William Larue Weller Review

A small bottle of William Larue Weller
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The main man William Larue Weller is legendary amongst bourbon aficionados as his name adorns what is often rated as the pinnacle of the much-lauded Buffalo Trace Antique collection. Weller was one of the first to start using wheat in his bourbon making process instead of rye which gives this a different kind of sweetness that many love.

I have tried several different years of the William Larue Weller and can safely say it has always blown me away and therefore it is amongst my very favorites though I have yet to own a full bottle.

It’s a really delicious whiskey, I already tried the 2017 version in a bar and loved it so I saved this untill last out of the five reviews I have done for the BTAC collection after the Sazerac 18, Thomas H. Handy, Eagle Rare 17 and George T. Stagg.

Did it live up to expectation… well of course it di…. No – you’ll have to read on to find out! Here is my review of the William Larue Weller:

About the Distillery

Back in the days of the Wild West, when pioneers and explorers opened new frontiers, some followed an old buffalo trail that led them to the Kentucky River’s banks. The town of Frankfort was born, the home of the Buffalo Trace Distillery, and destined to become Kentucky’s capital city.

Claiming to be the oldest operating distillery in the U.S., a fact attested to by the Guinness Book of Records, Buffalo Trace is still a family-owned business. The original distillery was built in 1812. In 1886, they installed America’s first climate-controlled warehouse dedicated to the aging of whisky.

The original distillery building was burnt to the ground in 1882. During recent renovations, its foundations were discovered and can now be seen by visitors touring the site.

Apart from its celebrated range of exceptional bourbons, Buffalo Trace is also famous for being allowed to remain operational during the era of Prohibition for medicinal purposes.

Whiskey Info

On the website:

“Fragrant scents of caramel corn, new leather, plums, light toffee and pipe tobacco. The palate tastes of marshmallow, salted almonds, nougat, figs and dates. This whiskey finishes smooth, composed and flavorfully sweet.”

Distiller: Buffalo Trace

ABV: 64.1%

Proof: 128.2

Age: 12 Years

Release: 2017

Tasting Notes

Nose:

Caramel lace with cherries and dark fruits, cinnamon, dusty wood, chocolate wafers, bay leaves and pepper. There is a lot going on!

Taste:

It’s nice and “chewy” loads of caramel, butterscotch and brown sugar, vanilla cream, more cherry and dark fruits, black grape skin and wine tannins. There’s a lot going on here too!

Finish:

Leather, more butterscotch, Werther’s Originals, creamy toffee and creamy fudge.

Summary

It’s absolutely exceptional and one of the best whiskies I’ve had. I tried this with my girlfriend and she still mentions to this day how good it was and that it was hands down the best whiskey she has tried.

There are so many amazing flavors that come at you wave after wave. It’s incredibly refined and just leaves the most amazing mouthfeel. It sounds daft to say it has a chewy texture as obviously it is a liquid but that’s the best way to describe it and it’s a sensation you only get with the very best bourbons.

Definitely saved the best until last and hope I get to try it again soon.

 

 

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William Larue Weller Rating
Nose
94
Taste
98
Finish
94
Character
97
96