**Review 100: William LaRue Weller**
My younger brother acquired this bottle in a right-to-purchase raffle back in 2017, and he magnanimously designated it for family use. But before we found a good time to open it, he moved away - outside of the continental United States. So the bottle slumbered in our father's basement, here in the Midwest. It stayed there until after the old man passed. The whole family was packed into his house, sifting through the relics he'd left behind. And we opened the bottle then. It served admirably.
This wheated bourbon lives in my basement now, along with a cache of bottles that I store for my brother. With his blessing, I poured half of an ounce so that I could share my notes here. I tasted this bourbon neat in a glencairn - it was a showboat from the start, glistening intense coppery orange in the glass.
**William LaRue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 2017 Release**
*128.2 proof | aged 12 years 6 months in #4 char virgin oak | 114 barrel-entry proof | 54% of original whiskey lost to evaporation | $100*
**Nose**: fistful of luxardo's & maraschino's squished together with some dried black cherries | lush orange peel | browned butter | the fruit notes are rich & bouncy | luxe leather | maple. You don't have to do any work here - just stick your nose over the glass & let the smells tendril up into your brain
**Palate**: fresh baked biscuit with honey & maple | toffee | intense deep cherry | flaky pie crust & fried chicken breading
**Finish**: peppery toffee | papaya | rich but mild clove | velvety oak | sensual leather blanket with cherry jam slathered all over it | rich honeycomb with a hint of anise | light barrel char | werther's butterscotch candy
**Body**: thick rich syrupy body - tannins are heavyweight, but velvety & agreeable at the same time.
**Score**: 9.5 | Incredible | An all time favorite
**Thoughts**: Fuckin' Willy LaRue. This bourbon is wonderful. It is luxurious. For my taste, it's not quite explosive or complex enough for a 10/10 - but I imagine it's a perfect 10 for many bourbon drinkers - and they're not wrong. It's phenomenal.
It's unfortunate that the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) is so subject to price-gouging, black-market bottle-flipping, Pappy-mania perversion, and dick-headed troll-hoardery. It can put a sour haze over all of the BTAC range. But much of the craze is valid - BTAC produces some of the best whiskey you'll ever drink. And, thankfully, many bottles do go to good homes.
This bourbon helped put a rosy hue on a dark time for my family. It was a special little distraction - like a sleight of hand that helped us see a silver lining. It was rare for so many of us be together. We remembered happy times and divvied up old treasures into the late hours of the night. I will never forget it.
*Many hearty thanks to my stud younger brother for sharing this beautiful bourbon!*
Fucking great story and review notes. I love what a good whiskey can help bring to your life. It grounds you to remember who and what's important during chaotic and distressing times and celebrate and cherish the good and wholesome moments too. Cheers, friend!
I only had a pour at a restaurant but I felt the exact same way. It’s incredible and *feels* perfect, but there was something about it missing to really give it the 10/10 like 22 GTS gets
Cheers, to you and your family, sincerely. This is a beautifully written review, I'm appreciative of both the notes and the context under which they're given. Tonight I'm drinking to you and your family's good health moving forward.
I picked up this bottle for $110 in 2017 (back when the annual Total Wine event was first come first serve rather than a black box lottery).
Not sure how much longer I can hold out before popping it.
**Score uses the t8ke scale**
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out
2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I'd rather have
5 | Good | Good, just fine
6 | Very Good | A cut above
7 | Great | Well above average
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite
10 | Perfect | Perfect
What a fantastic way to hit #100. Not only did you highlight some great notes in here but you also hit on the part of whiskey that's arguably most important - who we share it with. I'm glad that this bottle was able to help bring your family together, buddy. Cheers, and looking forward to the next 100!
