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Woodford Reserve vs Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Woodford Reserve and Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Woodford Reserve | Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90.4 proof (45.2% ABV) | 91.4 proof (45.7% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$35 – $42 ~$72 less | ~$90 – $130 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Limited |
- Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Woodford Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Woodford Reserve Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 6/8 sweetness: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 8 out of 10
spice 6/4 spice: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10
oak 6/8 oak: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 8 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Woodford Reserve 6 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: Woodford Reserve 3 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10
heat 4/4 heat: Woodford Reserve 4 out of 10, Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish: The standard Michter's bourbon given a second toasted barrel, which adds sweetness and wood to an already polished pour. Genuinely good, though the price has drifted well past what the liquid alone justifies.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Woodford Reserve if you want a polished, widely available crowd-pleaser that never puts a foot wrong at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish if you want the smoothest, most polished toasted-barrel pour here and price is not the deciding factor with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Woodford Reserve); neat (Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish).