Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Super Seasoned Oak Bourbon Whiskey 2026
The Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Super Seasoned Oak Bourbon Whiskey 2026 is the 22nd release in the distillery’s experimental Master’s Collection, and it turns the spotlight on the barrel itself. Where a traditional bourbon barrel is built from American white oak seasoned outdoors for a few months to a year, Super Seasoned Oak was aged in barrels crafted from staves exposed to the elements for five to seven years. That extended weathering washes out harsh green tannins, opens the wood grain, and concentrates the oak’s natural sugars — so the mature Kentucky straight bourbon inside emerges intensely rich, deeply structured, and layered with spice, toasted sweetness, and dark fruit. Bottled at 100.4 proof under Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall, it is a limited 2026 release for collectors of the series.
- ABV: 50.2% (100.4 proof)
- Size: 700mL
- Series: Master’s Collection No. 22 (2026)
- Origin: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, distilled and aged in Versailles, Kentucky
- The Wood: Barrels built from American oak staves seasoned outdoors for five to seven years
The Story
Since 2005, the Master’s Collection has been Woodford Reserve’s laboratory — a series of limited releases that each isolate one of the five sources of flavor: grain, water, fermentation, distillation, and maturation. For the 22nd release, Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall pushed maturation further than the series has gone before. “Much like a well-used cast-iron skillet is seasoned and provides a depth of flavor,” the distillery notes, barrel staves seasoned by years of sun, rain, and temperature swings give more back to the spirit. The staves for these barrels weathered outdoors for five to seven years — many times longer than standard cooperage stock — before being raised into barrels and filled with Woodford Reserve’s Kentucky straight bourbon. The result is a bourbon where the wood’s voice is unmistakable: concentrated sugars and softened tannins translate into depth, structure, and a long, spice-driven sweetness.
Tasting Notes
Amber in the glass, Super Seasoned Oak opens with rich caramel and vanilla layered with almond, cherry, and cinnamon-dusted dried red apple. The palate follows with a velvet current of vanilla and caramel brightened by a zesty mix of orange oils, cinnamon, and clove. The finish is sweet and warming, carried on warm cinnamon — the long-seasoned oak framing every sip without ever turning harsh or astringent.
How to Enjoy
Pour it neat in a tasting glass and give it a few minutes to open — at 100.4 proof the profile is generous without needing dilution. A few drops of water will pull the orange oil and baking spice forward, and a single large cube offers a slower, cooler pour as the oak notes deepen. This is a contemplative, end-of-the-evening bourbon built for drinkers who want to taste what the barrel contributes. For another study in Woodford oak, compare it with the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon Whiskey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the oak in Super Seasoned Oak “super seasoned”?
The barrels were built from American oak staves that seasoned outdoors for five to seven years before cooperage. Standard bourbon barrel staves season for only a few months to about a year. The extended weathering reduces harsh green tannins, opens the grain, and concentrates the wood’s sugars, giving the bourbon a richer, more structured oak character.
What is the proof of the 2026 Super Seasoned Oak?
It is bottled at 100.4 proof (50.2% ABV), ten proof points above the flagship Woodford Reserve bourbon.
What is the Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection?
The Master’s Collection is the distillery’s limited, experimental series, launched in 2005. Each numbered release explores a single flavor variable — past editions have experimented with grain recipes, barrel finishes, and entry proof. Super Seasoned Oak is No. 22 in the series, released in 2026.
What size is the 2026 Master’s Collection bottle?
Like recent Master’s Collection releases, Super Seasoned Oak comes in a 700mL bottle.
Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Super Seasoned Oak Bourbon Whiskey 2026 is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor — add this limited No. 22 release to your collection while it lasts.