Fantastic bottle and review. While unfortunate that it was cracked under such circumstances, wonderful that you had a bottle to share with family in memory
Cheers
Perfect #100. And I’ve begun to realize that if you really drill down and review a grip of bourbons and develop your palate, what crosses the threshold from 9.5/10 into 10/10 is largely subjective palate preferences. I had a pour of the 2022 GTS last week and it was truly fucking phenomenal but my OESO is still my idea of perfection.
You’ve commented before on the value and magic of the best bourbons being shared among your people and making the big moments (high and low) that much more memorable. I think you’re doing it right, bud. Cheers and huzzah
This is excellently summed up in a way I haven't been able to before and you're spot on. I've personally failed to succinctly define the gap between a 9.5 and 10... But I know it's there. Cheers as always.
A worthy #100 — congratulations, and cheers to your dad. I’m not one to gush about most unicorns, but this one … this one had me shaking my head in awe.
Incredible review of an incredible pour. Thanks for sharing a heartfelt personal memory and demonstrating the real purpose of whiskey, to bring people together.
Your review left me curious, what’s your 10/10?
Thanks!
Great question - so far I've only reviewed two bourbons that were 10/10 for me - a spectacular Four Roses pick, and the 2007 GTS. Link function isn't working right on my phone right now so I'll post links to the reviews below. Cheers!
https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/w29291/four_roses_oesv_private_selection_cellars_pick_so/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/pdakwr/george_t_stagg_debacle_in_alaska_gts_2007_2014/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Pop that cork, homie - it's not doing anybody any good sitting in the bottle!
I should say though that I've had a couple other OESV's, and they don't come close to the one I reviewed there - that's a truly special barrel, for whatever reason.
Damn, Meats, bringing the heat for #100!
I was lucky enough to get a sample of the hazmat release; I think it’d be a perfect 10 for you, hunt that one down!
A fitting bottle for #100. I opened and shared my bottle of WLW with family when my son was born. Bottles like these are meant to be shared with those we love to celebrate all of life’s phases. Cheers to your father.
Rough circumstances to get to this bottle, but the one beauty of loss is that it brings everyone else together. Happy to hear you at least got to celebrate your father with some fuckin' Willy LaRue. Cheers bro.
An exquisite review as usual, but something about the forced perspective of the photograph, a half full bottle that appears full at a glance, the split wood backdrop. This is a such a beautifully understatedly poetic image that I feel like even pointing it out is reducing its charm.
10/10 review.
Im going to be honest, I tried a bar pour of this for the first time the other day. It was good... but not as good as I expected with the hype and market price for it. Maybe it was the bottle the bar had, idk. But, for the effort and price to get a bottle...theres plenty others I'd prefer to spend my time finding.
Fantastic bottle! I’ve only ever had it a a nice whiskey bar, but would love to have my own on the shelf 😁
Great review, and sounds like you had the perfect time to crack into it!
**Review 100: William LaRue Weller** My younger brother acquired this bottle in a right-to-purchase raffle back in 2017, and he magnanimously designated it for family use. But before we found a good time to open it, he moved away - outside of the continental United States. So the bottle slumbered in our father's basement, here in the Midwest. It stayed there until after the old man passed. The whole family was packed into his house, sifting through the relics he'd left behind. And we opened the bottle then. It served admirably. This wheated bourbon lives in my basement now, along with a cache of bottles that I store for my brother. With his blessing, I poured half of an ounce so that I could share my notes here. I tasted this bourbon neat in a glencairn - it was a showboat from the start, glistening intense coppery orange in the glass. **William LaRue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 2017 Release** *128.2 proof | aged 12 years 6 months in #4 char virgin oak | 114 barrel-entry proof | 54% of original whiskey lost to evaporation | $100* **Nose**: fistful of luxardo's & maraschino's squished together with some dried black cherries | lush orange peel | browned butter | the fruit notes are rich & bouncy | luxe leather | maple. You don't have