Weller CYPB

Review by: Raygun

CYPB (Craft Your Perfect Bourbon) was first released in 2018 after collecting thousands of opinions about recipe, age, proof, and rickhouse location for aging. MSRP is around $50, but of course good luck finding it at anything close to that. I’ve had a few other Weller expressions, but first time trying this one. Probably the 2024 release, but I’m not sure. Reviewed from a bar pour. Rested about 10 minutes.

Distillery: Buffalo Trace  

Brand: Weller   

Region/style: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey

ABV: 47.5%  

Age: NAS but reputed to be around 8 years.        

Color: Too dark to tell. Natural color and probably chill-filtered.

Nose: Caramel with a nice cherry scent. A touch of cinnamon, but it’s not dominating like I found in OWA. Pie crust comes out with time.                       

Palate: Well..it’s nice. Not my perfect bourbon by any stretch. Drinks easily, and there’s some nice cherry and apple along with vanilla wafers. Mild spice, and the oak is pretty understated. Tastes good, but I find myself wanting a little more oomph.         

Finish: More vanilla and some cherry pie. No heat to speak of, but it’s also a little flabby. Caramel chews.         

Conclusion: Far from perfect. Let’s call it my adequate bourbon. Pleasant, but falls a little flat. I wouldn’t expect it to compete with WL Weller, but even the 12 I thought was better. This seems aimed at being easy to drink. Which it is, but I was hoping for more. Maybe an indication that crowdsourcing results in something accessible and not very challenging. On the bright side, I didn’t have to shell out $300+ for a bottle to find out it doesn’t do much for me.

Score: 77

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)

Published by Raygun

Unknown's avatar

I drank Scotch occasionally (mostly at family gatherings) for years, but started getting more interested after an introduction and tasting from a Scottish acquaintance. That led to buying my first bottle (Highland Park 12). Now 600+ spirits later, Scotch is still my first love, but I drink other whisky and dabble in brandy as well.

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