Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked 700ML

Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked 700ML is a Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 45.2% ABV, defined by an extended finishing period in heavily toasted, lightly charred new oak barrels. This limited annual release from the Woodford Reserve Distillery pushes the oak-driven character of the standard Double Oaked expression further, delivering a bourbon of exceptional depth and concentration.

Quick Facts: ABV: 45.2% (90.4 proof)  |  Origin: Woodford County, Kentucky, USA  |  Extended Double-Barreled Finish  |  Distillery: Woodford Reserve Distillery

Production & Heritage

The Woodford Reserve Distillery, located in Versailles, Kentucky, and owned by Brown-Forman, operates on one of the oldest distilling sites in the state. Double Double Oaked begins life as fully matured Woodford Reserve Double Oaked — itself a bourbon that has already been aged in a second new charred oak barrel. That finished Double Oaked liquid then enters a third barrel: a heavily toasted, lightly charred new American oak cask, where it rests for approximately two years — roughly double the time the standard Double Oaked spends in its secondary barrel. The mashbill across the entire process remains 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. The result is a bourbon that has drawn flavor from three separate new oak barrels, concentrating wood sugars, tannins, and caramelized compounds to a degree rarely seen in the category.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Rich maple syrup and dark butterscotch open the nose, followed by brittle caramel and bittersweet chocolate. Burnt marshmallow and sweet hickory smoke linger beneath, giving it a campfire quality that signals the extended wood contact.

Taste: The entry is lush with dried cherry and cranberry fruit, transitioning into dense blackberry jam at mid-palate. Hints of ripe apple bring a welcome brightness before chai tea and warming clove spice develop across the tongue. Cooked corn and rye grain peek through alongside touches of cinnamon, grounding the sweetness.

Finish: Long, tannic, and layered, with marked astringency that keeps the profile from tipping into pure dessert territory. Dark chocolate and smoldering wood smoke carry through, rewarding patience between sips.

How to Drink Double Double Oaked

Neat in a Glencairn is the natural starting point — a few drops of water can open up the fruit notes and soften the oak tannins for those who find the finish gripping. On a single large ice cube, the bourbon cools into a rounder, more dessert-forward sipper. In cocktails, this expression brings serious wood character:

• Old Fashioned — the concentrated caramel and dark fruit stand up to bitters without losing definition.
• Manhattan — the heavy oak backbone pairs naturally with sweet vermouth, creating a richer, more structured version of the classic.
• Boulevardier — the bourbon's inherent sweetness and tannic grip balance the bitterness of Campari effectively.

Best For

• Bourbon enthusiasts exploring how extended wood contact shapes flavor
• Gifting a whiskey collector who values limited annual releases
• Side-by-side tastings comparing standard, Double Oaked, and Double Double Oaked expressions
• After-dinner sipping as an alternative to dessert

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Double Double Oaked taste like? It delivers rich dried cherry and blackberry jam alongside dark butterscotch and bittersweet chocolate, with warming chai spice and a long, tannic, smoke-tinged finish. The extended oak contact creates a bourbon that is intensely wood-driven yet balanced by concentrated fruit sweetness.

How does Double Double Oaked compare to Old Forester 1910? Both are double-barreled Kentucky bourbons from Brown-Forman bottled near 45% ABV, but Double Double Oaked undergoes a significantly longer secondary maturation — approximately two years versus Old Forester 1910's second barreling. This gives Double Double Oaked a denser, more tannic profile with heavier wood influence, while 1910 tends toward a lighter, more chocolate-forward character.

Is Double Double Oaked good for sipping neat? Yes — neat is arguably the ideal serve for this bourbon, as sipping it slowly reveals layered aromas and a complex progression from dark fruit through baking spice to smoky oak. A few drops of water can help tame the tannic grip if desired.

Where is Double Double Oaked made? It is produced at the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Woodford County, Kentucky, one of the oldest distilling sites in the state. The distillery is owned and operated by Brown-Forman.

What foods pair well with Double Double Oaked? Dark chocolate truffles complement its bittersweet cocoa notes. Smoked brisket mirrors the hickory smoke on the nose. Pecan pie echoes its caramel and toasted nut qualities. Aged cheddar provides a savory counterpoint to the bourbon's sweetness. Crème brûlée matches the brittle caramel and vanilla tones from extensive oak aging.

What sizes does Double Double Oaked come in? The standard release is a 700ml bottle, which is the primary format available in most markets.

Is Double Double Oaked worth the price? Double Double Oaked positions as a premium, limited annual release within the Woodford Reserve range, sitting above both the flagship bourbon and the standard Double Oaked in complexity and price. For drinkers who appreciate heavily oak-influenced bourbon with layered depth, it represents a meaningful step up from the already well-regarded Double Oaked expression.

Why Double Double Oaked?

The defining feature here is patience. Where the standard Double Oaked spends roughly one year in its secondary barrel, Double Double Oaked doubles that finishing time, drawing deeper into the toasted wood to extract concentrated maple, caramel, and chocolate compounds. That extended contact also introduces a tannic backbone uncommon in bourbons at this proof, giving the whiskey genuine structure rather than one-dimensional sweetness. Released in limited quantities each year, it occupies a niche for drinkers who want to understand what extended oak maturation can achieve without stepping into barrel-proof territory. Among widely available finished bourbons, few push the oak envelope this far while maintaining drinkability.