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

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.

Reviewed by cinnamon.sparrow

Nose

lanolin, almond, creamed corn, toasty vanilla

Palate

heavily wheated, moderately sweet, cocoa, cedar, nuts, soft spices

Finish

smooth, balanced, gently toasty