Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked Review: Worth the Hype?

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Woodford Reserve
• MASH BILL: 72% Corn | 18% Rye | 10% Malted Barley
• AGE: Not specifically stated, but likely 7-9 years total in both casks
• YEAR: 2025
• PROOF: 90.4
• MSRP: $199.99
• BUY ONLINE: Woodford Reserve Bottle Shop

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: All Woodford fans, especially those who love Double and Double Double Oaked, and any who enjoy oak driven, second cask chocolate bombs.

WORTH THE PRICE: Not to me. To my palate, WRDDO doesn't compare to the $119 Old Forester 1924 (my 2024 review and my 2025 review) releases coming from its sister brand Louisville, Ky., or the $80 Coy Hill releases (2021 review and 2024 review) from its elder brother, Jack Daniel's, in Lynchburg, Tenn. That this is a 700ml bottle doesn't help matters.

No doubt bottles of the WRDDO are being scooped up wherever they land, so it meets the needs of that fanbase. It's worth mentioning that during a recent barrel pick I participated in at Woodford, that was held right about the time this release came out, the staff told numerous stories about a nationwide and fanatic devotion to this release. That makes me an outlier in this case, so bear that in mind as you read further.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bust. I'd imagine a pour of this would not be less than $40 at many bars. That's almost $10 more than a full bottle of WR's regular bourbon.

OVERALL: There's no overlooking the labor and dollars invested in this whiskey. Hauling out who knows how many of these barrels after 5 to 7 years' aging just to dump and pump that liquid back into a second barrel to be ricked for two more years ... good heavens that's a lot of work! When Woodford launched this brand several years ago, barrels might have cost around $200. Now they cost about double that. Double Oaked bourbon = doubling the wood and doubling the labor. I have to appreciate that.

I'm equally appreciative of the nose, which leads with maple syrup, cedar, pipe tobacco, bitter chocolate, dried plum, chocolate icing and, surprising to me, sour orange. It's lovely to nose, and the longer you spend with it, the more that bouquet broadens.

On the palate comes campfire smoke, marked astringency (cigar smokers should love that), cooked corn and rye, some chocolate at mid-palate and a little cinnamon around the edges.

What surprises me is the finish, which doesn't linger, is not all that warm and is neither immediately tannic nor drying–attributes I expected from such lengthy oak interaction. The only flavors detectable at the end are rye, a little sherry-like nuttiness and maybe a dab of honey in this remarkably clean coda. If you wait a bit and come back to it, some ripe apple and pear show up along with some baked pastry. But overall, it's surprisingly short on complexity.

Will longtime DDO fans read this and say, "That's exactly what I want"? I certainly hope so. I'm grateful for the full bottle sent me and I'm happy to share it with those who love this style of whiskey. But for me, the oak impact of a single cask nearly always does the trick.

BRAND NOTES

(F)or the first time, Double Double Oaked is making its national debut at fine retailers and select domestic military exchange stores.

“Rare and revered, this handcrafted double-barreled bourbon has a deep richness, unlike any other American whiskey on the market,” master distiller Elizabeth McCall said. “Resting 5-7 years in the first barrel, then up to two years in a second barrel, this liquid features extraordinary flavor notes. It is unexpected and complex.”

Color: Roasted coffee bean

Aroma: A robust medley of rich maple syrup, dark butterscotch, brittle caramel, bittersweet chocolate, burnt marshmallow, and sweet hickory smoke notes dominate the nose.

Taste: Rich dried cherry and cranberry fruit swim in a blackberry jam brightened with hints of ripe apple. Chai tea and warming clove notes develop to spice up the palate.

Finish: Warm and drying with a lingering clove character.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.