Woodford Reserve unveils Cherry Wood Smoked Barley

Kentucky-based distiller Woodford Reserve has extended its Master’s Collection range with the launch of Cherry Wood Smoked Barley.

Woodford Reserve Cherry Wood Smoked Barley uses malt that has been smoked with cherry wood

The twelfth release in the limited edition range pays tribute to past distillery industry leaders Oscar Pepper and James Crow.

Rather than using the natural malted barley used in Woodford Reserve Bourbon, master distiller Chris Morris modified the grain recipe by selecting malt that had been smoked with cherry wood during the kilning process.

The method is said to accentuate the Bourbon’s “toasted nut characteristics” and give it a “rich smoked almond flavour”.

This is one of the first Kentucky Bourbons to use malted barley that has been exposed to cherry wood smoke. With 30% malt content, the Cherry Wood Smoked mash bill has a higher concentration of malt than a traditional Bourbon.

“We started this many years ago when we first established a Bourbon recipe that contained a high percentage of smoked barley,” said master distiller Chris Morris.

“By following our five sources of flavour philosophy, one dramatic change can have a tremendous impact on the flavour. In this case, a Bourbon with a high malt recipe that has been smoked with cherry wood results in a Bourbon unlike any other.”

Originally introduced in 2006, each of the Master’s Collection bottlings focuses on one of the five sources of flavour that create Woodford Reserve’s taste profile.

Cherry Wood Smoked Barley will be available for purchase in select markets in the US and in limited international markets from November with a RRP of US$99.99 (varying by market) for a 750ml bottle.