind of a cousin to the Woodford Double Oaked. They are both Brown-Forman and are assumed to be the same mashbill. The main difference is that the Woodford is more of a toasted second barrel, but OF 1910’s second barrel is charred almost to the point where it won’t hold the bourbon. I really enjoy the 1910, and hope it’s one you can find in the UK.
Thank you! I do want to add an Old Forester to the collection and had been contemplating both the 1910 and 1920 so that may just have made my decision! Thank you!
@@TheCrumbyBeard The trouble is getting hold of either (or both) of them here in the UK, all I ever see is the 86 proof or the 1870 ! I would love to be able to get a bottle of the OF 1920.
@@ShaunShearman yeah Old Forester is an avenue I’m yet to properly explore, it will happen this year, just currently on a buying cool off after a frantic couple of Scottish trips earlier this year 😅
I dont care to drink bourbon neat, I could pour 2oz. of Widow Jane The Vaults 14 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey @ $259.99 a bottle into a glencairn and it wouldn't change my mind at all, I dont think It ever will so most video reviews dont pertain to how I drink my bourbon, but I do like some occasionally over a 2" ice cube that I let sit for a bit first but almost always in an old fashioned. Im a fan of the regular Woodford Reserve but the double oaked is incredible and (IMO) so prominent, I admit even though it's delicious it's a little pricey here in NY at $63.70 out the door so I probably will actually be using a 2 oz. measure when I pour from it to make it last a little longer because I will be replacing it once it's gone! Great review & 🥃Cheers!
Cheers! And above all everyone should drink their whiskies however they like - for review purposes I only do straight pours as I’m reviewing the product as delivered but I’m certainly not against anything on the rocks or with a mixer when the time calls. I’m surprised how much the Double Oaked costs there, that’s similar to here which is unusual. Cheers!
@@TheCrumbyBeard Totally agree, everyone does unless you're doing a video about using a specific bourbon in a mixer. I was just pointing out that for me when I look at a video, I look to the comments that people leave so I can gauge if its good on ice or in an old fashioned. And ya you gatta love NY bourbon prices, handed a clerk $50bill for a bottle of Buffalo Trace and got pocket change back!
I like that the Standard Woodford Reserve looks nice enough on a shelf that nobody would know how cheap it is. One thing that threw me a bit is it tasted strongly like licorice before I got used to it. Haven't noticed this with others. The only reason I can see for hating on it is its about the same price as wild turkey 101 which is much better imo. That said the lower proof is smoother and its way better than wild turkey standard.
They do look nice on the shelf I must say! I think it's jarring for some people as its not initially quite as sweet as some others at that price point, but once you get in to it, it does hold its own. Cheers!
So frustrating to hear these price comparisons. Here in Central New York WT101 sells for $32 plus tax, while Woodford shelf sells for $44 - $47, about ten dollars more. Another ten gets Buffalo Trace for $54.
I don’t know the cigar knowledge to give you a definitive but this would be my approach: - There are cigar specific bottlings out there, just searching cigar on Master of Malt for example brings back all of the cigar specific whiskies and regular bottlings where cigars are mentioned in the description so all likely to make a good match. - If you don’t want to go for something more normal and easily available, I’ll say that 1910 is more likely to appeal to seasoned bourbon fans, whereas the WRDO is likely to entice more casual drinkers - which at a wedding might be a stronger choice. Hope that helps!
Loving bourbon and also living in the Uk i struggle getting bourbons that have had the proof/abv lowered due to export as its a real shame because i find it definitely changes the characteristics when the proof has been lowered 😢
Absolutely - the one that really kicks for me is the regular Buffalo Trace - it's selling out across the US at the moment and with our regular 40% version it just doesn't live up to that hype. I know The Whisky Shop and a few other retailers do bottle-picks which retail higher but are at the proper ABV.
Hi Tom (and comments) - what would you recomend for a whiskey/bournan beginner like myself to get into whiskey/bourbon? Is the Woodford Reserve a good starting point?
Apologies for the delay! Just catching up. I think it depends on you personal tastes - as a general rule I'd advise the following: If you like Scotch whisky then the Woodford isn't a bad place to start. If you like spicy notes then Bulleit Bourbon is the one. If you want a general overview of traditional bourbon flavours at a low price then Buffalo Trace. And if you're happy splurging a bit more but want something that'll really set you a benchmark then Wild Turkey 101 is the way to go. I have reviewed all of these in some form if you want more info on a particular bottle. Hope that helps! Let me know how you get on. Cheers!
