Woodford Reserve Celebrates 30 Years With a Triple Pot Still Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Woodford Reserve officially turns 30 in 2026, and the distillery is marking the milestone with a release that goes directly back to one of the production methods that helped distinguish the brand from the beginning.
The Woodford Reserve Distillery Series: Triple Pot Still is a limited-edition Kentucky bourbon made entirely from whiskey distilled through Woodford Reserve’s three copper pot stills.
Even better for bourbon drinkers, the release carries the Bottled in Bond designation.
Woodford Reserve introduced the brand in October 1996. Thirty years later, this anniversary bourbon is less about creating something completely new and more about putting one of Woodford’s most recognizable production techniques front and center.
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Woodford Reserve Triple Pot Still Bourbon at a Glance
Here are the key details:
- Name: Woodford Reserve Distillery Series: Triple Pot Still
- Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Designation: Bottled in Bond
- Proof: 100 proof
- ABV: 50%
- Bottle Size: 375ml
- Release: October 7, 2026
- Suggested Price: $64.99
- Distillation: Whiskey distilled through Woodford Reserve’s three copper pot stills
- Availability: Limited release beginning at the Woodford Reserve Distillery
For collectors and Woodford fans, the production method is the part that deserves the most attention.
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What Makes Woodford Reserve Triple Pot Still Different?
Copper pot stills are one of the defining sights inside Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky.
For this release, Woodford says 100% of the whiskey was distilled at Woodford Reserve through its three copper pot stills.
That gives the anniversary release a direct connection to the production process Woodford Reserve established when the brand launched in 1996.
Most American bourbon distillation is closely associated with continuous column stills. Pot still distillation operates in batches and gives distillers another way to control the character and concentration of the spirit.
Woodford Reserve has made its copper pot stills part of its identity for decades. The 30th Anniversary release puts that process at the center of the bottle rather than treating it as simply part of the larger Woodford story.
That makes Triple Pot Still particularly interesting for longtime Woodford drinkers who want to explore the distillery’s production style in a more focused way.
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It’s Also Bottled in Bond
The Bottled in Bond designation adds another layer to this release.
Under federal Bottled-in-Bond requirements, bourbon must come from a single distiller during a single distillation season, mature for at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and be bottled at exactly 100 proof.
For bourbon enthusiasts, Bottled in Bond has become shorthand for a release with clearly defined production standards.
Combining that designation with Woodford Reserve’s triple pot still process makes this a considerably more interesting anniversary bottle than simply putting commemorative packaging around standard Woodford Reserve.
This release actually tells a production story.
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Why the 30th Anniversary Matters
Woodford Reserve arrived in October 1996, but the distillery property itself reaches much further into Kentucky whiskey history.
The historic site in Woodford County dates its distilling roots back to the early 1800s and today operates as one of the most recognizable destinations on the Kentucky bourbon landscape.
Over the last 30 years, Woodford Reserve has expanded far beyond its flagship bourbon.
The portfolio now includes bottles such as:
- Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
- Woodford Reserve Rye
- Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey
- Woodford Reserve Malt Whiskey
- Master’s Collection releases
- Distillery Series releases
- Batch Proof
- Double Double Oaked
The experimental side of Woodford has become increasingly important to bourbon enthusiasts, especially through the Master’s Collection and smaller Distillery Series releases.
Triple Pot Still fits naturally into that lineup while simultaneously reaching back to the brand’s beginnings.
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There’s a Second Woodford Reserve 30th Anniversary Release
Triple Pot Still is not the only bottle Woodford Reserve created for its 30th anniversary.
The distillery is also releasing a Limited-Edition Personal Selection and Ceramic Decanterbeginning October 16.
The commemorative ceramic decanter was created by Louisville Stoneware and contains a Double Oaked Single Barrel selected by Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall.
That bottle leans heavily toward the collectible side of the anniversary celebration.
Triple Pot Still, on the other hand, may be the more interesting bottle for whiskey enthusiasts focused on what is actually happening inside the bottle.
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What Should Triple Pot Still Taste Like?
We have not tasted the Woodford Reserve Triple Pot Still release yet, so we’re not going to manufacture tasting notes for a bottle we haven’t poured.
The production details, however, make this one worth watching.
At 100 proof and with the whiskey centered entirely around Woodford Reserve’s triple pot still distillation, it should provide an interesting opportunity to explore how that production method presents itself without simply judging it against the standard 90.4-proof Woodford Reserve Bourbon.
Once we get the bottle open, the important question will be whether the difference in production translates into a noticeably different experience in the glass.
That is where this release will ultimately earn its reputation.
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Is Woodford Reserve Triple Pot Still Worth Buying?
At $64.99 for a 375ml bottle, this is not an inexpensive bourbon when viewed strictly on a price-per-ounce basis.
But this also is not positioned as another everyday bottle of Woodford Reserve.
You are getting:
- A limited 30th Anniversary release
- Triple pot still distillation
- Bottled-in-Bond specifications
- 100 proof
- A release tied directly to Woodford Reserve’s production history
For dedicated Woodford Reserve collectors, this is an obvious bottle to watch.
For bourbon drinkers who care more about what is happening inside the bottle than the anniversary label, the combination of triple pot still distillation and Bottled in Bond may be enough to make it interesting on its own.
Whether it is worth chasing above its $64.99 suggested price is another question entirely.
At MSRP, though, this is one of Woodford Reserve’s more intriguing limited releases of 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Woodford Reserve 30th Anniversary Bourbon?
Woodford Reserve is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the limited-edition Distillery Series Triple Pot Still, a Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky bourbon made entirely from whiskey distilled through the distillery’s three copper pot stills.
What proof is Woodford Reserve Triple Pot Still?
Woodford Reserve Triple Pot Still Bottled in Bond is bottled at 100 proof, or 50% ABV.
How much does Woodford Reserve Triple Pot Still cost?
The suggested price for the 30th Anniversary Triple Pot Still release is $64.99.
When was Woodford Reserve founded?
The Woodford Reserve brand was introduced in October 1996, making 2026 its 30th anniversary.
Is Woodford Reserve Triple Pot Still limited?
Yes. Triple Pot Still is part of Woodford Reserve’s limited Distillery Series and was released as part of the brand’s 30th Anniversary celebration.
Is the 30th Anniversary bottle the only Woodford anniversary release?
No. Woodford Reserve is also releasing a limited ceramic decanter from Louisville Stoneware containing a Double Oaked Single Barrel selected by Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall.
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The Bottom Line
Woodford Reserve could have celebrated 30 years with nothing more than a commemorative label.
Instead, the distillery reached back to one of the production methods that has helped define Woodford Reserve since the beginning.
A 100-proof Bottled-in-Bond bourbon distilled entirely through Woodford Reserve’s three copper pot stills gives bourbon drinkers something meaningful to explore beyond the anniversary packaging.
Now we just need to get it into a glass.
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