William Larue Weller Bourbon (Fall 2018)

It smells rich and super woody. The palate is requisite with tons of wood mixed with that sweet alcohol richness, a bit of rye, coffee, some chocolate, apples, a little cherry, plenty of cinnamon, a dash of clove. It definitely has plenty of bitter to balance the sweet but without being overbearing. The finish is clean despite being a little bit bitter. This is an excellent whiskey, especially in the bourbon category, but it in no way justifies its price. This is that rate case where adding water brings out more flavor instead of revealing that it was depending on alcohol for all of its quality all along. The flavor includes some nice spice that is still under control and some hints of maple that do not overwhelm. It has a strong smokiness, but it is a nice quality. The flavors all balance well and some even stand out as being quite nice. This is a huge success that I will never buy at this price. The richness is exemplary, especially when combined with the sweetness. It reminds me of Blanton's a bit but also of Glenfarclas. This is a master class spirit. I still prefer Glenfarclas 25, but this is better than Blanton's by a sizable amount. This is less mineral in its flavor than the Wild Turkey 9 Festival Release is. In direct comparison, I'd say that the Weller wins for that reason. On their own, the Wild Turkey is delightful though. I can smell the maple and toffee in this (amidst the deep wood and smoke). The palate is rich with a beautifully balanced amount of spice. There is a bit of mineral and rye, but they are subdued. The caramel and maple show up in the beginning, but there absence on the finish isn't a problem. The spice is moderate in a perfectly balanced way. There is a good dose of vanilla, but not a tremendous amount of fruit. The fruit does shine through though. This is kind of toasty or perhaps roasted in a coffee way. There are some hints of apple and red fruit. Water enhances the flavor. This still falls a little shy of Glenfarclas 25, but it's just a little. This is a truly astounding bourbon. The flavor is definitely bitter due to the intense richness and smoke, but it's so tasty and has enough complexity that it's a delight to drink. At any level of water, this is still tasty, proving it's capability. The mineral and rye flavors that come out fit well even though they would normally be actively bad. With enough water added, the rye, mineral, and spice take over, making this a great but flawed drink; however, achieving excellence at all levels of water is way too much to ask. It isn't a perfect bourbon, but it's the closest I've encountered.

Nose: Caramel, maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla and a hint of mint. Palate: This wheated mash bill carries an extremely smooth, creamy, full bodied, rich palate that you can practically chew on. Hosting a balanced medley of vanilla wafers, caramel, dark chocolate, oak, brown sugar and cinnamon, it’s simply divine intervention that all these notes sing together in harmony and not one overcrowding the other. Finish: The finish is long, bold and full allowing the palate to loiter for days as it’s got no better place to go. Charred oak, caramel, maple syrup, heat, brown sugar and toffee lingering in the background waiting to be found. Overall: At 125.7 proof, this juice is as good as it gets and by far my favorite out of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. It’s truly a masterpiece in a beautiful bottle waiting to be discovered. Be careful, w it’s accompanying high heat one may be forced to say Dracarys...which can lead to its flavor profiles being overwhelmed, if so add a teaspoon of water and listen to it sing.

This is easily one of the most amazing whiskey I’ve ever tried. The nose is like golden delicious apples, creme caramel, vanilla ice cream, rich buttery notes, and a light wood spice, with hints of grassiness. The high proof is only barely noticeable. The palate starts out with mildly toasted sugars, honey roasted pecans, and a bit of apple, before exploding into toffee, vanilla, creme brûlée, some truly beautiful pastry notes, and a mild bit of fudge and apple. The mid palate to the finish shows a transition from the sweet dessert-filled notes on the front towards a mild and almost unreasonably delicious wood spice, trailing off into rich caramels, baked apples, and a warm Kentucky hug. I’ve never been so sad to see an empty glass. This was a bit steep at $70 USD for a pour, but truly amazing stuff.

Wow! At first I thought neck pour was too hot for my tastes. But after several weeks opened this is insane. Nose: big, rich and sweet. Carmel, maple vanilla and cherry. As big as it is (that’s what she said) you can bury your nose in the glass without much alcohol detected. Best I can recall Taste: you know who’s boss. Sweet maple Syrup that builds up to a decadent tart cherry. A massive, shape shifting beaut! This ebbs and flows through intensely wonderful flavors and a sensations. Finish: gulp that sip down...there’s the heat, but in a magically wonderful way. Spice and oak grip the tongue as long as you can manage. Sticks around for as long as you care to wait to take the next sip. Level 10 clinger. This one hangs around well after you thought possible Perfect

I was surprised that this whiskey had such a high proof, because I could discern more aromas than I normally could for such a high proof bourbon. french toast breakfast is the best way to characterize the nose. after my first taste, I was surprised at the butter that leapt out at my nose. taste is much like the smell. it finishes more savory with a little sweet - maybe bacon dipped in Maple syrup. interestingly, the empty glass smelled like Earl grey tea - black tea with oranges. very cool! at first, when I tasted and smelled this whiskey, I was underwhelmed. however, as I drank more, it began to grow on me. it's a cool microcosm of a brunch. it started at 3.75 to 4. by the end of my drink, I was up to 4.25-4.5. worth trying and savoring!

I have had every single offering in the Weller line except this one, until now...This was a sample given to me during a bottle trade. The nose has wheat toast, rich milk chocolate, dark cherries, cooked red apples, spicey oak, and old leather. Almost like a chocolate covered cherry (which is not my favorite thing to eat, but this nose is amazing!). The palate is sweet, thick and oily with a drying effect on the tongue. I get dark cherries, a little apple, caramel sweetness and some leather. The finish is long with tingling on the tip of the tongue and a little burn in the middle of the chest. Cherry-vanilla flavors linger on the tongue. Wow, very good and well balanced. This is my first WLW and I’m happy to say that I am a fan!