Woodford Reserve Masters Collection 16-Year Very Fine Very Rare Bourbon

I get a little confused sometimes with these bottlings, but here is what I understand. This is the 16th edition of the Woodford Reserve Very Fine Very Rare Bourbon. Most of the juice in here is 16 years old though some could be a little younger, and the distillery has unveiled that Chris Morris’ 2003 juice is also in this, which is 17 years old. If you’re still following me, good.

These bottlings are aptly named, and the prices that I’m seeing for these have skyrocketed all the way up to $500/bottle. The average price now is almost $450, partly for the novelty and for the lack of bottles to go round. Digging deep in my Restaurant vault, I was able to find two bottles of these that have been perfectly stored and tucked away.

I get a ton of burnt orange, brown sugar and tobacco spices on the nose with a smooth and sweet mid-palate that boasts notes of caramel and honey. The finish continues to evolve with each sip and peel back new layers. Bottled at 90.4 Proof and hidden well in the smoothness of the blend.