Today, Talking Bourbon will sit back and review, and hopefully enjoy, W. L. Weller 12, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Among Bourbon aficionados, Weller is an almost hallowed name, taking its place along George T Stagg, Elmer T Lee, and, of course, Pappy, among others. Weller 12 is made by Buffalo Trace and is a wheated Bourbon, meaning wheat is the secondary ingredient behind corn. This is not to be confused with a wheat whiskey, which uses wheat as the primary grain, not corn. The W. L. is for William Larue, a distiller who some say was the first to use wheat instead of rye as the secondary grain. This is not to be confused with the actual Bourbon named William Larue Weller, which is also 12 years old and also made by Buffalo Trace.
Weller 12 can be a bit hard to find and is somewhat pricey if you do, around $225 a bottle. It is 90 proof. As the name states, it is 12 years old and comes in the same tall, sleek-looking corked bottle as the rest of the Weller line. We could not find the exact mash bill on their website or the Internet. We were always under the impression that the Weller lines are the same mash bill as the Van Winkle lines, minus the rye expression. This brings us to a question. W.L. Weller 12, William Larue Weller, and Van Winkle Special Reserve are all 12 years old and have the same mash bill. William Larue differentiates itself from the other two by being barrel-proof and unfiltered. But the other two are essentially the same proof, so we guess the difference is in what floor of the rick house they were aged in or maybe just a certain taste profile in each one they are trying to achieve.
Talking Bourbon has long been a fan of all things Weller, and we mean a long time. We still have juice left in the old squat bottles they did away with years ago. Yes, we are Bourbon hoarders. Weller has often been called the poor man’s Pappy, especially the Weller 12, which for some, might sound strange since it sells for over $200. While tasted before, this will be the first time we have sat down, concentrated, and reviewed W.L. Weller 12. Hey, there are worse things to do on a Saturday afternoon.
NOSE
Todd: A very nice aroma of caramel, fruit, and toffee up front, with cooked corn on the cob, honey, grain, and wood coming in after that. Ice didn’t change much.
Matt: Corn and bread right away. This is followed by some sweet and spicy scents along with tobacco. Also, get some hickory, red fruit, caramel, and dark chocolate. Ice brings out some earthy sweetness.
TASTE
Todd: Smooth and sweet neat with a little heat. Basically, the same as I got on the nose: caramel, fruit, toffee, corn, honey, grain, and wood, along with a little tobacco and vanilla. Ice just made it sweeter.
Matt: Woody but sweet and complex with a slight burn that lets you know this isn’t a kid’s beverage. I get all the flavors I expect from a good Bourbon, in no specific order: oak, corn, vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, tobacco, and fruit. Ice adds a slightly nutty finish.
FINISH
Todd: Medium long with a unique blend of sweetness and a slight bitterness.
Matt: Medium long with more of the grain taste and sweetness.
OVERALL
Todd: I really like it. As Matt said, it has all the things I look for in a good Bourbon.
Matt. Yes, really good. I love this drink. A bit pricey, but if I got a bonus check, I’d buy a bottle. If I could find one.
Nose 4.75 out of 5
Taste 8.75 out of 10
Finish 4.25 out of 5
Total score 17.75 out of 20 bottles.
Weller comes through again! We can add this to Weller Special Reserve and Weller Antique as some of our favorite Bourbons. Great nose, great taste, and a good finish pushes this Bourbon to the next level. It has all the hallmarks of what most people seek in a premium Bourbon. Having said that, it is very much on the sweet side, and that is not to everyone’s liking. Also, it is way too expensive to be used as a mixer, so if you don’t drink your whiskeys neat or with a little ice, you should probably avoid this bottle. Hell, we know we will get comments or emails condemning us for even adding ice to a Weller expression. Regarding our habit of adding ice, we always taste and smell before the ice as well as after. Sometimes it makes a difference, maybe for the good, maybe for the bad, sometimes it does nothing. We recommend you at least try whiskey both ways. You might enjoy it a bit more with a melted cube.
So, should you buy a bottle of W. L. Weller 12? Well, that depends on a few things. First, can you find it? Second, can you afford it? Third, if you can afford it, are you into Bourbon that much to pay that price for a single bottle? If you can say yes to all three questions, we highly recommend buying this very good wheated Bourbon.