What is the world’s finest bourbon whiskey? Woodford Reserve lays claim to that title. But what accolades do they have to back it up? Let’s dig into their trophy cabinet.
For decades, from San Francisco to New York and LA, their bourbon has collected gold and silver medals at prestigious spirits competitions. The coveted Liquid Gold Award from Jim Murray's Whisky Bible? Check—with an impressive 96 points. Ultimate Spirits Challenge gold medals in back-to-back years? They got those too. If your curiosity has been piqued, you’re not alone. You can procure a bottle for yourself to judge here.
Now, that legendary bourbon is put to work in Woodford Reserve's annual The Wonderful Race, in honour of Old Fashioned Month in November. In what seems like a creative battlefield for bartenders, the challengers are required to reinvent the classic Old Fashioned using the brand's bourbon.
The Singapore leg of the competition occurred 3 November at Side Door. Ten bartenders, from bars like Stay Gold Flamingo and Night Hawk, showcased their artistry and innovation to judges for their claim for the title of national champion. And who emerged victorious? It's Kelvin Saquilayan from Republic Bar.
Saquilayan chose "Umami Wildwood" as his theme. Infusing Hojicha tea leaves into a bitter reduction before mixing it with Woodford Reserve Rye, Saquilayan paired it with a slice of beetroot coated in maple syrup with shaved roasted pines.
Colton Payne, the Asia marketing director at Brown-Forman said that this year's finalists have met the bar raised in last year's race. "The level of creativity was beyond our wildest imagination, and we had a hard time picking a champion. Every finalist brought something unique to the table. Ultimately, it was Kelvin's ingenuity of exploring the boundaries yet being able to stay rooted to the core elements of Old Fashioned that clinched the title."
Not only do Saquilayan get bragging rights, he will fly down to the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Kentucky and have a chance to guest shift in the region.
