William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon - 2022

VITALS:

- $120

- 124.7 Proof

- 12 years, 8 months

- 2022

- Kentucky

It's always weird writing reviews of products like the Pappy or BTAC lines. After all, it's not as though someone presented with the opportunity to purchase a bottle from either line at retails is going to say, "Hold on, let me check out reviews first." For the most part, anyone is going to simply buy.  So, writing a review doesn't make a whole lot of sense, as people are just going to come to their own conclusion anyway.

But, I've always maintained that I don't write these blog posts for that purpose. Rather, this has very much been my own personal journal of my whiskey journey for the past ten years (it's crazy that I've been doing this for ten years now!!).  So, while it's a foregone conclusion that yes, of course this good, and while nobody is consulting this page before making the decision to buy a 2022 William Larue Weller, I'm writing this up nonetheless for no other reason than that I finally finished my bottle!

On the nose the most immediate note I got was oak. The barrel certainly had a significant influence here. However, behind that I got all the traditional notes I've come to expect, with a good amount of rich caramel and vanilla, as well as a surprising amount of cinnamon spice. I don't typically get that much spice off a wheater, but I certainly did here. There was also a sort of a graham cracker or even a shortbread note that seemed to lurk in the background.

The flavor, again, was more spice forward than I expected. But that certainly wasn't a bad thing in my book. In fact, it provided a great blend of sweet and spice, as the caramel and vanilla notes were right up front, followed almost immediately by a cinnamon spice that seemed to coat the tongue and mouth. 

As that subsided, though, it gave way to many of the sweeter notes you'd expect. I definitely got a cherry note, like a maraschino cherry that gave off Old Fashioned vibes. At times that rich, dark fruit note leaned more towards chocolate covered raisins, and even seemed to bounce back and forth between the flavors.

As I got to the finish, the cinnamon note remained, though it wasn't strong. The cherry note continued, and the oak I was getting on the nose finally made its way through. But what really seemed to press forward on the finish was the rich vanilla note, which started small and by the time I swallowed each sip seemed to get big. That finish of vanilla, oak, cinnamon and cherry had me wanting more and more after each sip.

Again, you knew this would be good coming in, so the grade is no surprise. The only reason it didn't get the "A+" grade is I've had other W.L. Weller's that I feel like really knocked my socks off, moreso than this one. But make no mistake, I absolutely loved this bottle.

Grade: A

Weller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $28

- 90 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

I actually finished this bottle a couple weeks ago, but I held onto the empty while I debated whether or not to write this review. It just seems weird to me to just now review a whiskey that I've had hundreds of times before. This is not rare or hard to find. While it is loved by many, there's nothing overly special about it. And, as I mentioned, it's one that I've had more times than I can count.

I tend to use this blog as my own personal whiskey journal, allowing me to go back and recall which whiskies I've tried and what I thought about them. It seems unnecessary in this case. But, at the same time, I finished the bottle and I've never reviewed it before, so for the sake of having it officially logged in my journal, here I go with my review. 

The nose comes across as immediately sweet, kind of a brown sugar note as opposed to the typical caramel sweetness.  It also had a bit of an artificial cherry note, which is interesting as I don't typically get that off of Weller products. It also had a woody, almost cardboard note to it that wasn't necessarily off-putting, but was just familiar.

One reason that I don't often reach for Weller is that I tend to like a spicier bourbon. Being a wheated bourbon, Weller products tend to lean sweet, and Special Reserve is no different. It leads with that same brown sugar that I got on the nose, along with a sweet cinnamon note, almost like a cinnamon candy but without the spice.

Immediately behind that the sweet notes continued, as I got a light note of milk chocolate, as well as a bit of that cherry candy that I was getting on the nose. Neither of these notes hung around very long, though, which I'm sure is due in part to the low proof of this whiskey. There's certainly nothing bold here. 

