BOTM 1/10 Weller 12 Year Old [Archive]

fishnbowljoe

01-10-2010, 22:12

Since Weller 12 hasn't been the BOTM before, I thought I'd make it this months BOTM. A lot of folks seem to have acquired some (or a lot) recently. :grin: (myself included) So, give us your thoughts. Be it a regular bottling, Binny's bottling, or other specialty bottling. Let us know what you think. Thanks. Joe

Vange

01-11-2010, 09:53

The Binnys bottling is 14 year Bernheim if I am not mistaken and beautiful bourbon at that! MY house pour to those that will drink it neat. Best bang for the buck out there IMO.

jburlowski

01-11-2010, 14:27

One of my favorites (particularly since the demise of Centennial). A great pour and a great value.

I hope BT can get the shortages behind them and get production and demand in sync.

Joshua

01-11-2010, 14:51

I love me some Weller 12, too bad NO WHERE here has it... ever. But it's a great excuse to go to Chicago!

jeff

01-11-2010, 15:41

Same here, it might appear on the store shelves once or twice a year, only to disappear shortly thereafter. One of my all time favorites!

George

01-11-2010, 15:55

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one having a tough time finding this. I've actually never seen a bottle of it.

BBQ+Bourbon

01-11-2010, 16:35

Excellent choice, Joe! I've been meaning to pick up a bottle of current Weller 12 Year and you inspired me to get by the local grocery store tonight. In the handle, it came to $16.74/750 which is a crazy deal for this stuff! Does anybody know where the current bottles were produced? I assume it's BT juice.

In Kansas City, there are plenty of bottles to be found if you know where they are. However, it's slow moving and the stores that have it do not reorder when the shelf is empty. The store where I picked up this bottle has had the same shelf of OWA and Weller 12 since they opened, around 2007. Works out well for me!

I'm going to try the Binnys, the current, and some 1988/2000 Weller 12 I found a while back. Can't wait!

DeanSheen

01-11-2010, 18:34

The Binnys Weller 12 is horrible. Best to stick with the regular juice just to stay on the safe side. :cool:

Ruby K

01-11-2010, 21:45

One friend picked me up the Binny's iteration over thanksgiving. and Matt sent me a taste of the S-W edition. Last, I've finally seen the regular version in NYC. I can't freaking believe it! I haven't had it in a good while, so i think i'm going to snag the nyc bottle and do a side by side by side. you know, it is the bourbon of the month and all. :-)

funknik

01-12-2010, 04:51

I've only had one bottle of Weller 12, but it was fantastic . . . I have another regular bottle and two Binny's bottles in the bunker.

I thought it was very close to on par with either the Lot 'B' or Centennial, though not quite as good as either of those. Still with Lot 'B' over $50 just about everywhere and difficult to find, Weller 12 looks like a pretty reasonable replacement, although it seems to be equally hard-to-find.

fogfrog

01-12-2010, 15:03

We have Weller 12YO and its evidently a barrel that Mcscrooges picked .... when I had a taste of it I thought it was way better than the 4Roses single barrel which is double the price. I really like this stuff and wanted to maybe get more of it... like bunker a bunch.. They also have some of the Antique107 for a buck less a bottle... that stuff is good too... so its twenty for the 12YO and 19 for the antique here in Knoxville at McScrooge's... I could stick with this bourbon and forsake the rest. I am not into spending tons of money on Bourbon and this is only five bucks a bottle more than I was paying for the Ezra Brooks and to me it is top notch. I thought i tasted Maraschino cherries in it lol.

CorvallisCracker

01-12-2010, 16:15

I used to buy Weller 12 all the time in Florida. When I moved to Oregon three years ago, I couldn't find it anywhere. Two years ago I encountered five very dusty bottles in a Springfield store, markd "OLCC discontinued" and priced at $22.75 each. I bought all five. I'm currently half way through bottle number three.

