Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby 147 Edition the 2021 annual commemorative bottle honoring the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby, featuring original artwork by Louisville artist Richard Sullivan: a stunning watercolor of thoroughbreds rounding the final turn at Churchill Downs.

Woodford Reserve has served as the Presenting Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby since 1999 and commissions a new original artwork for each year’s limited-edition commemorative bottle. The 2021 Derby was a return to nearly normal at Churchill Downs after the 2020 race ran without spectators due to the pandemic the 147th brought back the crowd, the hats, the mint juleps, and the full pageantry of Derby Day that had been absent the year prior.

Richard Sullivan is a Louisville artist with an unusual background: a former Atlanta Braves baseball player whose post-athletic career has produced some of Kentucky’s most beloved equine watercolors. His medium watercolor suits the movement and transparency of horses at speed, capturing the blur of the final turn in a way that oil or acrylic rarely matches.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Dried fruit, vanilla, caramel, and gentle spice
• Palate: Rich caramel, baking spice, chocolate, and oak with rounded fruit complexity from triple copper pot still distillation
• Finish: Medium-long with warm spice and caramel

Specs

• Distillery: Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, Kentucky
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
• ABV: 45.2% (90.4 Proof)
• Race: 147th Kentucky Derby, 2021
• Artist: Richard Sullivan (Louisville; former Atlanta Braves player)
• Medium: Watercolor
• Size: 1 Liter

Browse the full Woodford Reserve collection at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who is Richard Sullivan? A Louisville artist and former professional baseball player (Atlanta Braves) who became known for equine watercolors. His work appears on both the 2021 and 2020 Derby bottles.
• Why is the 2021 Derby bottle notable? The 147th Derby in 2021 was the first full-capacity Derby Day following the 2020 race, which ran without spectators due to the pandemic. The return of the crowd made it a particularly celebrated running.
• Is the whiskey the same as standard Woodford Reserve? Yes every Derby bottle is Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon at 90.4 proof in a 1-liter format.

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