Weller Single Barrel Bourbon

Last year on one of my many business trips to the Phoenix, AZ area I had to entertain some clients and took them to a very nice, small steakhouse in Tempe. On their whiskey shelf stood some very prominent whiskies I wanted to try including several editions of Blood Oath, some EH Taylors and of course, Weller Single Barrel. I did have a pour, but a bustling steakhouse while trying to conduct business is hardly the place for proper whiskey tasting. I remember telling myself that I had to buy a bottle some day and have a proper taste at home. I didn't realize how insanely expensive this and CYPB were in the secondary market. But now, with availability starting to ease up for Buffalo Trace / Sazerac offerings I had an opportunity to purchase a bottle of Weller Single Barrel to call my very own. Yes... it was very expensive. But perhaps not as expensive as one might think. Is it worth the cost of admission? If I'm going to drop the kind of money I did on this bottle of bourbon, it had better be one of the best Damn bourbons in the world. ( Ironically, this was an impulse buy as I originally went in for a bottle of Elmer T Lee which I do actually consider one of the best bourbons in the world. Updated review of that one to follow ). The nose is all Weller. Sweet, a bit fruity but somehow deeper than 12 and less hot than Full Proof or Antique. Its balanced and smells delicious. Cherry and citrus peel give way to some caramel and oak. That oak isn't charred however so the usual tannic tinge from other bourbons is absent. What a taste. Weller Single Barrel is soft, sweet and such an easy drink. Sweet cherries underwrite the the majority of the taste. The taste isn't cloying but then again, I've not known really any Wellers to be that extreme. Caramel and cocoa powder commandeer at mid taste as they fade into the finish. As that finish settles in a bit of baking spiciness pokes its head through, riding on the back of drier, more tannic oak and leather. You do still get some cherry in that finish but its a little more bitter sweet than bright and vibrant. Wow, you really do get the full gamut of flavors here. I hate that Weller has been so allocated that we're forced to fork out such high prices for offerings like this Single Barrel and CYPB. But the hype is justified ( not a popular opinion but oh well ). This one earns a rare 5 out of 5 for me because its complex, there are absolutely no harsh or jarring tastes or smells within this entire bourbon. Delicious in every way imaginable.

This is probably my favorite of the Weller that Ive tasted. Complex and smooth. Would love to compare to 12 directly sometime to see if that theory holds

The nose is very typical of Weller - oak, ripe fruit, vanilla, a touch of leather, all coming across as being very rich. The palate is light and fills the mouth with creamy oak, ripe fruit and a slight black pepper. It is slightly chewy, staying mostly to the back of the mouth. Its not overly deep or complicated, but how full it is is where it shines. The finish is long with a lingering pepper and creamy oak that can be coaxed out with a chew.

Tastes right after old firester birthday blend, so a tough act to follow. This was not as smooth as that, yet very smooth. A biiit harsh in the swallow, then very good warmth and aftertaste. Could drink every day