I've had this side-by-side with VW Lot B, and consider the latter only slightly better. My wife, who has very expensive tastes, feels the VW is a lot better.

independant

01-12-2010, 19:30

Very lucky for me I have a contact that is willing to pick up the Binny's bottling of this and get them to me.
I love the stuff. It is not only a great deal but also a great bourbon.

nblair

01-13-2010, 05:50

Does anyone know of a good liquor store in Louisville to pick up some Weller 12? I've only seen it at one store and it was $29.99. I currently have a bottle of OWA that I thoroughly enjoy, and would love to check out some 12 year Weller. Thought that $29.99 was a little high though...

docbible

01-13-2010, 11:38

Love the weller 12. I am a wheater at heart and this one is well balanced. Getting harder to find in TN as it is not always in stock. Mcscrooges has a good supply. I have orders to pick up a few for some friends. Its well liked by many and has a good price locally. tim

BBQ+Bourbon

01-13-2010, 19:03

Wanna see a total novice's take on three Weller 12 botttles?

On Sunday I tried the three Wellers I have against one another. The results were not what I expected.

The current handle had a nose that was bright fresh fruit, candied yams, ripe plums. This one has a velvety mouthfeel, very dense yet soft. The entry was of ripe dark fruit, with a pleasant oak note. This bottle has a lingering oily mouthfeel. This is amazing for a sub $17 bottle.

The second I tried was the Binny's Weller 12. This one has a lot more rye-like spice in the initial taste as well as a bit of acetone in the nose. While it's more layered, the taste is more muted.

The SW juice was very similar to the Binny's. I didn't take good notes on this one, and I need to compare the two back to back to make a better observation. The sample of Binny's that Hectic1 sent me is gone so until I get a bottle of this one, a closer comparison will have to wait.

So far, my surprises are 1) the current is so different from the SW and Binnys 2) Binny's and SW are so similar, and 3) I like the current the best right now, followed by the SW, and by a hair, the Binny's in 3rd. Considering only provenance, I expected to enjoy the SW most, followed by Binnys, and trailed by current Weller 12.

When I get a bottle of Binny's here I'll spend some time with the three. Keep in mind, I'm a novice so my observations are just that.

Old Lamplighter

01-13-2010, 21:10

Very good one to have.....and bunker, if you can find them in the plural form. Only got one at present and it remains unopened until I can find a backup.....few and far between nowadays but as the norm....the search continues....

NYtaster

01-17-2010, 16:55

This is one of the best values on the market, luckely there is one store in the area that seems to have a pretty good supply of it so far.

docbible

01-17-2010, 19:25

Great bourbon. Had a friend in from out of town and had to make a trip to the store so he could stock up. $20 a bottle, its a great price for an awsome palate. tim

kickert

01-17-2010, 20:21

Back when I was keeping more detailed (obsessive) notes about bourbons, I would assign ratings to every pour I tasted. Weller 12 was the first to break the 9.0 mark on my scale. As I got more nerdy I started evaluating bourbons not only on taste, but on ratio between quality and price. Even though other bourbons surpassed Weller 12, there has yet to be a currently produced pour to even come close on the quality/price ratio.

Weller 12 is rich with deep vanillas and caramels. The barrel has added character without stripping away the notes from the original spirit. There are great oak notes on the nose, which perfectly complement the sweet palate.

I first bought this in Lexington at Liquor Barn and then picked up every bottle they had in Bowling Green. It has been reordered at some stores, but it does not last long.

Great stuff. Grab it if you can find it.

nor02lei

01-18-2010, 13:59

I did have a side by side a couple of moths ago with a relatively new Weller 12 and a lot B that had been in the bunker a couple of years. I did think that the Weller was slightly better and had more life and vitality.

Leif

keng

01-20-2010, 07:39

Does anyone know of a good liquor store in Louisville to pick up some Weller 12?
I've tried to keep an eye open for this one but no luck. If I run across it I'll pm you.

Tucker

01-21-2010, 13:38

The Weller 12 quickly became my daily pour. Now that my last bottle is empty it seems that only the Antique 107 and the Special Reserve are available in my area. Still looking, although the 107 is not a bad replacement in the meantime.

PAspirit1

01-21-2010, 16:54

I've never seen Weller 12.

IronHead

01-23-2010, 09:40

I've never seen Weller 12.

I had never seen it until this year, maybe early summer. Then it just showed up on the shelves. I bought one bottle, tried it then promptly went back and bought a couple more. And then I got ahold of the Binny's version. It is a different character than the standard bottling. Both are excellent IMO. I get lots of vanilla and caramel with hints of dried cherries in the Binny's bottling. The standard is more vanilla, nutty with just a hint of something that reminds me of SW juice. Either is an excellent pour and at around 20 bucks you can't beat it.

