Woodford Reserve Unveils Chocolate Malted Rye Bourbon Whiskey

The latest in the Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection series is their Chocolate Malted Rye whiskey.

This new expression is the result of Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris discovering a flavor technique that toasts rye grain long enough that it begins to taste like chocolate, the company says.

“The rye malt was roasted to a level that its natural sugars caramelized into a dark chocolate note,” Morris explains. “This special bourbon even surprised me as it matured in our warehouses. Each time I tasted it, the chocolate notes became even more pronounced.”

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Woodford Reserve Chocolate Malted Rye is 90.4 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. ​The mash bill is ​70% corn, 15% chocolate malted rye and 15% distillers malt.

On the nose is soft mocha, caramel and roasted nuts that combine with hints of cedar, the company reports. The palate is roasted rye grain, dry cocoa nibs and dark chocolate, with a soft mocha character atop a layer of cherry fruit and toasted oak — before a chocolatey finish.

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“Woodford Reserve bourbon ​has a complex and balanced flavor profile that includes a hint of chocolate,” says Assistant Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall. “Chocolate Malted Rye takes those cocoa notes to a new level.”

This limited-selection, one-time-only whiskey will hit shelves in the U.S. this month. The suggested retail price is $129.99 per 750-ml. bottle.

Woodford Reserve releases two Master’s Collections each year — one in the fall and one in the spring. Earlier this year, the distillery launched Batch Proof Bourbon 2019, while 2018 included Woodford Reserve American Select Oak and Woodford Reserve Oat Grain Kentucky Bourbon.

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