WOODFORD RESERVE ELEVATES HOLIDAY SEASON 

Designed by Markarian’s Alexandra O’Neill

Woodford Reserve is dressing up the backbar for the holidays with its 2025 Holiday Bottle—this year featuring artwork by fashion designer Alexandra O’Neill, founder of luxury label Markarian. It’s the first time Woodford has tapped a fashion designer for the annual release, and the result is festive without being loud—very “gift-ready” for the season.

The label leans into Markarian’s vintage-meets-modern aesthetic: a muted sage backdrop, a delicate garland stripe of winter berries, and alternating stars—with subtle candy-stripe nods to classic holiday nostalgia. It’s meant to feel celebratory but understated, which makes sense if you’re building a holiday display that doesn’t scream.

“This elegant bottle will immediately elevate any holiday party,” said Elizabeth McCall, Woodford Reserve Master Distiller.

O’Neill’s direction was clear: make the bottle feel like a beautifully wrapped present. A visit to the Versailles, KY distillery helped set the palette—evergreens, amber bourbon tones, and historic brick all feeding into the design language.

“For this holiday label, I wanted the bottle to feel like a beautifully wrapped gift—precious and celebratory,” said Alexandra O’Neill. “Visiting the distillery brought the vision to life, with the evergreens, amber tones of the bourbon, and historic buildings inspiring the color story and design details.”

The holiday bottle is a 1-liter—nice for service and for guests who want to take one home. MSRP is $49.99, available across the U.S. and select global markets. Direct shipping is also live at shop.woodfordreserve.com to states where it’s legal (KY, NH, ND, NE, and D.C.).

If you run a bar, this is an easy seasonal add: it pours like Woodford (no change to the whiskey), looks premium on the shelf, and photographs well for your December posts. Consider it a low-lift way to signal “holiday” without reprinting your whole menu.