Review by: Raygun

Started dipping my toes into bourbon a few years ago. I naively thought it might be a cheaper alternative to Scotch. While it can be, I soon found that most of the ones I liked got progressively more expensive and hard or impossible to find. So that idea didn’t quite work out, and I still drink a lot more Scotch. But I’ve finally reached 100 reviews of American whiskey, and got hold of a sample of this for the occasion. Had George T. Stagg twice and Thomas H. Handy once. Never got to try daddy Weller before now, though I have had the 12 and OW107. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 10 minutes.

Distillery: Buffalo Trace

Brand: William Larue Weller

Region/style: Kentucky straight wheated bourbon

ABV: 62.35%. 

Age: 12 years. Distilled in 2010, released in fall 2022.   

Cask type: New charred oak

Color: 1.6, mahogany. Natural color.

Price: MSRP is around $100, but let’s be real; almost no one’s getting it for that. 

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Nose: Caramel, cherries, and wood shop. There’s a slight herbal quality as well, like thyme. Molasses and vanilla. 

Palate: Beautiful. Cola, cherry cobbler with cinnamon ice cream, toffee, and of course oak. Vanilla. There’s another fruit flavor, like dried figs. Powerful, but also refined. 

Finish: Cherry cola, or maybe more like a Coke float with cherry vanilla ice cream. Dusting of cinnamon. Reminiscent of Mexican chocolate. Long.   

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Conclusion: Great stuff. It’s not that there’s such a range of flavors; my notes don’t need to go on that long. It all fits together so well, the flavors integrating harmoniously. Cinnamon is one note that can easily be excessive (see OW 107). Here, it’s a great complement rather than taking over. Big fan of cherry in bourbon, and this brings it. Not too hot, though I found some water helped bring out the flavors. Delicious.   

Buy a bottle? At something close to MSRP, absolutely. At $1800, no way. 

Score: 92

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Stagg Jr batch 12)
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (new))
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Pikesville Rye)
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Wild Turkey 101)
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Maker’s Mark)
• 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Grandad 114)
• 0-49: Blech. (High West Yippee-ki-yay)