Weller Centennial & Weller 12

[p_elliott]

However both of them have taken at least a week if not a month to truly blossom with fresh air.[/quote]

What exactly does this mean? I have to be misinterpreting what your saying . At the risk of sounding stupid OK I'm stupid How do let a bottle breathe for a week or month with out it becoming contaminated?

[kickert]

What exactly does this mean? I have to be misinterpreting what your saying . At the risk of sounding stupid OK I'm stupid How do let a bottle breathe for a week or month with out it becoming contaminated?

There are two ways to let things breathe. The first is to pour a glass and let it wait a little bit (as in 10-15 minutes).

What Virus was refering to is the opening up of a bourbon after it is initially opened. Often the first pour of a bottle is not the same as subsequent pours. You don't actually leave it open to air out, simply opening the bottle and having a few drinks out of it will often help the bourbon develop.

[Buffalo Bill]

However both of them have taken at least a week if not a month to truly blossom with fresh air.

What exactly does this mean? I have to be misinterpreting what your saying . At the risk of sounding stupid OK I'm stupid How do let a bottle breathe for a week or month with out it becoming contaminated?[/QUOTE]

*Once opened, the flavor profile will begin to change-up (open) in the bottle due to oxygenation = the amount of oxygen in the bottle versus liquid. It's noticeable after the first pour and so on... different every time, especially after there becomes more air than liquid. Then you may begin to notice little things floating around = oxidation. There are ways around this: #1) Buy a can of Wine Preservative = Argon/Nitrogen. It can be found through any fine liquor retailer or Wine Store. The one I use is called "Vineyard Fresh" but there are others, usually $8-10 a can. Not cheap, but worth it. After you're done with the bottle give it a hit of nitro and immediately cap it off, quickly. Put the bottle away for a while then come back to it... the argon/nitro gas mixture is heavier than oxygen and creates a vapor lock in the bottle, preserving the original state of the bourbon from where you left off. Incidentally, I have bottles here that I sample regularly, several that are many years old and still fine. Best to keep the bottles standing, vertically out of residual daylight. Florescent light can eventually kill a bottle as well, especially under strong supermarket florescent. Store in a cool dry and dark place... along with a steady temperature. On a personal note, I never finish a bottle without having another one in tow because I want to experience the changes, differences, and vintages as they roll out. Comparatively. The more one keeps building on a collection, the more one learns, it's a process. And by the way - THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS. We all learn via asking questions - knowledge begins with a question and this was a good one... good luck! BB

[OscarV]

Put the centennial in a crystal glass. When it opens... is takes the 12 out to the wood shed....

Hey Em, I just opened my bottle of Weller 12yo Binny's bottle.
You said it all my Brother, Centennial whips it's ass up one side and down the other.

[kickert]

Okay folks, I am revisiting the comparison. I am not looking at my specific notes from last week - this is going fresh again.

NOSE: Weller Cent takes takes the cake. They both are similar, but Weller Cent brings with it more intensity and caramelly sweetness.

TASTE: The Weller Cent has an excellent taste. It carries the complexity without as much overt sweetness. The extra alcohol is there, but not dominating. The Weller 12 is noticeably thinner, but also more pleasant and carries with it the classic wheater sweetness. Much more vanilla with the Weller 12, more caramel with the Weller Cent.

FINISH: The Weller Cent kicks the Weller 12's ass on this one. Much longer finish although the Weller Cent has more of an alcohol dominate finishe, while the Weller 12's is more syruppy.

CONCLUSION: The Weller Cent is more complex and fuller body, but the Weller 12 is more pleasant. I call it an even race at this point. I will revisit in a month, maybe the Weller Cent will continue to move up in the ratings.



NOTE: In a blind taste between the two... even after doing detailed notes... I was only able to correctly identify which was which about 2 out of 3 times.... not much over simply randomly guessing. I would be ecstatic to find either in my glass. I love the Weller Cent and it is worth having around, but it is still not worth spending the 50% more just to have it when Weller 12 is also excellent.

[spun_cookie]

Hey Em, I just opened my bottle of Weller 12yo Binny's bottle.
You said it all my Brother, Centennial whips it's ass up one side and down the other.

The best part about these discussions is the need to go back and taste the bourbons over and over again just to be sure

[DeanSheen]

I am fortunate enough to have tasted all of these. When I first opened my bottle of Centennial I was taken mostly by the smoothness as it was the smoothest 100 I have tasted yet. Working my way through the bottle I came to like it more and more.

In answer to the question posed below, I would take the first gen white label Weller 12 bottling. Fred and somone else brought bottles of this to the 09 sampler and I tried out of two different bottles on two different nights and it was in my top 3 of things I tried on that table. The balance was exceptional and the finish spice just woke me up a bit and let me know it was there.

I love the Centennial but battle with myself over buying more cheaper current 12 or less Centennial.

YMMV

~DS

Curious...

You walk into a liquor store with a few dusties on the shelf and there, side by side, are the following bottles...

- Weller 12 year priced at $21 - both first and second generation bottlings.
- Weller Centenial with a Louisville/BHC label at $35.
- Weller Centennial with a Frankfort/HC label at $35.

It's a no brainer for me, I'm getting the Centennial L'ville.
However, I'm curious if the price difference actually matters to some even knowing that one of them is S-W distillate.

~tp