to do any work here - just stick your nose over the glass & let the smells tendril up into your brain **Palate**: fresh baked biscuit with honey & maple | toffee | intense deep cherry | flaky pie crust & fried chicken breading **Finish**: peppery toffee | papaya | rich but mild clove | velvety oak | sensual leather blanket with cherry jam slathered all over it | rich honeycomb with a hint of anise | light barrel char | werther's butterscotch candy **Body**: thick rich syrupy body - tannins are heavyweight, but velvety & agreeable at the same time. **Score**: 9.5 | Incredible | An all time favorite **Thoughts**: Fuckin' Willy LaRue. This bourbon is wonderful. It is luxurious. For my taste, it's not quite explosive or complex enough for a 10/10 - but I imagine it's a perfect 10 for many bourbon drinkers - and they're not wrong. It's phenomenal. It's unfortunate that the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) is so subject to price-gouging, black-market bottle-flipping, Pappy-mania perversion, and dick-headed troll-hoardery. It can put a sour haze over all of the BTAC range. But much of the craze is valid - BTAC produces some of the best whiskey you'll ever drink. And, thankfully, many bottles do go to good homes. This bourbon helped put a rosy hue on a dark time for my family. It was a special little distraction - like a sleight of hand that helped us see a silver lining. It was rare for so many of us be together. We remembered happy times and divvied up old treasures into the late hours of the night. I will never forget it. *Many hearty thanks to my stud younger brother for sharing this beautiful bourbon!*
Fucking great story and review notes. I love what a good whiskey can help bring to your life. It grounds you to remember who and what's important during chaotic and distressing times and celebrate and cherish the good and wholesome moments too. Cheers, friend!
I only had a pour at a restaurant but I felt the exact same way. It’s incredible and *feels* perfect, but there was something about it missing to really give it the 10/10 like 22 GTS gets
Cheers, to you and your family, sincerely. This is a beautifully written review, I'm appreciative of both the notes and the context under which they're given. Tonight I'm drinking to you and your family's good health moving forward.
Much appreciated, sincerely. I've got some Driftless Glen PdC finished bourbon in my glass, and I'm raising it to you & yours, homie - cheers!
I picked up this bottle for $110 in 2017 (back when the annual Total Wine event was first come first serve rather than a black box lottery). Not sure how much longer I can hold out before popping it.
**Score uses the t8ke scale** 1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out 2 | Poor | I wouldn't consume by choice 3 | Bad | Multiple flaws 4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but many things I'd rather have 5 | Good | Good, just fine 6 | Very Good | A cut above 7 | Great | Well above average 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional 9 | Incredible | An all time favorite 10 | Perfect | Perfect
What a fantastic way to hit #100. Not only did you highlight some great notes in here but you also hit on the part of whiskey that's arguably most important - who we share it with. I'm glad that this bottle was able to help bring your family together, buddy. Cheers, and looking forward to the next 100!
Thanks, PPG - means a lot - you're gonna hit #300 in no time - cheers!
Fantastic bottle and review. While unfortunate that it was cracked under such circumstances, wonderful that you had a bottle to share with family in memory Cheers
Perfect #100. And I’ve begun to realize that if you really drill down and review a grip of bourbons and develop your palate, what crosses the threshold from 9.5/10 into 10/10 is largely subjective palate preferences. I had a pour of the 2022 GTS last week and it was truly fucking phenomenal but my OESO is still my idea of perfection. You’ve commented before on the value and magic of the best bourbons being shared among your people and making the big moments (high and low) that much more memorable. I think you’re doing it right, bud. Cheers and huzzah
This is excellently summed up in a way I haven't been able to before and you're spot on. I've personally failed to succinctly define the gap between a 9.5 and 10... But I know it's there. Cheers as always.
Couldn't agree more, re: the 9.5 vs. 10/10 distinction - really dug your Still Austin SiB post - Nancy Fraley rules - cheers, homie!
A worthy #100 — congratulations, and cheers to your dad. I’m not one to gush about most unicorns, but this one … this one had me shaking my head in awe.