The finish is very reflective of that, as the flavor is gone almost immediately after each swallow. What does linger are the brown sugar notes I got on the front end, as well as a light but sweet oak note.

This is an easy drinker for sure. It's on the sweeter end and it's low proof, which is why I often give it as a gift to my whiskey novice friends. For my taste, though, I want more spice and more heat, which is why I so often leave these on the shelf when I see them, knowing that there are others out there who enjoy finding a bottle much more than I do.

Grade: B-

Weller Full Proof Niche "Forrest Bondurant" Single Barrel Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $250

- 114 Proof

- NAS

- Kentucky

Alright, the first thing that needs to be noted here is the price. That is, in fact, the price I paid for this bottle.  That is, in fact, nowhere near retail price.  That said, I'm not mad at it. It's kind of a funny story how I came into getting this bottle.

Niche in Geneva, IL is a favorite local restaurant of mine, not only stocking a phenomenal whiskey selection, but boasting an incredible menu as well.  In the Summer of 2020, most restaurants in Illinois were shut down due to COVID, with staff and management alike all looking for work or trying to weather the storm. While I was on an isolated beachy vacation with my family, the owner of Niche posted that they had just gotten this barrel pick in and that 100% of the proceeds from the sale would go back to their staff.  So, wanting to make sure one of my favorite places remained just that, I jumped on the phone and reserved my bottle.  For better or worse, I didn't bother asking the price. 

So, once I got home from vacation, I excitedly drove over to Niche to pick up my bottle only to discover at that time the price I paid for it! Needless to say, my wife wasn't exactly thrilled.  As I said, though, I wasn't mad about it. I'm sure my money helped someone else out at a time when they needed it more than I did. And if it kept Niche the institution that it's always been, I was happy to provide some funding towards that as well. And, in any event, Niche has always had amazing barrel picks, and I was sure this one wouldn't disappoint in flavor.

The aroma out of the glass was soft and pastry like. It had sweet dough and cinnamon notes, reminding me very much of cinnamon rolls. It even had a sweet vanilla icing quality to it. That sweetness was balanced, however, by a nice oak note that provided just the slightest bit of bitterness to round things out.

On the palate I got loads of sweet, rich caramel and soft vanilla. That soft vanilla was kind of like a sweet cream, or perhaps melted vanilla ice cream, but not so sugary. That light cinnamon note from the nose came through, as did the pastry note, though it actually reminded me more of a waffle batter.  The sweets didn't stop there, though. I got a rich chocolate note along with a rich (yes I'm using that word a lot) salted caramel note that was like something you'd get from a chocolatier.  

The finish provided something new, something along the lines of Maraschino cherries. It had that cordial note to it, as those cherry notes mixed with the chocolate and cinnamon to provide, once again, a rich and sweet chocolate treat type note.

This was an absolutely delicious pour, and it drank well-below its proof. I'm not sad I didn't grab two for the price, but I'm so glad I at least grabbed this one. Not only did it help do well by others, but it tasted incredible!

Grade: A

Weller Full Proof Binny's Single Barrel Select Barrel #323 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $60

- 114 Proof

- NAS

- Barrel #323

- Kentucky

I have never been a Weller "fanboy." While I certainly do enjoy Weller products, I've never been one to chase after the 12 year, or even the Single Barrel or CYPB, for that matter. That said, for some reason I have loved Full Proof from day one. Perhaps that proof just does make that much of a different. Before Full Proof was a thing, I did prefer the Antique at 107 proof, so it does kind of make sense.

Binny's has had a number of private picks since the Weller Full Proof private barrel program started. I think they may be up to Batch #4 or #5 by now. But, that's just it.  Up until this bottle was released, they had all ben "Small Batch Select" bottlings.  This was the first "Single Barrel Select" Binny's pick, so I was very eager to try to get my hands on a bottle. Plus, I heard that this particular bottle was phenomenal, so the FOMO hit me hard on this one. Luckily for me that was a fear I never realized.  

