{"product_id":"woodford-reserve-masters-collection-four-grain-bourbon-batch-1","title":"Woodford Reserve Masters Collection Four Grain Bourbon Batch #1","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWoodford Reserve Masters Collection Four Grain Bourbon Batch #1 — the founding release of the Four Grain expression and the first release ever in the Woodford Reserve Masters Collection series: a Kentucky Straight Bourbon that adds wheat to the standard mash bill alongside rye, producing what was in 2005 the first four-grain bourbon in over 100 years.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 2005, Master Distiller Chris Morris launched the Masters Collection with a premise rooted in the distillery's guiding philosophy — change one flavor source, document the result. For the first release, he changed grain: the standard Woodford mash bill of corn, rye, and malted barley became a four-grain recipe by adding wheat alongside the rye. This had not been done in American commercial bourbon production for more than a century. The addition of wheat alongside rye creates a different flavor dynamic than a pure wheated bourbon (where wheat replaces rye): both grains are present simultaneously, each contributing its own character — rye's spice and structure, wheat's softness and sweetness — rather than one replacing the other.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBatch #1 is the original Four Grain expression, released in Kentucky in 2005 and nationally in 2006, bottled at 92.4 proof and individually numbered. As the first release in a series now in its 20th year, it holds unique historical significance within the Masters Collection lineage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e The combined grain character of four distinct sources — corn sweetness, rye spice, wheat softness, and malted barley nuttiness — with the triple pot still fruit complexity and caramel and vanilla from the oak\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e More complex grain layering than standard Woodford — the rye spice and wheat softness interact distinctly, producing a profile that sits between a standard high-rye bourbon and a wheated bourbon without fully resembling either\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medium-long with grain complexity, gentle spice, and warm oak\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecs\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDistillery:\u003c\/strong\u003e Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, Kentucky\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eStyle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Masters Collection (#1 — founding release)\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eMash Bill:\u003c\/strong\u003e Four grains — corn, wheat, rye, and malted barley\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDistillation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Triple copper pot still\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eABV:\u003c\/strong\u003e 46.2% (92.4 Proof)\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eRelease:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2005 Kentucky \/ 2006 national — Batch #1\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBottling:\u003c\/strong\u003e Individually numbered\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrowse the full \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/woodencork.com\/collections\/woodford-reserve\"\u003eWoodford Reserve collection at Wooden Cork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWhy is the Four Grain historically significant?\u003c\/strong\u003e It was the first Masters Collection release (2005) and the first commercial bourbon with wheat alongside rye in the mash bill in over a century. Both distinctions make Batch #1 the founding piece of a series that has now produced 20 annual releases.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the difference between a four-grain bourbon and a wheated bourbon?\u003c\/strong\u003e A wheated bourbon replaces rye with wheat entirely. Four Grain keeps both — rye and wheat coexist in the mash, each contributing its own character simultaneously rather than one replacing the other.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eIs this collectible?\u003c\/strong\u003e As the founding batch of the founding Masters Collection release, Batch #1 is among the most historically significant of all Masters Collection expressions for serious collectors of the series.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why is the Four Grain historically significant?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"It was the first Masters Collection release (2005) and the first commercial bourbon with wheat alongside rye in the mash bill in over a century. Batch #1 is the founding piece of a series now in its 20th year.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the difference between a four-grain bourbon and a wheated bourbon?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A wheated bourbon replaces rye with wheat entirely. Four Grain keeps both — rye and wheat coexist, each contributing its own character simultaneously rather than one replacing the other.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is this collectible?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"As the founding batch of the founding Masters Collection release, Batch #1 is among the most historically significant of all Masters Collection expressions for serious collectors of the series.\"}}]}\u003c\/script\u003e","brand":"Woodford Reserve","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42900757741639,"sku":"Scott","price":2159.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/0640\/2375\/files\/59db8ccba294b_58e0845e-77d3-4091-98f5-f3c562d5e348.jpg?v=1782400926","url":"https:\/\/bourbonnest.com\/products\/woodford-reserve-masters-collection-four-grain-bourbon-batch-1","provider":"Bourbon Nest","version":"1.0","type":"link"}