Weller Full Proof Binny's Small Batch Select Batch #1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $50
- 114 Proof
- NAS
- Batch #1
- Kentucky

Despite that I'm not a huge fan of wheaters (I like them just fine, I just lean more towards the spicy side), I was really excited when Buffalo Trace announced that they were releasing a full proof Weller. Though perhaps not always the rule, for me higher proof generally equals better. So why not a full proof Weller?

And then when I learned that it would be part of their private select program . . . all the better!!  A couple stores near me got full proof picks in early on, and they sold out nearly immediately. But, I was able to get my hands on the Binny's pick, and had my chance to give the new Full Proof a ride.

The nose was all sweet cinnamon and bread. In fact, it also had a bit of a raisin note, making me want to just toast it up, spread some butter on it and have it for breakfast. It really had a cinnamon raisin bread note going on. I also got a bit of sweetness, with hints of honey and sweet malty notes.  Throughout, however, that cinnamon bread note dominated, and it just smelled like a bakery on a Sunday morning.

The flavor was definitely on the sweeter side, as I got some rich molasses notes, along with a touch of honey and a decent amount of vanilla. But, it had its fair share of spice as well. I got kind of a cinnamon candy flavor, like the cinnamon jolly ranchers (which I love!).

The flavor was very rich and complex. The molasses flavor at times leaned more toward a maple syrup note (again . . . breakfast). At times I even got oatmeal raisin cookie notes, which is not inconsistent with everything else I was getting. The maple syrup was even stronger on the last few pours from the bottle.  I also got hints of orange at times, as well as a healthy dose of caramel and brown sugar, reminiscent of orange muffins.  Seriously, I just kept getting reminded of breakfast pastries and baked goods throughout this bottle.

The finish was incredibly long. This bourbon had a nice, silky mouthfeel that just did not seem to go away. It coated my mouth in all of the delicious flavors noted above and made them just linger there long after each pour.

All in all, this was a great bourbon. When I first poured it, I absolutely loved it and thought it was great. By the last few pours, I had decided that this is probably one of my favorite bourbons I've had in a really long time. It had the right blend of spicy and sweet. It reminded me of sweet baked goods, but never came across as overly sweet. Rather, it was just a bourbon I felt I could enjoy any time of the day! It's a shame this one is not around any more, because I'd like about five more of them!

Grade: A+