Store Picks: Woodford Reserve Double Oak – Belmont Beverages – Barrel C

Pick Information - This single barrel was selected by the barrel selection team at Belmont Beverages on-site at Woodford Reserve.  The team chose Barrel C. This pick is 90.4 proof and it is double oaked.  The bourbon is matured as normal Woodford Reserve and then aged another 11 months in a highly toasted, charred finishing barrel. 

Color –  It has a deep, rich maple syrup look in the glass.  Amazing color and darkness.

Nose – On the nose I get a ton of chocolate and coffee notes.  Little to no alcohol which is nice.  A second nosing pulls out some dried fruit and vanilla on the back end of the nosing.  Very complex nose compared to normal Woodford.

Palate – On the palate I get like a smoky, caramel mix which is very nice but was initially tough to pick out.  I get some of that coffee from the nose along with more of a toffee at the end which may actually be that chocolate/caramel mix I got on the nose.

Finish -  For a 90.4 proof it actually has a nice medium mouthfeel to it.  I had a nice coating and the lower proof allow you to taste all of the components throughout the sipping.  I still get a little Kentucky hug at the very end which is a nice way to end the sampling.

Wallet – This bottle sells for $55 which is basically the same price as the non-store pick Woodford Double Oak.  I like the normal Double Oak at this price; I LOVE this store pick at the same price.

Head to Head –  Like most single barrels, they will tend to have a more dominant flavor profile than the normal offering and this is no exception.  The heavy coffee, chocolate, and toffee/caramel is amazing on this bourbon and I am happy to say I had plenty of pours the night I opened and reviewed this.  This pick is much more exciting and dynamic than a normal Double Oaked.

Bourbon Wes says –  Overall, extremely good pick by the Belmont group.  Not sure if the team there is great at picking barrels or all Woodford Double Oaked single barrels are that good but either way I am a fan.

Rating (tasting notes + price point + uniqueness) – I would rate this store pick a 8 out of 10.

Wes Hardin

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Store picks and barrel selections are popping up at liquor stores, hotels, restaurants, bars, and bourbon clubs and we would love to review your barrel selections in this column. 

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Ratings System:   1-2 – Would not suggest to anyone.  Literally not drinkable neat.

                                  3-5  -  Solid pour but not considered special. Would not purchase second bottle

                                  6-8  -  Excellent pour.  Robust, interesting, and different compared to regular offering.

                                  9-10 -  Outstanding. Hunt for multiple bottles.  On par with allocated releases.