On the nose I got a great combination of cinnamon liqueur, cherry and dark chocolate. It was sweet but not sweet all at once. In that sense it kind of reminded me of a cherry cordial, where any sweetness is balanced by the booziness of the liqueur and the bitterness of the dark chocolate.  There was also a distinct oak note on the nose, something I don't necessarily recall getting from a Weller Full Proof before. But, it was a sweet oak note, not the kind of tannic note you get from an over-aged bourbon.

The flavor, interestingly, seemed to go a slightly different direction. There I was immediately met with a rich caramel or toffee note that was paired with lush, dark fruit notes. I was getting blackberry and raisin, along with a sweet but lightly tart cherry note. It almost had a Cabernet to it (but did not at all taste like a wine-finished bourbon).

It also had a pastry like quality to it, bready and sweet. Perhaps like a sweet cinnamon roll or perhaps a cinnamon and chocolate chip muffin, but more just the top where it's sweeter. It had that slight yeast note to it, but it paired so well with the toffee and dark fruits as well as that cinnamon. So well, in fact, I would love to have it for breakfast.

The oak did show up on the finish, but again it was a sort of sweet, nutty oak, and not the tannic, drying oak that you sometimes get in old bourbons. The toffee and cinnamon, however, were the main event on the finish, and those flavors remained on my tongue and at the back of my throat seemingly forever.

I didn't want to finish this bottle, because I know once it was gone it was gone for good.  But, once I got down to just a few pours left, I just couldn't help myself, and next thing I knew it was gone. The early reviews on this bottle were dead on. This was a fantastic bourbon!

Grade: A

Weller Full Proof Binny's Small Batch Select Batch #3 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:

- $60

- 114 Proof

- NAS

- Batch #3

- Kentucky

The prevalence of private picks of cask strength whiskey is my absolute favorite outcome of the bourbon boom. With Buffalo Trace now offering Stagg Jr. and Weller Full Proof in their private barrel program, and Heaven Hill joining in with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, and with Wild Turkey and Four Roses having already been part of that high proof barrel picks pool, I've found I have more barrel strength or, at least, high proof bourbon on my shelves than anything else.

So far every single Weller Full Proof I've had I've absolutely loved. I find that interesting, because I'm not the biggest Weller person. I like a bit more spice than sweet, and Weller products certainly lean towards the sweeter side. Perhaps the extra kick of the full proof counters some of that sweetness, or at least adds some extra heat to the mix, giving me more balance.  Whatever it is, I'm a huge fan of this blue label.

The nose on this one was delicious!! It smelled like a bakery, with notes of cinnamon coffee cake. It also had great aromas of brown sugar and allspice. There was even a bit of chocolate and cola. There were also some dark fruits on the nose, like blackberry and something that reminded me of a cabernet.

When I took my first sip, my initial impression was that this was a fairly hot bourbon, both in spice and in alcohol burn. The alcohol burn certainly faded from that initial impression, but the loads of cinnamon that hit me right up front stayed there through the end of the bottle.

It also had a decent amount of yeast or bread notes, kind of like a hearty wheat bread. It didn't have that same coffee cake sweetness that I got off the nose. However, other notes came through to provide that sweetness, as well as a bunch of other delicious flavors. I got that chocolate I got on the nose, though not necessary the cola. There was a rich cherry note, as well as a walnut liqueur note, and by the end of the bottle I was getting a distinct cherry pie flavor, with the pie crust notes. In fact, this cherry pie note was predominant in the last few pours.

The finish was spicy, but more of a black pepper spice than a cinnamon spice. It also had a rich sweetness to the finish, almost like dulce de leche, that creamy caramel that lingers in your mouth forever.  Those cherry notes also came through a bit on the finish to brighten it up a bit.

Not surprisingly, the Weller Full Proof came through for me once again. This was an absolutely delicious pour!

