flahute Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 My intent for BOTM in December is always to feature a bottle that we pull out for special occasions or one that tastes like "Christmas in a glass." This year we are going for the special occasion bottle. And, as some of you know, wheaters are my preferred goto for the holidays because I equate the sweetness of them with all the holiday treats I enjoy which tend to be the caramels and toffees from candies and the vanilla frosting from cutout cookies. Others here are more inclined to the baking spices which is why we featured a rye last year. We have a diverse group of palates here which is how it should be. I just poured some of last year's WLW for this post and got a nice surprise - leather and toasted pecans on the nose. It immediately reminded me of my wife's bourbon pecan pie which we just enjoyed a week ago at Thanksgiving. Wow would these two pair with each other famously. As mentioned above, what I really enjoy about wheaters at Christmas is the caramel, toffee, and vanilla notes. As some of you will recall this all goes back to my very first bottle of PVW15 almost 10 years ago which my brother in law described as 40 layers of caramel. I've equated these bourbon flavors with Christmas ever since because I opened that bottle on Christmas day. WLW is of course from the same distillate and what it loses in complexity from the extra three years that PVW15 has it makes up for with the intensity of flavor due to it being barrel proof. I always love pulling out a bottle like this during the holidays. Cheers to all of my bourbon brothers and sisters and I wish you all a fulfilling holiday season. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 What a great selection! ...As well as a great, well-reasoned (and true, as I mostly agree with your palate and reasoning on this!) explanation of why it was chosen. I have had several different iterations of WLW over the years, and all of 'em had the "intensity of flavor" (good description!) you so aptly describe, Joe. Personally, I find a lot of brown sugar and vanilla along with the (sweet-not-salted) caramel flavors. One thing is always called to mind when enjoying a pour of WLW: Warm Pralines. I guess, not too much different than your wife's Bourbon pecan pie, maybe. I once had about a nine-year run of obtaining a bottle of WLW each time it was released. Sadly, those days have ended with a thud a few years back. In the last 5-years, I've managed to get a bottle only once. Ahhhh, the good old days --- gone, but, not forgotten. I will absolutely pour myself, my son, and my son-in-law a taste to celebrate the Christmastide. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guss West Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Hope you'll let us proles join in with a glass of something Weller that's further down the food chain! All the Weller Stuff has become unobtainium in my pocket of CT for year now. I saw a bottle of WLW behind glass in a LS down at the beach in MD for $2k recently. Does that count? I've got a Weller Full Proof and Weller Antique open from the bunker. Another delicious wheater option for the holidays is the Markers Mark Private Select that's tuned for that marshmallow-chocolate thing. Warm glowing warming glow. Yum. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidaze, Y'all. Prost!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted December 6, 2022 Author Share Posted December 6, 2022 3 hours ago, Guss West said: Hope you'll let us proles join in with a glass of something Weller that's further down the food chain! All the Weller Stuff has become unobtainium in my pocket of CT for year now. I saw a bottle of WLW behind glass in a LS down at the beach in MD for $2k recently. Does that count? I've got a Weller Full Proof and Weller Antique open from the bunker. Another delicious wheater option for the holidays is the Markers Mark Private Select that's tuned for that marshmallow-chocolate thing. Warm glowing warming glow. Yum. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidaze, Y'all. Prost!! Anything wheater will suffice! WSR also gives me Christmas vibes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomLamb Posted December 7, 2022 Share Posted December 7, 2022 Just had some down at the cabin in Maryland, did not disappoint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shyster512 Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 The Larue is always a good choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
762John Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 I'd love to agree with all the above comments but in my years of chasing bottles I've never found one that was actually for sale. I've seen a few at auction but that's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 4 hours ago, 762John said: I'd love to agree with all the above comments but in my years of chasing bottles I've never found one that was actually for sale. I've seen a few at auction but that's it. Come to Bardstown for the Spring Gathering (Look in the Bourbon Social threads). Ya' won't likely find a bottle for sale; but, a taste might well be there.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fosmith Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 On 1/22/2023 at 4:56 PM, shyster512 said: The Larue is always a good choice. You don't choose Larue; Larue chooses you.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Heuchert Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 Sadly nowhere to be found in Germany. Maybe we could organize a small scale smuggling operation? Me as the head of operations, of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 Really wonderful whiskey. IMO, it is the best of any from the the standard Weller stable of releases…X10. For whatever reason, it has been the BTAC that has been the hardest for me to come across over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
762John Posted January 29, 2023 Share Posted January 29, 2023 On 1/28/2023 at 2:29 PM, Richnimrod said: Come to Bardstown for the Spring Gathering (Look in the Bourbon Social threads). Ya' won't likely find a bottle for sale; but, a taste might well be there.... I totally get that and I hope to make it soon. I'm not new to this game but those high demand bottles have always eluded me! I've camped out in parking lots, tried bribing clerks, bounced from store to store to store but no joy. LoL The last 3 years have been a blur as my side business has kept me over busy, but this year I'm making time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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