William Larue Weller Bourbon (Fall 2014)

Color: Deep, dark russet, with the consistency of molasses syrup & reduced dark chocolate. Nose: The most stunning wheated nose I've ever encountered; peaches, nectarines, blood oranges, strawberries, on the verge of bursting, drenched in caramel, combined with incredibly prominent and crystal clear wheat notes – rich, complex, and in high definition, not grainy whatsoever. The pun is intended. Rich caramel emerges from the fruit as your glass opens, revealing cinnamon roll dough and caramel-coated green apples fresh from the oven…then some chocolate-covered strawberries. Notes of cinnamon-dusted rich oak and baking spices are perfectly balanced by the caramel and fruit flavors. Old, well-polished dark mahogany furniture. One could spend a good hour just exploring this nose. It literally evolves continuously…melted butter on fresh bread crust with granulated cane sugar sprinkled on top, and a Cheerios cereal note is present. Drizzle all over that a generous amount of honey. Sweet, damp cigar humidor scents reach your nose towards the end, along with some horse saddle, undoubtedly polished with whatever was used for the mahogany furniture, and the scent of an old, dry barn nearby is charming. There's no escaping the alcohol vapors at 140.2 proof, so approach with caution. You'll detect a slight but sweet layer of paint thinner towards the middle to back of the nose with hints of vanilla shooting through, but all of that is beneath a blueberry reduction. The sweet baking spices keep reappearing…the kind my mother uses during the holidays for baking, their aroma fills the entire house, just as they are filling my glass right now. These spices do, however, contend with those found in the most richly scented old-fashioned candy shops. Chocolate apricots offer a warm farewell. Palate: From the moment it touches your tongue, deep rich baking spices explode: crushed cinnamon stick, prominent clove, and red, woody cedar spices. More caramel from the nose with dark mocha and even darker chocolate, but less fruit initially. Wheat from the nose reappears, and significantly so – the clearest wheat I've ever tasted in a bourbon. There's a substantial alcohol intensity that begins halfway through the sip but can be lessened by simply letting the glass sit for a while before drinking. Dense, thick crushed black peppercorns and molten, melting Demerara sugars vie for attention on your tongue, while a lemon note brightly asserts itself. There's a profound sense of oak wood, almost toasted oak with tannins exhibiting a flamboyant depth of dryness but still remaining balanced – not an overbearing oak presence like an Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Savory swirls of hickory exhale from your palate, leading you into the finish. An incredibly oily mouthfeel, coating every microscopic part of your mouth, leaving no taste bud untouched. Truly rich and almost beyond description. Finish: Decadent and long. Unsalted, old-fashioned popcorn (not from a microwaveable bag). Black coffee and bitter barrel char – the typical elements of a “Hazmat” proof bourbon. Sweet pipe tobacco and some moist cigar as well. It's unbelievable how long and rich this finish is…speaking of cigars, there's no doubt this is the kind of bourbon Pappy Van Winkle would have enjoyed alongside his stogie. Hickory smoke, dry tannins, and wood polish notes lead into the sweeter end of the finish, which consists of Pizzelle cookie dough, bubble gum fading to wintergreen gum, dark melted chocolate, finely grated crushed nuts, red smoked cedar wood, crushed cinnamon, and prominent nutmeg. Smoky once more on its final moments, but not in the scotch sense…more from the preceding dark chocolate melting for the fresh strawberry note that offers a final goodbye. Bourbon and House Rating: 98.5 www.bourbonandhouse.com

This is a 97, not a 90! Potentially the finest bourbon I've ever experienced. The 2013 and 2015 expressions are good, but they don't reach the level established by the '14! The nose is dominated by molasses and black cherry. Leather and clove are subtly present. The taste is remarkably intricate, with numerous flavors transitioning. Oak and fruitcake vie for dominance before yielding to brown sugar and tangerine. A touch of cinnamon heat. Each sip reveals new tastes and surprises as flavors emerge and combine. Absolutely astonishing! The finish is lengthy and warm. Spice tingles the teeth and gums while the full flavor lingers. This potent spirit should be savored neat, though a small amount of water might be acceptable for some.

An exceptional, flavorful, and smooth wheated bourbon for its high proof. Nose: Cherries, Pecan, Vanilla, Bananas, Brown Sugar, Oranges, Leather, Tobacco, Strawberries, Cotton Candy, Walnuts, Almonds, Nutmeg, Maple Syrup Palate: Vanilla, Cherries, Oranges, Pineapples, Mangoes, Apricots, Toffee, Brown Sugar, Milk Chocolate, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Almonds, Pecans, Coffee Finish: Dark Chocolate, Caramel, Cherries, Tobacco, Cloves, Leather, Oak, Baking Spices, Nutmeg, Brown Butter, Coffee

Smooth and sweet, with vanilla and caramel notes, a light baking spice finish, not drying, with a long finish.

Very rich and smooth. The person who mentioned leather should go lick a cow instead.

Caramelized marshmallows Mixed fruit Smoked brisket crust Cherries Wood spice