Woodford Reserve’s master distiller, Chris Morris is always seeking to innovate when it comes to flavour ideas in whiskey. Through the creation of his newest whiskey, the Master’s Collection Chocolate Malted Rye Bourbon, the team realised that if you toast rye grain for long enough, it will begin to taste like chocolate.
The 2019 Master’s Collection release is a one-time-only product and is being released this month in the US, as well as globally as part of the celebrated collection.
“The rye malt was roasted to a level that its natural sugars caramelized into a dark chocolate note,” Morris said. “This special bourbon even surprised me as it matured in our warehouses. Each time I tasted it, the chocolate notes became even more pronounced.”
The new release is 90.4 proof and has a suggested retail price of $129.99, with a mash bill of 70 per cent corn, 15 per cent chocolate malted rye and 15 per cent distillers’ malt.
“Woodford Reserve Bourbon has a complex and balanced flavor profile that includes a hint of chocolate,” Elizabeth McCall, assistant master distiller adds. “Chocolate Malted Rye takes those cocoa notes to a new level. Everything we do at Woodford Reserve goes back to our core belief that flavor is everything.”
Woodford Reserve releases two Master’s Collections each year, one in the fall and one in the spring. They are produced with the same heritage and tradition that surrounds the iconic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky.
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Soft mocha, delicate caramel and roasted nut notes mingle with hints of cedar, soft oak and a touch of fruit.
Flavor: Roasted rye grain, dry cocoa nibs and dark chocolate spice up a soft mocha character atop a layer of cherry fruit and toasted oak.
Finish: Long and chocolatey.
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