Grade: A-

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+

Weller Antique 107 Binny's Small Batch Select Batch #4 Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $35
- 107 Proof
- NAS
- NCF
- Kentucky

A short while back a good friend of mine picked this bottle up for me. During this time I had a lot going on, and it was a really nice positive amongst a see of negative at the time. Did I mention he's a really good friend?

Weller Antique, which was once a regular shelfie, is now locked away in back rooms or displayed on shelves behind counters in nearly every store, either saved for their best customers or marked up beyond reason. The store picks seem to be even more sought after at this point, and so, as far as free bourbon goes, this is about as good as it gets!

While I've always preferred bourbon with rye as the tertiary grain, as far as wheated bourbons go, Weller Antique and Maker's Mark Cask Strength have always been my preference. This one had a nose that was a bit different from any previous Weller Antique I've had before. It had a very bready quality to it. It smelled sweet and reminded me a lot of graham cracker at first. At times I also got raisin notes, giving it a nice cinnamon raisin aroma as well. The nose was absolutely delicious on this one.

The flavor tended to match the nose, with cinnamon and raisin being the first to flavors I picked up. However, it wasn't quite as sweet as the nose. Rather, it had a spicier cinnamon note to it, as well as a distinct wood note that helped offset the sweetness. I still got that sweet, graham-crackery note to it as well.

As wheaters tend to be, though, this was still a sweeter bourbon. The sweetness really kicked in towards the middle of the palate, with a sugary and vanilla-like note, almost like cake frosting (which I love on graham crackers, by the way). It all seemed to work together for a sort of Frosted Flakes flavor.

The finish was very short-lived. It was sweet vanilla and corn notes, again taking me back to Frosted Flakes. But it was gone in an instant. I was actually surprised at the watery texture of this one, particularly given the proof and the fact that it's non-chill filtered. I guess those two things don't automatically mean you'll get an oily or buttery texture, as this one certainly came across a bit thin. This is about the only criticism I have for this pick, however.

Some buddies and I had this bottle among others for a whiskey tasting, including Weller Special Reserve, Weller 12 Year, Weller C.Y.P.B. and another private select single barrel. While the consensus favorite was the Weller 12 Year, this one got the nod from me. This was an excellent pick, and as I type this I sit here wishing I only had more.

Grade: A-

Getting Vertical With Weller

Bourbon Facebook groups have become quite a thing. All over Facebook you can find pages where people can discuss bourbon, share bottles they've find (with the ever-present crotch-shots!), swap samples, sell and trade bottles, and even run lotteries. While I enjoy lurking in these groups (my participation is pretty minimal), I find my personal version to be so much better. After all, I've got my own close group of friends that are also whiskey enthusiasts with whom I make frequent liquor store runs, share my successes and shortcomings in tracking down elusive bottles, texting tasting notes, and, of course, otherwise engaging in various levels of debauchery.

What's great about this group, though, is that it's all about sharing the wealth. A success for one person in the group is a success for all. The relationship that one of us builds with a store owner or manager inures to the benefit of all of us. And as a result, collectively we tend to have really good whiskey at our fingertips. In fact, one day at lunch, we realized the backlog of various Weller products we had among the group of us, and we realized that we had the makings of an almost-perfect Weller vertical. Being ones to share the wealth, we decided we'd give back to some of those aforementioned liquor store relationships. A relationship is, after all, a two-way street!

And so, it came to be that on a Tuesday evening, at Monk's Pub in downtown Chicago, one of our favorite lunch spots, we were able to host a nice vertical tasting of Weller (unfortunately everything but William Larue Weller, as none of us wanted to shell out the secondary coin necessary to make that happen--we were far from feeling shorted, though). Our line-up was:

• Weller Special Reserve
• Weller Antique Warehouse Liquors Single Barrel Select Barrel #399
• Weller Antique Binny's Small Batch Select Batch #4 NCF
• Weller 12 Year
• Weller C.Y.P.B.

