The Story
Woodford Reserve Masters Collection No. 16 Very Fine Rare — the 2020 Masters Collection release and a watershed moment for the series: the oldest Woodford Reserve bourbon ever released at the time, blending barrels up to 17 years old that date to 2003 — the year Chris Morris became Master Distiller — in a deliberate departure from the experimental grain and finishing focus that had defined the first 15 releases.
Through its first 15 releases, the Masters Collection changed something every year — a different grain, a different cask finish, a different distillation variable. Very Fine Rare No. 16 changed the formula itself: no experiment, no novelty. Just age. Morris and McCall had been holding back barrels from the 2003 distillation year, waiting for the right release to present them. At 17 years old, those barrels had developed a character fundamentally different from Woodford's standard 5-7 year profile — old oak tannins balanced by honey and caramel, cured tobacco threading through fruit, the weight of nearly two decades in Kentucky warehouse heat cycles fully expressed.
The name comes directly from 19th century Kentucky bourbon history: local newspapers from the 1830s documented auction listings for "Very Fine Rare Bourbon" barrel lots, a designation used when age and quality distinguished a specific cask from standard production. Morris borrowed that language to frame a release that honored both the distillery's past and his own tenure at Woodford.
From No. 16 onward, the Masters Collection shifted focus from historical experimentation to contemporary innovation — Very Fine Rare marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Layers of rich toasted oak, caramel, brown sugar, chocolate, and vanilla merging into cured tobacco character, brightened with apple fruit; the extra age is immediately apparent in the oak depth
- Palate: Old oak notes sweetened with honey, balanced with citrus and apple peel and a touch of clove spice; the 17-year barrels produce a tannin structure and dried fruit complexity unavailable in younger Woodford expressions
- Finish: Long with raisin fruit, malty sweetness, and warm oak tapering into a deeply satisfying close
Specs
- Distillery: Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, Kentucky
- Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Masters Collection (#16)
- Age: Blend including barrels up to 17 years (2003 distillation, the year Morris became Master Distiller)
- Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
- ABV: 45.2% (90.4 Proof)
- Release: 2020
- Rating: 91 points — Whisky Advocate (Spring 2021)
- Size: 750ml
Browse the full Woodford Reserve collection at Wooden Cork.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is “Very Fine Rare”? A term borrowed from 19th century Kentucky bourbon auctions. Local newspapers from the 1830s listed exceptional aged barrel lots as “Very Fine Rare Bourbon” when age and quality distinguished them from standard production. Morris used this historical language to frame the oldest Woodford release to date.
- Why are 17-year barrels unusual for Woodford Reserve? Woodford typically pulls barrels at 5-7 years. In heat-cycled Kentucky warehouses, barrels older than that risk losing too much volume to evaporation. Morris and McCall held these 2003 barrels back specifically for a special release, monitoring them carefully until the profile was right for bottling.
- Does this mark a change in the Masters Collection direction? Yes — explicitly. From No. 16 onward, Woodford stated that future Masters Collection releases would focus on contemporary innovation by Morris and McCall rather than historical grain and finishing experiments.
Description
Woodford Reserve Masters Collection No. 16 Very Fine Rare — the 2020 Masters Collection release and a watershed moment for the series: the oldest Woodford Reserve bourbon ever released at the time, blending barrels up to 17 years old that date to 2003 — the year Chris Morris became Master Distiller — in a deliberate departure from the experimental grain and finishing focus that had defined the first 15 releases.
Through its first 15 releases, the Masters Collection changed something every year — a different grain, a different cask finish, a different distillation variable. Very Fine Rare No. 16 changed the formula itself: no experiment, no novelty. Just age. Morris and McCall had been holding back barrels from the 2003 distillation year, waiting for the right release to present them. At 17 years old, those barrels had developed a character fundamentally different from Woodford's standard 5-7 year profile — old oak tannins balanced by honey and caramel, cured tobacco threading through fruit, the weight of nearly two decades in Kentucky warehouse heat cycles fully expressed.
The name comes directly from 19th century Kentucky bourbon history: local newspapers from the 1830s documented auction listings for "Very Fine Rare Bourbon" barrel lots, a designation used when age and quality distinguished a specific cask from standard production. Morris borrowed that language to frame a release that honored both the distillery's past and his own tenure at Woodford.
From No. 16 onward, the Masters Collection shifted focus from historical experimentation to contemporary innovation — Very Fine Rare marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Layers of rich toasted oak, caramel, brown sugar, chocolate, and vanilla merging into cured tobacco character, brightened with apple fruit; the extra age is immediately apparent in the oak depth
- Palate: Old oak notes sweetened with honey, balanced with citrus and apple peel and a touch of clove spice; the 17-year barrels produce a tannin structure and dried fruit complexity unavailable in younger Woodford expressions
- Finish: Long with raisin fruit, malty sweetness, and warm oak tapering into a deeply satisfying close
Specs
- Distillery: Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, Kentucky
- Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Masters Collection (#16)
- Age: Blend including barrels up to 17 years (2003 distillation, the year Morris became Master Distiller)
- Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
- ABV: 45.2% (90.4 Proof)
- Release: 2020
- Rating: 91 points — Whisky Advocate (Spring 2021)
- Size: 750ml
Browse the full Woodford Reserve collection at Wooden Cork.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is “Very Fine Rare”? A term borrowed from 19th century Kentucky bourbon auctions. Local newspapers from the 1830s listed exceptional aged barrel lots as “Very Fine Rare Bourbon” when age and quality distinguished them from standard production. Morris used this historical language to frame the oldest Woodford release to date.
- Why are 17-year barrels unusual for Woodford Reserve? Woodford typically pulls barrels at 5-7 years. In heat-cycled Kentucky warehouses, barrels older than that risk losing too much volume to evaporation. Morris and McCall held these 2003 barrels back specifically for a special release, monitoring them carefully until the profile was right for bottling.
- Does this mark a change in the Masters Collection direction? Yes — explicitly. From No. 16 onward, Woodford stated that future Masters Collection releases would focus on contemporary innovation by Morris and McCall rather than historical grain and finishing experiments.
