Woodford Reserve Releases Its Rarest Bourbon Ever

Woodford Reserve has released its most momentous whiskey yet to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Kentucky Derby. It’s the rarest bottle in the brand’s 27-year history—and its most expensive. Thankfully, we were able to snag a small taste of the $15,000 bourbon. Here’s everything you need to know about the precious juice.

The first thing that makes Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby 150 Baccarat Edition so dang special is the way in which it was aged. As with most releases from the brand, it’s a 90.4-proof spirit, matured in virgin American oak barrels at climate-control warehouses in the rural hinterlands of the Bluegrass State. But this particular expression was elevated by way of a secondary aging in cognac casks, followed by a tertiary resting in “couture” casks, comprised of staves that were specially seasoned in the Kentucky Derby Winner’s Circle.

No other brand of bourbon could develop something so specifically tied to this one place, even if it wanted to. That’s because, since 1999, Woodford Reserve has held the status of being the presenting sponsor of the Kentucky Derby. It’s a title that comes with distinct privileges, among them being the exclusive bourbon served at the legendary event, as well as—apparently—having off-hour access to the track, in order to stash a pallet or two of spare oak staves.

Nevertheless, that’s not nearly the only audacious aspect of production for this supremely limited run. As you might have gathered from its name, Baccarat Edition is, indeed, presented in a bespoke decanter crafted by the celebrated French crystal purveyor. The vessel’s ornate enclosure is adorned with 24-karat gold.

A five-figure whiskey to commemorate the Kentucky Derby Courtesy Image

There’s clearly a fair degree of pageantry surrounding this bourbon, and that’s not something that Woodford is shying away from. “This decanter embodies the spirit of Kentucky and the spectacle of Derby,” said master distiller Elizabeth McCall in a press release.

The whiskey’s red tinge even echoes the garland of roses awarded to the winner of the race. But what good is all this showmanship if the stuff doesn’t taste good? Thankfully, for those shelling out the small fortune to own it, this bourbon wins the triple crown on aroma, taste, and finish.

The nose is full of fresh berry fruit, priming the taste buds for the sweet flavors soon to follow. They express themselves in threads of baking spice, cherry cordial, and candied orange zest. You’ll have plenty of time to ponder those notes in a delightfully lengthy fade.

Like its namesake race, this honorary whiskey might be one of the most exciting two minutes in dram drinking. You just need to get your hands on a winning ticket—which requires reserving a bottle on Woodford Reserve’s website and picking it up directly from the distillery on one of two assigned pick-up dates, April 13 or May 1. There are only 150 bottles in total, naturally, and then they’re off.