If you’ve been following the blog for some time, you know that hamburger is a problem for me. In fact, a problem does not, on the contrary. It’s a solution. I love any kind of hamburger. I especially like those poorly fed, very tall and succulent. But even a soft-soled shoe works, if properly tempered.

In fact, that phrase “pizza is like sex, even when it’s bad, it’s good”, it should not be with pizza. It should be hamburger. Because pizza is not always good. Pizza can be from something disgusting like broccoli, eggplant or sardines. While the only allowable basis for a burger is beef, that is always good. Or, in some rare cases, pork and lamb. Other than that, it’s not hamburger. And do not even start on me about chicken.

Hamburger, even when it’s bad, is good. In a way, it is very close to another product bourne in the land of freedom and fried chicken. Whiskey. There’s no way a whiskey can be bad. They are, at least, decent. Even though, with some exceptions, they are always variations on a more or less constant theme. A delicious theme. A theme that involves vanilla, caramel and pepper.

And because all whiskey is at least decent by my standards, I’m especially happy when I find one I really like. One that I could think of trading for a dram of some single malt. And that’s what happens to me over Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select bourbon.

Distiller’s Select is produced by the Woodford Reserve distillery in Kentucky. Its owner is Brown-Forman Corporation, which is also responsible for the best-selling brand of tennessee whiskey in the world, Jack Daniel’s. But it has not been an ininterrupted control. Brown Forman, who owned the distillery since 1941 – at that time, named Labrot & Graham Distillery – sold it to a local farmer in 1973. And twenty years later, they repented and repurchased the distillery. Nice business planning, Brown-Forman!

Although Woodford and Jack Daniel’s are from the same family, the Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select production is reasonably different from that of the Jack Daniels Single Barrel. Beginning with Woodford’s mashbill, which is 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. As percentages alone tend only to turn any interesting subject into plain boredom, let me explain. Woodford has a high proportion of rye compared to other bourbons. And so Distiller’s Select has a slightly spicier taste.

Woodford Reserve fermentation is also pretty lengthy. The mash ferments for six days (against three days of other whiskeys). After this stage, most of the mash is triple distilled in the copper stills located in the distillery itself. A smaller portion is distilled in the column stills of the Brown-Forman Distillery, located in Louisville, Kentucky. The spirit’s alcoholic strength is then reduced to 55% by adding water from the creek that supplies the distillery, called Glenn’s Creek. After this process, the new-make spirit is ready to be matured.

The virgin oak barrels that mature Woodford are produced at the Brown Forman Cooperage, which is also responsible for manufacturing those used by Jack Daniel’s. This allows the distillery to choose only the best barrels to mature their bourbon. Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select’s maturation time, although not clearly stated, is around seven years. Almost three years longer than most Jack Daniels expressions.

In addition, Brown Forman Cooperage gives Woodford the freedom to order barrels to the specifications they desire. For example, those used for the second maturation of another expression of the distillery: Woodford Double Oaked, which barrels undergo extra and longer charring.

All of this gives Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select a pronounced caramel flavor, as well as brown sugar, vanilla and spices, which differs it from other bourbons available in our market, such as Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark.

bottle of Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select – which, incidentally, is one of the most beautiful bottles of bourbon I’ve ever seen – costs around $ 160.00 (one hundred and sixty reais). It is a very inviting price, especially if you already know the most common expressions of the big brands. Believe me – Woodford Reserve is far from being your common fast food hamburger.

WOODFORD RESERVE DISTILLER’S SELECT

Type: Bourbon

Brand: Woodford Reserve

Region: N / A

ABV: 43.2%

TASTING NOTES

Aroma: Orange and caramel. Unlike other bourbons, the vanilla aroma is very subtle, yet present.

Taste: Lightly spicy, with plenty of caramel (caramel balloon) and brown sugar. Vanilla and subtle orange.

Dilluted: orange, caramel and pepper. The vanilla at the finish becomes more evident, although it is more subtle than most of the bourbons.

Price: around R $ 160,00 (one hundred and sixty reais)