June 5, 2015

Review: William Larue Weller 2011 - And a sad day...

On Impermanence

Ever had something so perfect that it makes you a little sad? That long evening on the beach that you never want to end... Sitting on the deck with your family as the sun slowly dwindles in the sky... It's the impermanence that makes life both precious and sentimental. We've never really felt that way about a bottle of whiskey before, but drinking our last glass of the 2011 William Larue Weller was definitely bittersweet.

We picked up this bottle very early in our romance with bourbon, and it was the kind of "A-Ha!" moment that opened our eyes to just how awesome American whiskey could be. It instantly became that special bottle. The one that sat in the back row of our bar and only came out on rainy days. Rarely does a bottle make it three years here at SmokyBeast headquarters (we're much better at drinking them than saving them!), and so this one really deserves a special mention.




William Larue Weller 2011 (66.75%)

Nose:  Very warm, spicy, musky and vegetal nose.  Huge vanilla, brown butter, molasses, oak, warm and punchy wheat but also some distinct spiciness.  Then comes anise, tomatoes (never picked that up before in a bourbon!), fresh thyme, poblano peppers, and then it wraps up sweet and fruity like coconut cake.  Wildly awesome nose, that's super rich, buttery, alive, and just deep deep deep!

Palate:  No sweetness on the palate, but a wonderful rich body.  Warmth and spice continue with some tangy bbq sauce elements - mesquite smoke, mustard, black pepper, hints of vinegar & chiles.

Finish:  Wow this goes down smooth for the massive proof!  It's another warm and creeping finish that spreads slowly from the chest.  Sweetness comes back big time in the finish with molasses and honey cakes.  You'd be crazy to add water to this, even though it's close to hazmat percentage levels.


Sniff!  

Well all things come to an end, but this fallen soldier saw us through some amazing years.  It's a good thing we have one or two other special bottles waiting to be opened!

Here are all the details straight from the source at Buffalo Trace in case you're curious.  Needless to say if you get the chance to taste this beauty, don't miss out.



Cheers/SB

3 comments :

  1. That upside down bottle is the saddest thing I've seen all day, and I'm watching some sad AWS training presos

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    Replies
    1. Hahaha! might go well together... Wait, I didn't say that.

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