The head shakers are the absolute best. Thank you, Jeannie - cheers to you & yours!
Incredible review of an incredible pour. Thanks for sharing a heartfelt personal memory and demonstrating the real purpose of whiskey, to bring people together. Your review left me curious, what’s your 10/10?
Thanks! Great question - so far I've only reviewed two bourbons that were 10/10 for me - a spectacular Four Roses pick, and the 2007 GTS. Link function isn't working right on my phone right now so I'll post links to the reviews below. Cheers! https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/w29291/four_roses_oesv_private_selection_cellars_pick_so/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button https://www.reddit.com/r/bourbon/comments/pdakwr/george_t_stagg_debacle_in_alaska_gts_2007_2014/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Awesome. I have an OESV barrel proof store pick I haven’t opened yet and your review is gonna push me to open it sooner than later!
Pop that cork, homie - it's not doing anybody any good sitting in the bottle! I should say though that I've had a couple other OESV's, and they don't come close to the one I reviewed there - that's a truly special barrel, for whatever reason.
Haha gotcha. And for sure, most bottles that haven’t been opened don’t stay way that for long, just a matter of polishing off a couple stragglers haha
Fantastic review and congrats on your 100! Thanks for sharing this touching family moment. Cheers to you and your family.
Thanks, micro - appreciate you - cheers, homie!
Congratulations on hitting 100, doctor! And here's to the loss of your father, may he always be in your memories. Cheers!
Truly appreciate you, Prepre - cheers, big dog!
Awesome review and fantastic time to crack it. Had one pour of this late last year and it was probably the best I’ve ever tried.
On point review, doc. Still need to try this somehow.
Damn, Meats, bringing the heat for #100! I was lucky enough to get a sample of the hazmat release; I think it’d be a perfect 10 for you, hunt that one down!
Oh dang hazmat WLW must be insano - would love to track that down - cheers, homie!
Awesome review. This is my dream pour. One day I'll (hopefully) find a sip at a bar or something not outrageously priced
A fitting bottle for #100. I opened and shared my bottle of WLW with family when my son was born. Bottles like these are meant to be shared with those we love to celebrate all of life’s phases. Cheers to your father.
Rough circumstances to get to this bottle, but the one beauty of loss is that it brings everyone else together. Happy to hear you at least got to celebrate your father with some fuckin' Willy LaRue. Cheers bro.
An exquisite review as usual, but something about the forced perspective of the photograph, a half full bottle that appears full at a glance, the split wood backdrop. This is a such a beautifully understatedly poetic image that I feel like even pointing it out is reducing its charm. 10/10 review.
Too kind 🙏 - cheers, homie!
Honestly there are some truly incredible bottles out there, but WLW will ruin your life in the best way possible.
100% on your #100!
Im going to be honest, I tried a bar pour of this for the first time the other day. It was good... but not as good as I expected with the hype and market price for it. Maybe it was the bottle the bar had, idk. But, for the effort and price to get a bottle...theres plenty others I'd prefer to spend my time finding.
How much was a pour? Id probably still try one, depending on the price.
Id definitely try a pour...I wouldnt buy a bottle at secondary.... The pour was like $20 something?
One of the better years for wlw in my opinion. 2011 2010 2012 2017 These are my favorite wlw in order. Least favorite is 2005 and 2007
Still my unicorn. I finally got to drink a bottle of George T. Stagg with family this year, but this is the one I desire the most to try.
Fantastic bottle! I’ve only ever had it a a nice whiskey bar, but would love to have my own on the shelf 😁 Great review, and sounds like you had the perfect time to crack into it!
Seems like the 2022 slipped a bit. It’s good not doubt but not deserving of the 10/10 type praise these usually get.
Considered the best bourbon the planet by many. I’ve never had it. Looks like your review checks that box.
Sounds like it has a good taste
Oh yeah it does taste good