Woodford Reserve Just Dropped an Experimental New Bourbon, and We Got a First Taste

Woodford Reserve’s Master’s Collection is a whiskey series that provides master distiller Elizabeth McCall with chances to experiment and innovate in terms of various production steps, including mashbill and maturation. For the new 2026 release, Super Seasoned Oak, she focused specifically on the latter, aging the distillery’s bourbon in barrels made from staves that were seasoned outdoors for an especially long time. We got an early taste of this new bourbon, and can report back that the results are good. Woodford’s Master’s Collection has included previous expressions like Madeira Cask Finish (finished in sweet Portuguese wine casks), Sonoma Triple Finish (finished in Sonoma Pinot Noir, brandy, and bourbon barrels used to age red wine), and Very Fine Rare Bourbon (a blend of older barrels). The new Super Seasoned Oak is the 22nd in the series, and according to McCall the point here was to highlight the effects of that extended wood seasoning on the whiskey. “With Super Seasoned Oak, we showcase how extended outdoor wood exposure and precise barrel craftsmanship can elevate the spirit,” she said in a statement, “delivering an intensely rich, deeply structured profile that collectors and connoisseurs will instantly appreciate.” Normally, the wood used to make bourbon barrels is seasoned outdoors for a year to dry it out, reduce tannins, and enhance the flavor of the whiskey once it’s filled with the new-make spirit. The wood used to make the casks for this release, however, was seasoned for five to seven years, which is much longer than the standard amount of time. Those barrels were filled with bourbon made from the distillery’s core mashbill—72 percent corn, 18 percent rye, and 10 percent malted barley—and matured for about nine years. The result of this unique maturation is apparent when you sip the whiskey, which has a deep amber-red color and aromas of sweet orange and cherry on the nose. That’s followed by dark berries, apple cobbler, maple, vanilla, cinnamon, and black pepper spice on the palate, with a warming finish at 100.4 proof, which is 10 degrees higher than regular Woodford. Super Seasoned Oak is a limited release, however, and it was initially released at select Kentucky retailers and the distillery’s gift shop earlier this week (SRP $180). If you can’t make it to the Bluegrass State anytime soon, check secondary market websites as the whiskey will likely start to appear at those too over the coming weeks.