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David Nicholson 1843 vs Woodford Reserve
David Nicholson 1843 and Woodford Reserve sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, wheat-forward bottling versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | David Nicholson 1843 | Woodford Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $35 ~$9 less | ~$35 – $42 |
- David Nicholson 1843 does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
David Nicholson 1843
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Woodford Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
David Nicholson 1843 Woodford Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 3/6 spice: David Nicholson 1843 3 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
oak 4/6 oak: David Nicholson 1843 4 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: David Nicholson 1843 4 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: David Nicholson 1843 7 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: David Nicholson 1843 5 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 4 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: David Nicholson 1843 3 out of 10, Woodford Reserve 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- David Nicholson 1843: A long-running wheated label at 100 proof. Smooth vanilla and caramel with a soft, bready body and a touch more spice than you would expect from a wheater.
- Woodford Reserve: The most widely poured premium bourbon in America, and a genuinely well-made one. Dried fruit and cocoa over a balanced 18% rye mash, finished smooth enough to please almost anyone.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with David Nicholson 1843 if you want a smooth, 100-proof wheater with a long history at a slightly lower price point.
- Go with Woodford Reserve if you want a polished, widely available crowd-pleaser that never puts a foot wrong.
Best enjoyed rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (David Nicholson 1843); neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Woodford Reserve).