I'm new to bourbon and my first one i brought was Four roses single barrel absolutely got my pallet ready for bourbons, i jumped in at the near deep end lol
Bourbon is aged in new charred oak american white oak barrels so the casks are much more active. Also hotter summers and colder winters in Kentucky and Tennessee than the UK play a big part in faster maturation.@@TheCrumbyBeard
An incredibly delicious, complex and balanced bourbon. I don't know anything about it❤
"It's a time and place situation" was your best comment. I agree that even someone who really enjoys the Double Oaked may not want it all the time. That would be me. But if I'm not looking for something as sweet and smooth as the Double Oaked then I'm reaching for something other than Woodford Reserve. For me, the Double Oak offers something special, even though that something special may not be what I want on any particular moment. I can't say the same for the straight Woodford Reserve.
Cheers! I think ultimately almost all bottles fall to that at some point. And I do think regular ol' Woodford does have its time and place, but it's certainly a more hotly contested time than the Double Oaked. I found myself dipping back to the Double Oaked a lot over the winter as an alternative to Scotch! Cheers!
SC American, love the Woodford Double Oaked personally. I have had Blantons, and love it, but it’s too expensive. Larceny is another great Bourbon.
Larceny isn’t one we see here very often I must say! I love BT products but still haven’t bought a Blanton’s. I really enjoy EH Taylor and always wonder if Blanton’s worth the overs on that 🤔
Well I finally got around to doing a simultaneous 'head to head' along with you in this video, I must admit that the WR has a certain something to it, whether that's the vanilla on the nose, the sweetness on the palate or even the medium finish with the gentle woody heat I don't really know, it's a lovely pour and one that seems to get better as I go through the bottle (tbh I wasn't overly impressed with it when I first opened it) which has been open now for about 2 months. As for the WRDO, well it's very hard to believe that they both started life as the same thing ! I don't get the same vanilla on the nose in fact it's a bit more of those darker dried fruits, a hint of chocolate mixed with a tad of char, the taste is so rich and decadent (as you quite rightly stated) and the finish is a very pleasant oaky spice which is more drying than the WR (which is I suppose largely due to the double barrel process).
For the money the WR is a great pour as it is in the sub £30 category and hits differently enough from the old favourites (WT101 & BT) to make it a viable purchase for when you want something different but then again it's only a few quid away from Eagle Rare which is an entirely different beast and one that I do feel trumps it. As for the WRDO, well at £45 (what I paid for mine) it does fall into the same price category as the WT Rare Breed (again I paid £45 for mine) but it holds it's own in much the same way that the standard WR does when compared to WT101 as they're both different enough from each other to be enjoyed without trying to compare the two too deeply. Okay the WTRB is a proof monster and has such a flavour package which makes it hard to beat but the WRDO with it's lower rye content cooks up enough different flavours to make it equally as enjoyable in the right situation/moment.
The WR will definitely be replaced when I finish the bottle whereas the WRDO will be all down to getting it for the right price, I wouldn't pay anything over £45 for another bottle but I'd happily snap up a backup bottle for anywhere between £35 to £40 !
Thanks for taking the time to make the video, but I will get around to doing the Sazarac rye Vs the Bulliet rye (swig-a-long video, lol) next as I've managed to get both bottles now, cheers Tom, you're a star !
Haha! Excellent summary there! In general I'm with you on all of that, I do have their weird thing on occasion where WR is just the right thing at the right time but it's certainly not as common as say Eagle Rare which is just hard to beat now we can get it more reasonable prices. Cheers!
woodford is one the few mass produced bourbons that are pot distilled, I think that is what makes the profile different from other bourbons, I am not that big of a fan the regular, buy I really like the double oak
I did not know about the pot distilling! Every day is a school day! That makes a load of sense. I think I'm certainly in the minority here with the opinion on this, but I can certainly see the perks for both. Cheers!
I loved this review and share your opinions in their entirety; Unlike the fact that I have felt changes in viscosity between the classic and the Double Oaked; The latter for me has a more pronounced oily/buttery consistency. 🥃
For sure! The body on the Double Oaked is outstanding! Cheers!
Another double oaked bourbon that you should try out would be Old Forester 1910. Interestingly it’s kind of a cousin to the Woodford Double Oaked. They are both Brown-Forman and are assumed to be the same mashbill. The main difference is that the Woodford is more of a toasted second barrel, but OF 1910’s second barrel is charred almost to the point where it won’t hold the bourbon. I really enjoy the 1910, and hope it’s one you can find in the UK.
Thank you! I do want to add an Old Forester to the collection and had been contemplating both the 1910 and 1920 so that may just have made my decision! Thank you!
@@TheCrumbyBeard The trouble is getting hold of either (or both) of them here in the UK, all I ever see is the 86 proof or the 1870 ! I would love to be able to get a bottle of the OF 1920.