PAspirit1

01-23-2010, 14:47

I think I'm sold. I already love the 7/107.

kickert

01-23-2010, 16:36

Just bought a 1.75 handle (old label). I have left it sitting on the shelf for way to long. it is now in its rightful home.

IronHead

01-23-2010, 17:47

Is there any more old label sitting around on the shelves down in BG? I'd take a little trip down 65 for a bottle of that. :)

kickert

01-23-2010, 18:39

This is the last bottle I knew of. When I found them there were 4 1.75s. Now there are none. If I find another, I will buy it and put it away for you if you want me to.

-bk

Old Lamplighter

01-24-2010, 17:44

I came thru there about 6 months ago and visited 4 or 5 stores......never saw any Weller 12 or anything that I could not get down here in Tn except AAA. So, brought that home so as to not leave KY empty-handed. Guess I hit the wrong stores.

jburlowski

01-24-2010, 18:03

Weller 12 has been generally unavailable in No. KY for most of the past year. Because of a shortage of aged stock, production was temporarily halted. A limited release was done a couple of months ago (primarily in KY and nearby states) but that quickly disappeared from local shelves.

A BT rep told me recently that the next production run will be around Derby time and in greater quantity than the last one. He also said that it will likely be a year or more before production gets fully in synch with growing demand.

Having said all that, there are obviously still quantities in the distribution pipeline elsewhere.

scopenut

01-25-2010, 13:49

Weller 12 is a long-time go-to pour for me. Similar to the experience of others, I've been having a hard time finding it locally (in my case, Florida). I also noticed a price creep (theoretical, since I can't get any) up to $30. Is this typical in other areas?

-Kevin

T Comp

01-25-2010, 14:33

I also noticed a price creep (theoretical, since I can't get any) up to $30. Is this typical in other areas?
-Kevin

It is $24.99, when available, at the 24 Binny's stores around here. I know of a non Binny's store that has it at $26.99. There are very few retailers, outside of Binny's, that carry it around here.

ErichPryde

01-25-2010, 16:16

Recently had a chance to try some of this again. It was much better than the first bottle I tried, actually a decent drinking whiskey!

hectic1

01-26-2010, 14:20

Old Lamplighter

01-29-2010, 22:40

The Binny's Weller 12 is one of my favorite pours...it's sweet on entry with loads of vanilla and caramel on the pallet...the finish isn't quite as long as others but at 90 proof it's about as good as one can expect. I have been bunkering as much of the Binny's bottling as possible as I don't know when I'll be able to buy 14yr 3mo old bourbon for under 25 bucks again! I think I'm running a distant second to fishinbowljoe the number of bottles bunkered...I have 13 with 6 more on the way. :D

PM to me if you or anyone else decides to part with one by sale or trade. I have been able to find only 1 bottle of Weller 12 over the last 2+ years in my part of TN. The Binny's bottling has become almost legendary from what I've read here. They must have gotten a hold of several barrels....seems like plenty of folks have been able to buy a lot of it. Unfortunately, TN is not a friendly state when it comes to buying from out-of-state retailers.:hot:

hectic1

01-31-2010, 10:11

PM to me if you or anyone else decides to part with one by sale or trade. I have been able to find only 1 bottle of Weller 12 over the last 2+ years in my part of TN. The Binny's bottling has become almost legendary from what I've read here. They must have gotten a hold of several barrels....seems like plenty of folks have been able to buy a lot of it. Unfortunately, TN is not a friendly state when it comes to buying from out-of-state retailers.:hot: I would certainly entertain the idea of trading you a bottle or two...let me know what you have to offer! :D

funknik

05-25-2010, 17:21

I have to agree that the Binny's Weller 12 is, simply put, one of the finest bourbons I have ever tasted at any price or age.

Weller 12 can be found in Massachusetts intermittently for between $33-$38 . . . which is a bit pricey -- I've sen the 1.75L in upstate NY for $38 and the next I pass thru there, I may pick up one or two.