Needless to say, even without the BTAC, it was a lineup we would never replicate again. We invited the guys from our local store, guys with whom we've come to appreciate just shooting the shit far more than their willingness to give us the head's up on new products or to hold back something we're after (though that is, obviously, incredibly appreciated!). It was the users and the dealers, all coming together to share an appreciation of good whiskey, and perhaps get a bit tipsy in the process, and we did it all without a single crotch-shot.

While I think we all enjoyed each pour, the overall consensus favorite was the Weller 12 Year.  Personally I preferred the Antique 107 Binny's Small Batch, but I was in the minority as far as picking a favorite. What was the most interesting, however, was that to a man everybody ranked the C.Y.P.B. last, behind not only the Antiques and the 12 Year, but even the Weller Special Reserve.  For all the hype that surrounds it, when put up against its brethren, it came across watery in texture, thin and fleeting in flavor, and overall unremarkable.

And so, towards the end of the evening, after the "official" tasting was completed, we found ourselves pouring the Weller 12 and the Antique Binny's Small Batch Select now that the pours were strictly for the purpose of enjoying ourselves and drinking what we wanted to drink while we continued to enjoy good food and good company.

By the end of it all, regardless of votes, regardless of hype and regardless of value or cost, what we all had was a great time of bullshitting, ball-busting and some of that good, old-fashioned debauchery, all while enjoying some really good whiskey. And that's what it's all about!!

Weller Antique 107 Binny's Private Selection Batch 3 (NCF) Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $26
- 107 Proof
- NAS
- Region: Kentucky

Weller products have developed a sort of demand that I never thought I'd see. It's gotten to the point that even Weller Special Reserve, previously a low-mid shelfer, is now high in demand, low in availability, and commanding prices on the secondary that are borderline absurd. So, while a few years ago I might not have been so eager to get my hands on a bottle like this, when the opportunity presented itself a few months back, I found myself not thinking twice about grabbing a private select, non-chill filtered Weller Antique.

Don't get me wrong, I happen to like Weller Antique. While I tend to favor high-rye bourbons over wheaters, this one has always been one of my favorites. And the price is an absolute steal for any Weller private selection.  I'm more or less just commenting on the fact that not too long ago this would have just been another decent find, not some special bottle they kept in the back.

The best part about getting it at retail, though, is it makes it really easy to crack it open and drink it as an every day pour, and so I did! The nose on this is very good. It's a mix of cinnamon and a slightly sweet cereal. I couldn't help but think of Life cereal. I also noticed a nice caramel scent on the nose. It certainly smelled sweet, but not cloyingly so.

Its flavor matched that light sweetness, too.  It was primarily vanilla and caramel, with a light amount of heat to balance out that sweetness. It also had a slight anise flavor that added a bit of a tang somewhere right in the middle.

The sweetness on this lingered for quite a while, leaving me smacking my lips and looking forward to each next sip. And yet it was never too sweet.  It even seemed to develop a sort of a sweet coffee flavor, like a caramel machiatto.  Not one of those super-sweet Starbucks kind, but a real caramel machiatto that is somewhat sweet, but also roasty and bitter. It was a nice touch on the back end that gave it a sort of richness and complexity that made it more than just a sweet wheated bourbon.

This was very tasty and incredibly easy to drink.  Perhaps too easy.  I found myself getting to the bottom of this bottle more quickly than I had intended.  But I just couldn't help but keep going back to this one. It was just that good! And the price gave me no regrets!

Grade: A

W.L. Weller 12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

VITALS:
- $65 (1.75 Liters)
- 90 Proof
- 12 Years

This bottle was something that I really just fell into. While shopping at one of my local stores, someone else came in asking for some Elmer T. Lee. The clerk looked it up and learned that they had six bottles in back. Overhearing this conversation, I asked him to grab one for me as well. After the other customer left, this clerk then let me know of other bottles just sitting in back and not yet out on the shelves, including a 1.75 Weller 12, available at retail, nonetheless. So, while I was not seeking it out, it nonetheless came home with me.