@@ShaunShearman yeah Old Forester is an avenue I’m yet to properly explore, it will happen this year, just currently on a buying cool off after a frantic couple of Scottish trips earlier this year 😅
I dont care to drink bourbon neat, I could pour 2oz. of Widow Jane The Vaults 14 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey @ $259.99 a bottle into a glencairn and it wouldn't change my mind at all, I dont think It ever will so most video reviews dont pertain to how I drink my bourbon, but I do like some occasionally over a 2" ice cube that I let sit for a bit first but almost always in an old fashioned.
Im a fan of the regular Woodford Reserve but the double oaked is incredible and (IMO) so prominent, I admit even though it's delicious it's a little pricey here in NY at $63.70 out the door so I probably will actually be using a 2 oz. measure when I pour from it to make it last a little longer because I will be replacing it once it's gone! Great review & 🥃Cheers!
Cheers! And above all everyone should drink their whiskies however they like - for review purposes I only do straight pours as I’m reviewing the product as delivered but I’m certainly not against anything on the rocks or with a mixer when the time calls. I’m surprised how much the Double Oaked costs there, that’s similar to here which is unusual. Cheers!
@@TheCrumbyBeard Totally agree, everyone does unless you're doing a video about using a specific bourbon in a mixer. I was just pointing out that for me when I look at a video, I look to the comments that people leave so I can gauge if its good on ice or in an old fashioned. And ya you gatta love NY bourbon prices, handed a clerk $50bill for a bottle of Buffalo Trace and got pocket change back!
I like that the Standard Woodford Reserve looks nice enough on a shelf that nobody would know how cheap it is. One thing that threw me a bit is it tasted strongly like licorice before I got used to it. Haven't noticed this with others. The only reason I can see for hating on it is its about the same price as wild turkey 101 which is much better imo. That said the lower proof is smoother and its way better than wild turkey standard.
They do look nice on the shelf I must say! I think it's jarring for some people as its not initially quite as sweet as some others at that price point, but once you get in to it, it does hold its own. Cheers!
That's really interesting as Woodford and 101 are the two main Bourbons on my shelf and I much much prefer the Woodford.
So frustrating to hear these price comparisons. Here in Central New York WT101 sells for $32 plus tax, while Woodford shelf sells for $44 - $47, about ten dollars more. Another ten gets Buffalo Trace for $54.
@@stankolin7657 I haven't even seen Buffalo Trace in my store and that price sounds good.
Anyone have a fine cigar with WRDO? Was thinking about the combination for wedding party. Any better choices with cigar? Is it better than 1910?
I don’t know the cigar knowledge to give you a definitive but this would be my approach:
- There are cigar specific bottlings out there, just searching cigar on Master of Malt for example brings back all of the cigar specific whiskies and regular bottlings where cigars are mentioned in the description so all likely to make a good match.
- If you don’t want to go for something more normal and easily available, I’ll say that 1910 is more likely to appeal to seasoned bourbon fans, whereas the WRDO is likely to entice more casual drinkers - which at a wedding might be a stronger choice.
Hope that helps!
@@TheCrumbyBeard That's great advice that I will follow! The WR double oaked is so dark and rich. What a pour 👍
Loving bourbon and also living in the Uk i struggle getting bourbons that have had the proof/abv lowered due to export as its a real shame because i find it definitely changes the characteristics when the proof has been lowered 😢
Agree with you there.
Absolutely - the one that really kicks for me is the regular Buffalo Trace - it's selling out across the US at the moment and with our regular 40% version it just doesn't live up to that hype. I know The Whisky Shop and a few other retailers do bottle-picks which retail higher but are at the proper ABV.
Hi Tom (and comments) - what would you recomend for a whiskey/bournan beginner like myself to get into whiskey/bourbon? Is the Woodford Reserve a good starting point?
Apologies for the delay! Just catching up. I think it depends on you personal tastes - as a general rule I'd advise the following:
If you like Scotch whisky then the Woodford isn't a bad place to start.
If you like spicy notes then Bulleit Bourbon is the one.
If you want a general overview of traditional bourbon flavours at a low price then Buffalo Trace.
And if you're happy splurging a bit more but want something that'll really set you a benchmark then Wild Turkey 101 is the way to go.
I have reviewed all of these in some form if you want more info on a particular bottle.
Hope that helps! Let me know how you get on. Cheers!
I'm new to bourbon and my first one i brought was Four roses single barrel absolutely got my pallet ready for bourbons, i jumped in at the near deep end lol
10 years is usually ths outer limit to age bourbon before the oak takes over. Anything older takes some intense cask management.
Great info there! I would assume a lesser-charred cask may allow for this?
Bourbon is aged in new charred oak american white oak barrels so the casks are much more active. Also hotter summers and colder winters in Kentucky and Tennessee than the UK play a big part in faster maturation.@@TheCrumbyBeard
I'll have to side with the Double Oaked, in this showdown.
I can certainly see why - I think I was just expecting so much more given the hype around it compared to the regular. Cheers!