BOTM 4/07: William Larue Weller

[cowdery]

What I have is, I think, the 2005 (122.9 proof). I like it but I don't love it. I get mostly sugar and soot. It needs a little water but you have to be careful. Too much and it falls apart completely. The finish is very nice; clean, sweet and long. I can't tease much more than that out of it. The above sounds more damning than I intend. As I said, I like it, but I don't love it. The finish is the best part.

[Virus_Of_Life]

This is the most positive review I have read about WLW of the BTAC.
I have the 2005 bottle unopened, and I have no need to hurry to get to it after what I have read about it.
But I don't really want to pay for an '06.

Oscar, in case you haven't read it here somewhere the '06 is much better than the '05 was.

What I have is, I think, the 2005 (122.9 proof). I like it but I don't love it. I get mostly sugar and soot. It needs a little water but you have to be careful. Too much and it falls apart completely. The finish is very nice; clean, sweet and long. I can't tease much more than that out of it. The above sounds more damning than I intend. As I said, I like it, but I don't love it. The finish is the best part.

I agree with you completely Chuck, a little water and the '05 is nice, too much and you've ruined it completely... The '06 I really think is a complete different story, I even enjoyed it on a pile of ice!

[boss302]

While it seems that some wheated bourbons have a reputation for being somewhat bland, I would have to say that NONE of those bland ones belong to the Weller family.

The Sazerac company's ability to tap into what is quickly becoming lasting trends, as well as a well-rounded product portfolio and excellent marketing, have put them at the forefront of the high-end bourbon market, and rightfully so.

On that note, I think I'll crack open this bottle of WLW as soon as I finish my Ezra B. and my Eagle Rare 17. So, give it about a week!

I still have to find that pesky GTS and Sazerac 18, though...

Okay, I cracked it open, set some aside for one of my co-workers, and then started drinking. The first few sips were interesting, sweet, and complex. A true hallmark of a good, mature, wheated bourbon...

Then I took a little more than a sip, about half a shot, judged its mouthfeel as "round", then swallowed...

... and it went down my throat every bit as smoothly as low-grade kerosene...

I didn't have this problem with the Thomas H. Handy or the Eagle Rare 17. Is it possible I got a bad bottle? Maybe heat damage?

Your thoughts and input would certainly be appreciated.

[ILLfarmboy]

Okay, I cracked it open, set some aside for one of my co-workers, and then started drinking. The first few sips were interesting, sweet, and complex. A true hallmark of a good, mature, wheated bourbon...

Then I took a little more than a sip, about half a shot, judged its mouthfeel as "round", then swallowed...

... and it went down my throat every bit as smoothly as low-grade kerosene...

I didn't have this problem with the Thomas H. Handy or the Eagle Rare 17. Is it possible I got a bad bottle? Maybe heat damage?

Your thoughts and input would certainly be appreciated.

Half a shot (about 3/4 oz.) that's a pretty big swallow of 120+ I would agree Handy is a bit easer drinking than either year of WLW but Stagg (hazmat II III and I'm assuming I, I've never had the original) are more challenging. Worthwhile and tasty just more challenging on ones throat tissues.

I find when drinking whiskeys like Stagg it pays to be cautious how it enters your gullet. Most especially those first dozen or so sips untill you get warmed up.

The '06 WLW is a great pour. Wich year are you refering to?

[boss302]

Half a shot (about 3/4 oz.) that's a pretty big swallow of 120+ I would agree Handy is a bit easer drinking than either year of WLW but Stagg (hazmat II III and I'm assuming I, I've never had the original) are more challenging. Worthwhile and tasty just more challenging on ones throat tissues.

I find when drinking whiskeys like Stagg it pays to be cautious how it enters your gullet. Most especially those first dozen or so sips untill you get warmed up.

The '06 WLW is a great pour. Wich year are you refering to?

I had an '06 WLW. I poured off about half of it to give to a co-worker who is also very much a bourbon drinker. She thought it was excellent. Maybe it gets rougher as you reach more sediment toward the bottom?

[gothbat]

Maybe it gets rougher as you reach more sediment toward the bottom?

I’ve heard others say that the char can be rough on the throat but this has not been my experience. I find that the char overpowers the taste of the bourbon itself and usually run the last pour in the bottle through a coffee filter before drinking it. The filter won’t get all the char out but it will get enough out imo, maybe you should try that if you haven’t already done so. I usually don’t notice the char, unless I see it in the glass, until I get to about the last inch or so.

As for me, seeing this thread and then the bottle on my shelf for so many days has finally made me break down and open it. After a little nosing and a taste this one was exactly as I remembered it which of course made opening the bottle well worth it. I think this is the sweetest bourbon I have ever had. I was originally planning to open this one in Sept. for my birthday but now I guess the plan is to make this last until September, it's gonna be tough!

[jwrussell]

While I've had luck tracking down both the ER 17 year (not a challenge really) and the GTS from 2006, I've not seen a drop of the WLW anywhere. If anyone has actually seen any in FL recently, especially in Tampa, please let me know.

As has been said by others, I need to stop reading these damn threads! lol

[DrinkyBanjo]

I always give my barrel proof bottles a spin before I pour. This way you only get a little char in each glass instead of a large amount of char in the last. I cannot detect it this way.

[jwrussell]

I always give my barrel proof bottles a spin before I pour. This way you only get a little char in each glass instead of a large amount of char in the last. I cannot detect it this way.

Thanks for the tip, I'll have to do that with my Stagg.

[DrinkyBanjo]

Of course I learned that tip.....here of all places!