Woodford Reserve Master's Collection 1838 Style White Corn Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Woodford Reserve Masters Collection 1838 Style White Corn — the 10th release in the Masters Collection: a Kentucky Straight Bourbon that replaces yellow corn with white corn in the mash bill, replicating the grain bill used by distillery founders Oscar Pepper and Master Distiller James Crow when they were producing whiskey on the Woodford Reserve site in the 1830s, 1840s, and 1850s.

The Woodford Reserve Distillery occupies a site where bourbon has been made since 1812. Oscar Pepper and James Crow — whose technical innovations in sour mash fermentation and barrel aging helped shape the modern bourbon industry — distilled here from the 1830s through the 1850s. Historical production records show they used white corn rather than the yellow corn that has become standard in modern bourbon production.

White corn and yellow corn are botanically similar but produce different results in distillation. White corn has less of the yellow corn's starchy sweetness and produces a lighter, more fruit-forward distillate with a sharper grain character. The 1838 Style White Corn applies Woodford's standard 18% rye, 10% malted barley framework to white corn rather than yellow — every other production variable the same — to demonstrate how this single grain choice changes the bourbon's fundamental character.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Soft and nutty with a malty grain note sweetened with apple fruit, hints of spun sugar, cooked sugar, and vanilla; glimpses of cedar and clove spiciness through a delicate veil of oak smoke; lighter in color and body than standard Woodford
• Palate: Shortbread and a subtly cool lemon custard note, lightly spiced and dried with a dash of white pepper; the white corn produces a sharper, lighter-bodied bourbon with a softer, sweeter, more fruit-forward profile than yellow corn
• Finish: Pepper and orchard fruit with a dry, relatively quick close; distinctly different from the caramel-forward finish of standard Woodford

Specs

• Distillery: Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, Kentucky (est. 1812 site)
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Masters Collection (#10)
• Grain: White corn (replacing standard yellow corn), rye, malted barley
• Distillation: Triple copper pot still
• ABV: 45.2% (90.4 Proof)
• Release: 2015 (10th Masters Collection)
• Size: 750ml

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Who were Oscar Pepper and James Crow? Oscar Pepper was the early 19th-century owner of the distillery that now operates as Woodford Reserve. James Crow was his Master Distiller — credited with refining the sour mash process and pioneering the use of scientific analysis in bourbon production. Their techniques became foundations of the modern bourbon industry.
• What difference does white corn make vs. yellow corn? White corn has less of the natural sweetness of yellow corn and produces a lighter, more fruit-forward, less caramel-heavy distillate. The resulting bourbon is lighter in body, sharper in grain character, and more citrus and fruit-forward than standard yellow corn bourbon.
• Is this significantly different from standard Woodford Reserve? Yes — immediately recognizable as different. The lighter body, fruit-forward profile, and drier finish distinguish it from the caramel-and-vanilla-led standard expression.