I haven't purchased a "handle" of booze since my college days, and for some reason this one seemed to last a lot longer than I recall them lasting back then. Granted those were usually handles of Captain Morgan, so I wasn't exactly taking my time to enjoy them.

Weller 12 has become quite the rarity, these days, even a collectible. I can't tell you how many "crotch-shots" I've seen online of someone with a bourbon brag over a bottle of Weller 12 they just located. Obviously much of this stems from comparisons to Pappy, though having never had Pappy, I've got no frame of reference here. I can only compare to other wheated bourbons that I've tried, and I must say, this stacks up with the best of them.

The nose is delicious! It's heavy on the vanilla, with a certain earthiness to it, kind of a blend of leather and wood. It all balanced very well, and it smelled so good I wanted to snort it (though I ultimately thought better of it).

The bourbon itself is very drinkable neat. It's not thick or oily in texture, but rather on the watery side. Nonetheless, it has a rich sweetness to it that gives it strong character and allows it to hold up nonetheless. It is very vanilla forward, with a very mild cinnamon spice undertone. I also got a decent amount of oakiness to it, however, it did not have any of that dry bite that older bourbons so frequently get.

There was a sweet tang to it as well. I couldn't quite place my tongue on it, but it reminded me of that bit of tang you get from the crème of tartar in snickerdoodle cookies (one of my favorite cookies!). In fact, overall this bourbon reminded me a lot of snickerdoodles . . . and graham crackers. Snickerdoodle graham crackers! (Someone needs to make those!)

This was an excellent after-dinner pour. In addition to the sweetness, it also had the right amount of burn--actually more than I expected given its proof--that, although it may have just been a placebo, felt like it really helped me digest whatever I just ate. Additionally, this bourbon picked up greater sweetness over time. The last few pours were genuinely dessert-like, with the sweet vanilla completely overtaking any burn, spice or underlying wood tones. There was also a lot of sweet tobacco towards the finish which, with the heavy vanilla, was delicious. I liked it at first, and I REALLY liked it at the end.

I'm not sure if the hype is real or not, and I'm not certain that the secondary prices are worth it. However, at retail, this is an excellent bourbon for the cost, and I wouldn't hesitate at all to grab it again, even if it did take a while to get through the big bottle!

Grade: B+

Old Weller Antique Kentucky Straight Bourbon

There has been a lot of hype around Weller 12 year, frequently referred to and promoted as the "Poor Man's Pappy."  Accordingly, with all the hype, the availability of Weller 12 has gone down and the price has gone up (although its availability has seen a relative surge recently).

Yet, Old Weller Antique (OWA) remains readily available and at a good price (not to mention a good proof at 107!!).  I grabbed a bottle of OWA to keep at my second office (another office where I frequently camp out when I don't want to head downtown).  So, It has taken me a very long time to finally make my way through this bottle.  It also explains the decorative cork board backdrop in the photo.

This made for a great at-work bottle, however.  I only found myself cracking into it after particularly long days, and OWA delivered each time.

It has a strong alcohol burn due to the high proof, and it has a spicy kick to it as well.  But, it's a wheater, so it also has that soft, graininess to it as well that provides an interesting dichotomy.

OWA keeps to the traditional caramel and vanilla flavors, though, and it makes for a very good, every day sipper.  Aside from the traditional notes, though, I couldn't help but notice a distinct apple flavor, something that really sets this bourbon aside from others.

After the bottle was open for a while, I expected it to smooth out a bit, but it didn't.  If anything, it became drier and a bit harsher on the throat.  It also took on an up-front citrus note that I wasn't expecting.  The caramel notes tended to transform to a more molasses meets licorice flavor as well.  It was one of those flavors where I just couldn't decide if I liked it or not.

All in all, this is not an overly complex bourbon, but I would still consider it more of a sipper than anything.  I wouldn't hesitate to go back to OWA in situations where my choices are otherwise limited.

Grade: B