W.L. Weller 12 Year Old, 2012, 45%

teacupkoi10 Oct

The strongest appeal here is the balance between moderate sweetness and the darker notes of cocoa, cedar and nuts. Soft spices add another point of contrast, while toasty vanilla on the nose connects naturally with the gently toasty finish. The heavily wheated character gives the description a clear direction, but it is the way the sweeter and toastier details sit alongside those drier notes that feels most compelling to me. A composed, appealing bourbon character.

inkwell.tram19 Sept

The cocoa, nuts and soft spices sound like a pleasant counterpoint to the moderate sweetness. I like the smooth, balanced, gently toasty finish described here.

The appeal here is the way moderate sweetness gives the soft spices room to register without making them the whole story. Toasty vanilla on the nose sits alongside almond, lanolin and creamed corn, making the opening more varied than a simple vanilla impression. On the palate, cocoa and nuts sit alongside cedar, giving the heavily wheated character a little more variety. I generally look for a clearer spice contrast, so the restraint of the spice is both this bourbon’s charm and a small limitation for my taste. Still, the smooth, balanced, gently toasty finish suits that measured approach. It’s a considered combination of sweetness and spice, even if the spice stays quieter than I would prefer.