Top-shelf liquor (or "premium liquor") is a term used in marketing to describe higher-priced alcoholic beverages, typically stored on the top shelves within bars. This contrasts to a "rail" or well drink , which are lower cost beverages typically stored on the lower shelves of the bartender's rack.
14-666: Woodford Reserve is a brand of premium small batch Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced in Woodford County, Kentucky , by the Brown-Forman Corporation . It is made from a mixture of copper pot still spirits produced at the company's Woodford Reserve Distillery, and column still spirits from the Brown Forman Distillery in Shively, Kentucky . Each 45.2% alcohol by volume (90.4 US Proof ) bottle bears
28-690: A Kentucky-only Distillery Series, and a special commemorative bottle it releases annually in conjunction with its official sponsorship of the Kentucky Derby . Up until 2023, the Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve was Chris Morris (a position he held from 2003) and the Assistant Master Distiller was Elizabeth McCall. In 2023, Elizabeth McCall was named Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve with Chris Morris to serve as Master Distiller Emeritus. McCall had been with Brown-Forman since 2009, and
42-636: A judge with the National Labor Relations Board found that Woodford Reserve had engaged in unfair labor practices in violation of the National Labor Relations Act by timing changes in merit pay and vacation policies, as well as handing out bottles of whiskey to workers, in order to influence the outcome of a unionization vote at its distillery in Versailles, Kentucky. Top-shelf liquor The Distilled Spirits Council of
56-518: A mass-produced spirit with an excessively high marketing budget." Some scientific studies have indicated that one's decision to purchase alcohol perceived as premium is not tied to quality at all, but rather a driven subconscious pursuit of status , complex social factors and desire to conform . National Labor Relations Board Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include
70-559: A unique batch and bottle number. The brand was introduced in 1996. Domestic sales of Woodford Reserve surpassed one million cases in 2021. The Woodford Reserve Distillery, formerly known as the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery and later the Labrot & Graham Distillery , is approximately eight miles from the town of Versailles in north-central Kentucky, off U.S. Route 60 between Interstate 64 and Versailles. Distilling began on
84-617: The Reserve scores of between 90 and 91 and Wine Enthusiast awarded it a 90–95 point rating. Spirits ratings aggregator proof66.com, which averages scores from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Wine Enthusiast , the Beverage Testing Institute, and others, had Woodford Reserve ranked in its highest ("Tier 1") scoring category until 2016, and subsequently had it ranked as "Tier 2." In April 2024,
98-523: The United States (DISCUS) divides all spirit categories into four segments: standard, premium, high-end premium, and super premium, with each of the latter three categories often colloquially described under the umbrella of "top shelf". The categories of premium and super-premium beverage describe top-shelf liquors which may possess additional special attributes, including, but not limited to: brand , batch size, rarity, aging, craftsmanship, revenue for
112-528: The bourbon industry. Originally established by Elijah Pepper, the distillery was passed on to his son and known as the Oscar Pepper Distillery when James C. Crow worked there in the mid-19th century. During this time Crow undertook a series of activities that improved and codified the understanding and quality of key bourbon-making processes such as sour mash fermentation, pot still distillation and barrel maturation. After Oscar Pepper died in 1867
126-497: The distillery was passed to his son James E. Pepper . The Pepper family sold the property to Leopold Labrot and James Graham in 1878, who owned and operated it (except during Prohibition ) until it was sold to the Brown-Forman Corporation in 1941. Brown-Forman operated it until the late 1960s, then sold the property and its accompanying acreage to a local farmer. Brown-Forman re-purchased the property in 1993, refurbished it, and brought it back into operation. The Woodford Reserve brand
140-479: The manufacturer, and marketing budget. Research by GlobalData forecasts the market share of the premium/super-premium segment to grow by 13% in 2024, with 40% of global liquor consumers already consuming the category. The trend of certain drinks being labeled "top-shelf" or "premium" and being demanded by consumers based on this status is described as "premiumization." Increased demand from consumers based on perceived "premium" status has been measured to be on
154-401: The rise since 2020. Premium labeling, however, is often a topic of debate among consumers and critics. Some use the term premium as a measure of quality, describing liquors made with "natural ingredients and more careful distilling and aging processes" To others industry insiders, the term has been described as "meaningless" with those who purchase premium liquors "really just paying for
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#1732869058750168-519: The site of the current day distillery in 1812. Although the site has not been continuously operational as a distillery since, the main structure, built in 1838, stands as one of the oldest distilleries in Kentucky. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places , and is designated as a National Historic Landmark for its well-preserved distillery architecture and its role in the development of
182-446: Was introduced to the market in 1996. The distillery was renamed Woodford Reserve Distillery in 2004. The distillery produces: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, Woodford Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey, Woodford Reserve Straight Malt Whiskey, and Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey. It also distills some limited edition releases, including Woodford Reserve Master's Collection, Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Batch Proof,
196-646: Was previously the Woodford Reserve Assistant Master Distiller. International Spirit ratings organizations and liquor review bodies have generally given Woodford Reserve solid scores. At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition , Woodford Reserve's best performances have been in 2005 and 2013, winning a double gold medal each time. It has also won gold (2006–2007, 2011–2012) and silver (2008, 2010) medals at this annual event. The Beverage Testing Institute has given
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