Two rare, experimental Brown-Forman unicorn bottles go head-to-head!
Join Wayne and Rebecca on Your Bourbon Journey as we crack open two elusive, limited-edition distillery releases picked up during our Bourbon Festival trip to Cox’s Evergreen Liquors in Bardstown, Kentucky:
🥃 Woodford Reserve Distillery Series: Red Corn (90.4 Proof / 45.2% ABV) Part of Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall’s experimental Distillery Series, this unique expression swaps traditional yellow dent corn for locally sourced heirloom red corn. Does this heirloom grain bring sweet vanilla ice cream, baking cinnamon, and dry savory funk—or does Wayne find his signature Brown-Forman banana note?
🥃 Old Forester The 117 Series: Triple Char (115 Proof / 57.5% ABV) An absolute historic milestone pour! This is the first-ever release distilled 100% on Main Street at the restored downtown Louisville distillery (DSP-KY-354). Aged in custom barrels given triple the standard char time, this high-proof pour packs heavy char, rich dark baking chocolate, allspice, and clove.
Which limited release takes the crown, and are these 375ml bottles worth adding to your home bar shelf? Grab a glass, pour along, and let’s dive in!
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💬 Drop a comment below: Have you hunted down the Woodford Red Corn or the 117 Series Triple Char? Which experimental direction do you prefer: heirloom grains or extreme barrel char?
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Woodford Reserve Distillery Series: Red Corn
- Part of Woodford Reserve’s experimental Distillery Series. The expression showcases rare, locally sourced heirloom red corn, which delivers a distinctly sweeter, creamier grain profile compared to standard expressions.
- Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Company: Brown-Forman
- Distillery: Woodford Reserve Distillery (Versailles, KY)
- Mash Bill: Proprietary recipe replacing standard yellow dent corn with heirloom red corn (alongside Woodford’s traditional rye and malted barley base)
- Age: NAS (No Age Statement)
- Proof: 90.4 (45.2% ABV)
- Released: May 2026 (375 ml)
- Purchased: September 10, 2026 for $64.99 (SRP) at Cox’s Evergreen Liquors in Bardstown, KY
Old Forester The 117 Series: Triple Char
- Historic milestone bottle for Old Forester—it is the very first release distilled entirely at the restored downtown Main Street distillery in Louisville. The whiskey was aged in custom barrels subjected to three times the char time of Old Forester’s standard specification.
- Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
- Company: Brown-Forman
- Distillery: Old Forester Distillery (Louisville, KY / DSP-KY-354)
- Mash Bill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley (Standard Old Forester mash bill)
- Age: NAS (No Age Statement; aged at least 4 years per straight bourbon standards)
- Proof: 115 (57.5% ABV)
- Released: July 2026 (375 ml)
- Purchased: September 10, 2026 for $69.99 ($64.99 SRP) at Cox’s Evergreen Liquors in Bardstown, KY
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NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.
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