{"product_id":"woodford-reserve-masters-collection-select-american-oak-bourbon","title":"Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Select American Oak Bourbon","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWoodford Reserve Masters Collection Select American Oak — the 15th release in the Masters Collection: a Kentucky Straight Bourbon matured exclusively in barrels made from Ozark oak — one specific terroir-sourced American white oak rather than the standard mixture of northern, Appalachian, and Ozark oaks that Woodford Reserve normally blends into its barrel production — demonstrating how the geographic origin of the oak itself changes the character of the whiskey.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWoodford Reserve's standard barrels are made from a commingling of three American white oak sources — northern, Appalachian, and Ozark — each with different growing conditions, wood density, and grain structure. The Select American Oak expression isolates one of those sources: Ozark oak, grown in a faster climate than northern or Appalachian oak, which produces a wood with different cell structure, tighter grain, and a distinct interaction with the maturing spirit. Brown-Forman owns their cooperage, which allowed the distillery to track the trees from harvest through barrel construction to ensure no mixing with other oak sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe result is a bourbon that smells and tastes distinctly different from standard Woodford Reserve — less fruit-forward, more grain-forward and nutty, with the Ozark oak contributing a sweet, baked-goods aromatic character that the standard three-source blend doesn't produce in isolation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e Crisp, yeasty, and bready with soft oak, vanilla, milk chocolate, and marzipan; walnut, pecan, and autumn leaves bring the oak tannins forward; distinctly nutty and sweet with a baked goods character\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Soft nutty character and a hint of sweet tea with a deep note of peach and cocoa powder; caramel, vanilla, and toasted nuts; the Ozark oak produces a drier, more tannic structure than standard Woodford\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e Long and warm with wood spice; the oak character persists through a satisfying close\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 (#15)\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eOak:\u003c\/strong\u003e Exclusively Ozark-terroir sourced American white oak barrels\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eMash Bill:\u003c\/strong\u003e 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eABV:\u003c\/strong\u003e 45.2% (90.4 Proof)\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eRelease:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2018 (15th Masters Collection)\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 750ml\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrowse the full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/bourbon\"\u003ebourbon collection\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWhat is Ozark oak and how is it different?\u003c\/strong\u003e Ozark oak is American white oak grown in the Ozark region, where faster growth produces different wood density and grain structure than northern or Appalachian oak. Faster-growing trees produce wider grain rings and a different tannin and flavor compound profile than slower-growing northern oak.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWhy does the geographic origin of oak matter for bourbon?\u003c\/strong\u003e Different regions produce different growing conditions, which shape the wood's density, grain structure, and chemical composition. Standard Woodford blends three sources for consistency; Select American Oak isolates one source to demonstrate that oak terroir is as real a flavor variable as barrel char or entry proof.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eIs this significantly different from standard Woodford Reserve?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes — distinctly more grain-forward, nuttier, and drier than the standard expression. The Ozark oak dominates in a way that the blended barrel source doesn't, making this one of the more technically adventurous Masters Collection expressions.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is Ozark oak and how is it different?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Ozark oak is American white oak from the Ozark region, where faster growth produces different wood density and grain structure. Faster-growing trees produce wider grain rings and a different tannin and flavor compound profile than slower-growing northern oak.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why does the geographic origin of oak matter for bourbon?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Different regions shape wood density, grain structure, and chemical composition. Select American Oak isolates one source to demonstrate that oak terroir is a real flavor variable, like barrel char or entry proof.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is this significantly different from standard Woodford Reserve?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes — distinctly more grain-forward, nuttier, and drier than the standard expression. One of the more technically adventurous Masters Collection expressions.\"}}]}\u003c\/script\u003e","brand":"Woodford Reserve","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42904193433671,"sku":"Scott","price":499.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/0640\/2375\/files\/WoodfordReserveAmericanOak.jpg?v=1782422688","url":"https:\/\/bourbonnest.com\/products\/woodford-reserve-masters-collection-select-american-oak-bourbon","provider":"Bourbon Nest","version":"1.0","type":"link"}