I think the Weller 12 is comparable to the VW Lot B, with a little less butterscotch character and not nearly as luxurious of a nose -- still for half the price (if you can find it in the $20s), it's probably better buy in my book. I love the Weller 12 and wish I could find it more readily and more affordable.

saltgrassbear

12-07-2010, 19:54

I found a bottle of W.L. Weller aged 12 years, Frankfort, Kentucky for 20 bucks. Is this the Weller 12 everybody is talking about? I tried the Weller Reserve and wasn't crazy about it being mostly a rum drinker. How is the 12 compared to the Reserve?

SGB

DeanSheen

12-07-2010, 20:49

" Is this the Weller 12 everybody is talking about?"

Yes.

"How is the 12 compared to the Reserve?"

Crack that sucker and let us know as tasting it yourself will tell you more about it than relying on confirmation bias.

saltgrassbear

12-08-2010, 17:22

Well, I cracked that sucker. First I smelled it. Actually several times as to make sure I smelled what I thought I smelled. No pull back here, this stuff is amazing. Second was a smell test in the glass. Wonderful! Third was a taste test. Smooth, tasty with no burn or creeping cringe. This bourbon is made to be consumed neat, and that's what I was looking for. My rookie bourbon opinion gives 12 year Weller a top shelf rating. Blows the Reserve out of the water.

I will now buy several bottles, for what you gentlemen call the bunker.

SGB

DeanSheen

12-08-2010, 19:39

Hah. Good that you liked it.

Now let me give you a silly suggestion. Take a few more pulls off that sucker, pour off a bit in a mini bottle and let the big bottle sit for a week or so.

Then pour them side by side and see what ya think.

saltgrassbear

12-09-2010, 15:00

What should I be expecting?

SMOWK

12-09-2010, 15:19

What should I be expecting?

A difference.......................

saltgrassbear

12-09-2010, 17:01

No shit, I would assume it will start to oxidize from the oxygen but which way will it go. Better or worse.

SGB

hectic1

12-09-2010, 17:23

No shit, I would assume it will start to oxidize from the oxygen but which way will it go. Better or worse.

SGB
If you knew then why did you ask? Way to make friends here early...I'm guessing you'll have to find out for yourself! :rolleyes:

saltgrassbear

12-09-2010, 18:47

I can do that. All I wanted was a straight informative answer not a short do it yourself and find out. New members come to this forum to learn from more experienced conniseurs of fine spirits, not to be given homework like a school kid. No insults or arguments were ever intended on my end.

SGB

callmeox

12-09-2010, 18:56

"Better" or "worse" are possible, based on your palate. Nobody here is going to know what your preferences are, so we can't tell you if you are going to like it better or not.

DeanSheen

12-09-2010, 19:10

The whole point was if I told you what to expect it is more likely you will perceive that. In effect I'm asking you 'what do you think' instead of coloring your perceptions with my observations.

Experience is the best teacher.

I can do that. All I wanted was a straight informative answer not a short do it yourself and find out. New members come to this forum to learn from more experienced conniseurs of fine spirits, not to be given homework like a school kid. No insults or arguments were ever intended on my end.

SGB

saltgrassbear

12-09-2010, 19:31

I never looked at it that way. Sound advice. Two 4 ounce bottles are filled and will be tried in 1 wk. intervals if the remaing bottle lasts that long.

SGB

SMOWK

12-09-2010, 20:06

I never looked at it that way. Sound advice. Two 4 ounce bottles are filled and will be tried in 1 wk. intervals if the remaing bottle lasts that long.

Please post your thoughts. I rarely make the effort to set some aside. It just disappears too quickly.

TheGentleman

12-11-2010, 06:23

I'd never located a bottle either...until last night. If you're in the Louisville area, Old Town Liquors on Bardstown Rd has a nice supply right now. They were $23-24 if I'm not mistaken.

Kendall

12-11-2010, 13:56

Excellent choice!
Cheers

bvscfanatic

12-13-2010, 16:25

I'm a huge fan of Old Weller Antique. So when I saw the 12 year at the Liquor Barn a few weeks ago, I grabbed five magnums. Or would that be magna? Whichever.

Point is, it has come in mighty handy. I like my bourbon neat, and the George T. Stagg is kinda stiff for sippin' @143 proof. So I decided to mix it approximately 50/50 with the 12 year Weller. :grin: :grin: :grin: