Woodford Reserve pays tribute to the Old Fashioned

Brown-Forman-owned Woodford Reserve is celebrating the Old Fashioned this month by partnering with five venues around London for a ‘Bourbon bar hop’.

Named Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Month, a now-annual event for the brand that began in Paris, the month sees Gŏng bar at the Shangri-La, The Corinthia, Brunswick House, Bar Swift, and Nightjar, each tasked with putting their own spin on a classic cocktail, using Woodford Reserve as a base.

At Gŏng, head bartender Panos Ntalianis has created the Cotswolds Hills, which brings together Woodford Reserve Double Oak, Raspberry Eau De Vie, Pimento Dram, Roots Dictamo, cocoa butter and bitters. It was inspired by the rolling English hills that Cotswolds is famous for and is priced at £25 (US$31).

Moving onto Nightjar, bartender Omar Caimar has crafted the Winter Remedy, which uses Woodford Reserve with washed wild berry butter, mulled wine and ginger bitters. Its inspiration came from festive Christmas spices and its price tag is £14 (US$18).

Next up at Swift Bar, venue manager Rachel Reid’s cocktail, Ripley, implements cacao butter, fig and honey with the Bourbon, and is available for £14.

Hannah Tyce, meanwhile, of Brunswick House has chosen a butter-washed Fig Old Fashioned as her cocktail – a variation on the Old Fashioned that implements butter-wash and fig syrup alongside the Bourbon. Its price tag is £13 (US$16).

Finally, The Corinthia’s Alessandro Albano’s take is a Plum Old Fashioned, which he made by combining Woodford Reserve with homemade spicy plum shrub, for the cost of £20 (US$25) to the customer.

Drinkers can collect stamps on Bourbon passports – designed with illustrations from artist Ludivine Josephine – with the first 50 to finish theirs able to score a bottle of Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select.

A gift for Christmas

Beyond the Old Fashioned, the brand is also celebrating the spirit of the season, by releasing a festive holiday edition bottle for its Distiller’s Select expression.

The new look bottle sports a gold label, which the brand said ‘elevates the rich amber colour of the Bourbon’. It has been designed with ‘elegance and simplicity in mind’ and is described as being ‘the ideal accompaniment to any festive gathering’.

The Holiday Edition can be picked up at leading retailers including Tesco, Asda, Waitrose, Morrisons, and Amazon for an RRP of £35 (US$44) per 700ml bottle.

This year saw Woodford Reserve add a high-strength expression to its Master’s Collection, clocking in at 62% ABV. The brand also named a new master distiller, Elizabeth McCall.

It also announced a five-year commitment to support Kentucky rye farmers.