Today I do another side-by-side comparison using the Woodford Reserve Rye. The Woodford Reserve brand is part of the Brown Forman portfolio with Jack Daniel’s, GlenDronach and Benriach whisky.
There is not a rye whisky in the Brown Forman’s Scottish whisky portfolio (not yet anyway), but last year, I tried the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Rye whiskey, which makes for a great comparison; Woodford Reserve Rye vs Jack Daniel’s Rye whiskey.
There are two significant differences between these releases. The mash bill between them is very different, and the Lincoln country process that is only part of Jack Daniel’s production.
The mash bill for the Woodford Reserve and the Jack Daniel’s differ considerably when you compare the percentage of rye that make up the mash bill. The Jack Daniel’s is rye heavy with 70% rye compared to the 54% of the Woodford Reserve whiskey.
The other difference is the maple charcoal filtration that characterises Tennessee whiskey and Jack Daniel’s. The Lincoln Country process is the process of filtering new make distillate through sugar maple charcoal.
The charcoal filtration allows some other flavours imparted by fermentation to shine through. The process doesn’t add flavours or sweetness to the spirit itself.
So let’s get to the two glasses in front of me.
Jack Daniel’s Rye Whiskey
The Jack Daniel’s Rye whiskey was released in September 2017 as a new addition to the standard Jack Daniel’s lineup. This Tennessee Straight rye is produced using a mash bill of 70% rye, 18% corn, 12% malted barley.
It follows the same Lincoln County Process that makes Tennessee whiskey unique. It is a NAS release. Like other rye whiskey bottles, the labelling is green in the familiar Jack Daniel’s square bottle shape.
Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey
The Woodford Reserve Rye whiskey was launched in 2015 as the third permanent addition to the brand’s core range. Woodford Reserve Rye uses a pre-prohibition style rye ratio to pay homage to history’s original rye whiskeys.
The Woodford Reserve Rye mash bill is 53% rye, 33% corn, and 14% malt. It is a NAS release. The Woodford Reserve Rye bottle shape is similar to the Woodford Reserve bourbon, just with green labelling.
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Woodford Reserve Rye vs Jack Daniel’s Rye whiskey
| Jack Daniel's Rye | Woodford Reserve Rye | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Tennessee Rye whiskey | Rye whiskey |
| ABV | 45% | 45.2% |
| Mashbill | 70% rye, 18% corn, 12% malted barley | 53% rye, 33% corn, and 14% malt |
| Colour | Light amber | Polished copper |
| Nose | Tropical banana, hints of dark chocolate and toasted oak. Cinnamon and sweetness. | Caramel sweetness, fresh green orchid fruit, cereal and toasted wood. The traditional rye spice notes with hints of black pepper. |
| Palate | Freshly baked banana bread sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Drying cinnamon and nutmeg with hints of chocolate sweetness. Bits of oily wood and vanilla. | Rye spices mixed with fresh fruit, green grass and black pepper. Bits of honey and bourbon vanilla with a butterscotch note. Toasted oak, green herbs with bits of orange. Medium body that is soft and oily. |
| Finish | Black pepper, spicy cinnamon and oak spices. | Medium length with oaky notes, pepper and caramel sweetness. Something green in the background. |
| My Rating | Excellent | Excellent |
| Price point | $35 | $40 |
This has probably been one of my favourite comparisons. I like both these rye’s, and to make sure we don’t get influenced by our preconceived ideas, we did a blind comparison.
However, because of the tropical notes that I associate with Jack Daniel’s Rye, it was relatively easy to pick it out from the two. The Jack Daniel’s is sweeter than the Woodford Reserve, but the rye notes were bolder. The Jack Daniel’s Rye has notes of dark chocolate, freshly baked banana bread, cinnamon and nutmeg.
The Woodford Reserve is not the boldest rye but has a great balance between the rye spice and sweet fruity notes. The rye notes were more green herby when compared to the Jack Daniel’s. The Woodford Reserve Rye brings notes of caramel, fresh green orchid fruits, green grass, toasted oak and pepper.
Choosing a favourite will be difficult. Both are in the affordable price range, and both are readily available. The Jack Daniel’s Rye retail for around £28 on Amazon and the Woodford Reserve Rye for about £38.
You might enjoy Jack Daniel’s Rye more if you like a sweeter dram with bold rye notes. Suppose you are looking for an easy-drinking rye whiskey with a softer spicy-sweet balance, then the Woodford Reserve Rye will be perfect.
Choosing a favourite is difficult. Both my bottles were finished quite quickly and have been replaced. I have a soft spot for the tropical and chocolate notes in the Jack Daniel’s and that will probably make me choose it ahead of the Woodford Reserve.
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