Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked — Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey matured through an innovative two-barrel process: first in a standard charred new oak barrel, then finished in a second barrel that is deeply toasted before a light charring — extracting additional layers of soft, sweet oak character that elevate the flagship Woodford profile into something richer, darker, and more complex.

When Double Oaked launched in 2012, finishing bourbon in a second new oak barrel was almost unheard of. The innovation proved decisive: where the standard Distiller’s Select delivers a rounded, approachable profile, Double Oaked amplifies the sweetness and oak depth dramatically. The second barrel’s heavy toast and light char produce caramelized wood sugars that feed through into the whiskey, producing a deep amber color and a palate with significantly more vanilla, dark fruit, and chocolate character than the original expression.

Starting from the same 72/18/10 mash bill as the Distiller’s Select, Double Oaked diverges entirely through its secondary maturation. The result is the most widely available expression in the Woodford lineup that consistently delivers a richness and complexity more associated with barrel-finished whiskeys at a higher price tier.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Rich notes of dark fruit, caramel, sharp honey, chocolate, marzipan, and toasted oak; deep and full with the sweet oak character of the secondary barrel evident immediately
• Palate: Full-bodied vanilla, dark caramel, hazelnut, apple, dark berries, and warming spice; chocolate-covered cherries, toasted nuts, and a Werther’s caramel sweetness with hints of leather and tobacco
• Finish: Long and creamy with lingering honeyed apple and gentle oak tannin

Specs

• Distillery: Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, Kentucky
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Double Oaked
• Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
• Maturation: Two separate charred oak barrels — second barrel deeply toasted, lightly charred
• ABV: 45.2% (90.4 Proof)
• Size: 750ml

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the difference between Double Oaked and standard Woodford Reserve? Same mash bill and distillery, but Double Oaked spends time in a second heavily toasted, lightly charred new oak barrel after its initial aging. The secondary barrel dramatically amplifies the sweetness, dark fruit, chocolate, and vanilla character of the whiskey.
• Is Double Oaked the same as Double Double Oaked? No — Double Oaked is the standard two-barrel expression; Double Double Oaked adds a third and fourth barrel to the process, further concentrating the oak sweetness and richness. Double Oaked is widely available; Double Double Oaked is a limited annual release.
• What cocktails work best with Double Oaked? Double Oaked is a natural neat or on-the-rocks pour given its richness. In cocktails, the deep caramel and dark fruit character works particularly well in an Old Fashioned or paired with bitters in a Louisville Sour.