Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Batch Proof 128.3 Bourbon Whiskey 2021
Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Batch Proof 128.3 Bourbon Whiskey 2021 is Woodford in its purest form — a 750mL bottle at 128.3 proof, the fourth annual Batch Proof release and the highest proof the distillery had ever bottled when it landed in March 2021. Barrels are blended into a batch and bottled at their actual proof, straight from the wood — no dilution, no filtering back the intensity. It's available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 64.15% (128.3 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Mash bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
- Process: batch-blended barrels bottled at actual barrel proof; triple copper pot stills + column stills
- Release: March 2021 — 4th Batch Proof release in the Master's Collection; non-age-stated
- Origin: Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, Kentucky (Brown-Forman)
Bottled at the Proof the Barrel Gave It
Standard Woodford Reserve is bottled at 90.4 proof; Batch Proof ignores that entirely. Each year's release celebrates the distillery's proprietary batching process — select barrels married together and bottled uncut, so drinkers taste the distillate exactly as the wood left it. The 2021 edition, at 128.3, was the boldest yet: reviewers called it s'mores on the palate with thick, sweet oak running through it, and ranked it among the finest Brown-Forman bourbons ever bottled. It is not a beginner's bourbon, and it was never meant to be. See more Woodford Reserve, browse other barrel-proof bourbons, or explore the bourbon collection.
Tasting Notes
Deep auburn. The nose is rich tea leaf and dried leather with hints of peppermint and fresh cedar. The palate is a huge, bittersweet attack of corn, cocoa and wood spice — brittle toffee, grippy oak, s'mores. The finish is long and dry with a lingering dark-chocolate espresso fade.
How to Enjoy
Let it breathe 20 minutes, then taste neat — it turns more curvaceous and accessible with air. A few drops of water open pecan pie, cherry chocolate and vanilla bean; just know that cutting it basically turns it back into regular Woodford Reserve, which defeats the point.
Frequently Asked Questions
What proof is Woodford Reserve Batch Proof 2021?
128.3 proof (64.15% ABV) — the highest proof in the Batch Proof series to that point.
What does "Batch Proof" mean?
Barrels are blended into a batch and bottled at the whiskey's actual proof, straight from the barrel, without dilution to a standard bottling proof.
Is Woodford Batch Proof limited?
Yes — an annual limited Master's Collection release (the 2021 edition had an MSRP of $129.99).
The purest Woodford ever bottled — order the 2021 Batch Proof 128.3 online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.