William Larue Weller Bourbon bottled 2010

William Larue Weller is considered to be an early pioneer in the Kentucky Bourbon business. He has been credited with being the first to use wheat in the mash bill (recipe) instead of rye.

This is a wheated Bourbon, distilled in 1998 and from what I am reading, was aged in two different warehouses on floors 4 and 11 (plenty of summer heat on that upper floor).

Tasted for review with a 12 oz. snifter, first neat and next with a splash of spring water, hand warmed and nosed, sipped for 45+ minutes.

Nose: Light oak in the background while spicy, cinnamon vanilla on top delivers a nice ethanol enhanced punch with ripe fruit, sweet toffee cream. With a few drops of H2O it opens to reveal cotton candy, hint of tobacco.

Palate: Sweet and ripe fruit with a up front burn that gracefully gives way to spice and a sophisticated sweet dry edge. With water it seems more oily, caramel topping. Wow, so good.

Finish: Alcohol lingers with hint of tobacco, dry yet well balanced sweet wetness. The water provides a slightly more taste of the oak but still well mingled with all the disclosed flavors.

Balance: This is some experience for this novice. My first real tasting of a cask strength Bourbon with such a high alcohol content but seems to be so mellow yet complex and smooth while playful with water.

What a wonderfully well balanced and complex whiskey. I have done myself a favor in advancing my whiskey knowledge by having this bottle in my collection and believe others who enjoy Bourbon and/or whiskey would be well served to try this "well done" polished beauty.

Find where to buy W. L. Weller whisky