William Larue Weller 2019 (128.0 proof) Review

Don't like ads?

No ads

William Larue Weller probably needs no introduction at this point. It’s the only wheated bourbon in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. The liquid inside shows what can happen when their wheated mash bill is allowed to age for 12 years AND gets bottled at barrel proof. Each year the proof is different and each year the flavor profile changes just a little bit. But generally speaking, WLW (which is what enthusiasts refer to it as) is one of the most sought-after bottles among the entire Buffalo Trace lineup.

A good friend of mine, “Barrel Proof” Dawn, is a self-described connoisseur of WLW and has owned bottles from every batch since its inception. Getting her opinion on these past releases is easy – she’ll tell you very enthusiastically that she has always preferred the “even” years over the “odd” years. This makes me weary that I’m going to walk into a trap with this review of a 2019 bottling. Either I’m going to find it so-so and validate her opinion (and disappoint myself for the legwork it took to obtain a sample) or I’m going to love it and have her question my palate, haha.

What are the specs for the 2019 William Larue Weller?

If you’re a proof junkie, then you won’t be blown away by the proof of the 2019 WLW. It lands firmly next to 2017’s proof of 128.2. It’s higher than 2018’s proof of 125.7 and the 2021 edition at 125.3. But there have been many others (to include the 2020 and 2023) that have gotten into the mid 130s. Proof matters for WLW because the flavors become more robust and richer. And if you think that proof would be more than you could handle, you’d be surprised at how easy to drink these releases are. 12 years really is the perfect amount of time in a barrel for this wheated bourbon.

Deep down, I hope that some of you have recognized my persistence in trying to always give you warehouse information for every distillery and product out there. Most of the time, I don’t have any information on where barrels are pulled from for certain products, but BTAC is a different animal. In their fact sheet that comes inside every 3-pack box, they give that information. So we know that for 2019, the barrels selected for WLW came from Warehouse I on floors 2 and 3. Here’s a map showing you where Warehouse I is:

This batch also lost a hefty 57% of their barrel contents to the angel’s share. For context, the 2018 WLW release had barrels from six warehouses and four floors. Buffalo Trace also made public the information the 2018 batch consisted of 149 barrels, but stopped supplying this information in 2019. We can assume that’s because they have started to heavily increase output and didn’t want consumers to think the bottle was any less rare, lest they lose their standing in the bourbon community.

Also, I guess now is as good a time as ever to remind my readers that WLW – and Weller in general – is produced somewhat different from Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 and #2 in the fact that it enters the barrel at 114 proof instead of 125 proof like the previously mentioned ryed mashbills (and rye whiskey they make). The still proof is still 130 proof, the yeast strain is still “DF2” and all distillate from Buffalo Trace gets put into barrels produced by Independent Stave and given a Level 4 char. As with all things Buffalo Trace, if it says “barrel proof” on the label, that means it wasn’t chill filtered, otherwise you can expect all BT brands to undergo that process unless otherwise mentioned.

Now that I’ve covered all of my bases, it’s time to taste the 2019 release. How is it? Let’s find out. I sampled this neat in a glencairn.

Tasting Notes

Nose. I find the chocolate covered cherry scents are the most dominant scent followed by an intense sweet scent of vanilla bean, sweetened coffee and warm toffee. The tannins are big and burly, yet never overpower with pipe tobacco and seasoned oak for depth. Baking spice notes (ground cinnamon especially) lean on the sweeter side and never tell your nose that they’re going to let the heat get in the way of your good time.

Palate. A very thick and viscous mouthfeeel are like a red carpet rollout for the flavors I find inside. I can taste Brown sugar, seasoned oak and toasted vanilla beans. This is followed by the fun flavor of a cherry Pop-Tart and orange marmalade. Darker red fruits are also present and sometimes taste like they were dipped into chocolate. For 128 proof, this drinks with a very controlled level of heat. I would think this is maybe around 115 proof if given blind. I love that. The tannins also add the perfect amount of contradiction to the sweet notes.

Finish. Sweet cherry notes rush to the finish line ahead of everything else – this is a big cherry bomb after all. I can also detect lingering notes of chocolate fudge, Christmas fruitcake and seasoned oak. These four notes encapsulate the whole finish and take turns rewarding your tongue long after the sip is complete.

Score: 9/10

While I don’t have that vast of experience with WLW products, I know a great tasting bourbon when I drink one. The bottom line is the 2019 WLW lands every punch with unreal flavor and depth. It’s only shortfall is that I find its core flavor and scents to get a little bit boring after a while. Maybe that’s a compliment in disguise for the barrel picking team that they are so consistent, maybe that’s just how wheated bourbon ages or maybe I just like the interesting and wider breadth of flavors that ryed bourbon provides at this age. Whatever way I look at it, this is an awesome bottle whose only fault is that it makes it look too easy.

Final Thoughts

I could drink this bourbon all day long. It’s jam-packed with flavor and is one of the most intense wheated bourbons you can buy from any distillery. I have previously compared a WLW (but different year) to Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged bourbon and it wasn’t even a fair fight. Will we ever see a distillery able to compete with WLW? My guess is if we do, it’s going to come from Bardstown Bourbon Company, Green River or MGP in the next 5 years (~2030). So the crown remains firmly on top of this bottle’s head.