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Our hot summers and cold winters in Kentucky draw our whiskey in and out of the layers of char and wood, mellowing our Bourbon and developing its distinctive
aroma, flavor and rich amber color. The bad news about this process is that we'll lose 3-5% of a barrel's content annually due to evaporation. When you enter our warehouse the next aroma you'll notice is the evaporated product hanging in
the rafters of the warehouse. We call this "the angel's share." As the volume goes down due to the loss of water via evaporation, the new whiskey that went into the barrel at 110 proof will come out some years later around 120-125
proof.
At Labrot & Graham we pay no attention to the calendar. Every barrel matures differently - some faster than others. It is up to our master distiller to
tell us when it reaches its peak of perfection and is ready to be bottled. The master distiller uses no scientific instruments to make his decision. He uses his senses and his years of experience. If the color is rich, the aroma as
expected, and the flavor superb, a barrel is deemed worthy to become Woodford Reserve. Then and only then is it bottled.
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