Woodford Reserve 2021 Kentucky Derby 147

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.