Woodford Reserve’s Happy Accident: A Delicious Bourbon Born from Mistake

In the world of whiskey, mistakes can sometimes lead to something truly remarkable. Woodford Reserve, a renowned Kentucky distillery, has recently released a limited-edition bourbon that is the result of an accidental delivery of the wrong barrels. This happy accident has given birth to a unique and delicious whiskey that blends the flavor profiles of Woodford Reserve’s Bourbon and Double Oaked.

The historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Kentucky

The concept of turning mistakes into marketable products is not new in the whiskey industry. Orphan Barrel, for instance, is built around casks that have been misplaced for years, only to be discovered hidden away in the furthest recesses of warehouses. Natterjack has a new release called The Mistake, an Irish whiskey that was erroneously left in virgin oak casks for an extra year. Westward Whiskey says the wrong barley delivery was the source of its recent Vienna Malt expression. Even Wild Turkey had a screw-up when an employee mistakenly blended bourbon and rye, resulting in 2022’s Master’s Keep Unforgotten.

Whiskey barrels at the Woodford Reserve Distillery

The new Woodford Reserve Toasted Bourbon is part of the annual Distillery Series, available at the distillery itself in 375-ml bottles as well as select Kentucky retailers. According to the marketing team, in 2017 Doubled Oaked barrels were accidentally delivered to Woodford and filled with new make spirit. The difference is that regular Woodford bourbon barrels are lightly toasted and heavily charred, while Double Oaked barrels are heavily toasted and lightly charred (these are used to finish already mature bourbon for the Double Oaked expression). A total of 18 barrels were filled, and ultimately, the distillery team decided to keep them and watch them as they matured in Warehouse C for over six years.

Woodford Reserve Toasted Bourbon

Master distiller Elizabeth McCall thinks the results were worthwhile. “Toasted Bourbon resulted in a delicious whiskey that blends the flavor profile of both Woodford Reserve’s Bourbon and Double Oaked,” she said in a statement. “After more than six years of patiently waiting, we’re thrilled to share this one-of-a-kind bourbon with our fans.” Tasting notes include toasted oak and graham cracker on the nose, followed by cinnamon brown sugar, raw honey, baking spice, and toasted oak on the palate.

Warehouse C at the Woodford Reserve Distillery

At the moment, the easiest way to get a bottle might be to visit the distillery, but you can find the rest of the Woodford lineup available to purchase from ReserveBar.