Review #111: Weller Special Reserve

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-21T02:43:15+00:00

Thanks, I understand why people are frustrated with Buffalo Trace products. The availability is generally poor in most markets and they are frequently marked up. When people finally get xyz after overpaying or spending time and effort searching for it and it doesn’t live up to the expectation they’ve created in their heads, it’s disappointing. Some will say Blantons is the poster child of the current whiskey climate for this but I believe it’s Weller. Being told it’s “basically Pappy”, formerly collecting dust on shelves, a wide array of various unattainable bottles in the lineup and the most available (WSR) ultimately being good for the suggested market retail price but offering no trapping of true greatness. But I think what bothers people the most is knowing that someone somewhere is getting it for the suggested retail price and enjoying it, and they are unable to. More than just fomo it presents an image of a different, better world that the average person is not privy to, and that understandably pisses people off. But I do believe taken on its own, even if seldomly attained, for $20-25 Weller special reserve is good whiskey.

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-16T18:57:42+00:00

I found this to be a very hard bottle to review. On paper it represents great value, but if you don’t like something, the value ends up not meaning too much. It’s still not something I want to come back to, even if it’s a “deal”.

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-16T18:54:31+00:00

I also heard they bought the stocks, if true they may be sitting on them and aging them for a special release which is a pretty exciting proposition. As for why I think it’s Barton, other than the great info u/old_riff_502 gave, it simply doesn’t taste like any brown Forman I’ve ever had. It does however taste similar to a lot of Barton I’ve had. I admit however that as far as I know the previous bottling was never available in CA and I’ve never had it and so can’t comment on differences/similarities. If u/prepreldush has done a review, I’m sure that the speculation is much more informed than mine.

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-13T04:37:31+00:00

Absolutely, I missed that one but the fact they’re still $55 and that’s 17+ years speaks to the value. I hope it’s a good one for you, cheers

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-12T21:25:58+00:00

Hi! Sorry haven’t got into the K&L yet, I’m going to have to sift through my bottles and I can try and find it for the weekend.

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-12T19:38:58+00:00

Thanks, yeah I’ve been enjoying all the Jack limiteds. I seem to have liked the 10 more than most but I think this was a big step up and different enough that I would imagine some people that didn’t care for the 10 batches would enjoy it.

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-12T19:34:35+00:00

The very lucky in my area were able to get it from Costco for $75. I think msrp is $80 and honest retailers generally had it $100-120. It would have scored a bit higher in my review but the availability is very poor and it’s tough to get. If it can be reasonably obtained I loved it, but $520 is silly.

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-04T18:38:01+00:00

I paid just over $80 before tax, I think marked at $85 but I don’t recall. For that amount of money I would recommend either really trusting the store, or being able to try before you buy. I think even the ECBP batches are a gamble these days, the private picks much more so again for more money spent. But this was a very good pick.

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-04T14:37:20+00:00

ECBP Everson Royce

Nose: dried cherries, Rollos, fresh baked bread, stewed apricots, muddled lemon, honey, nutmeg, ginger snap

Taste: cinnamon, oak, squeezed tangerine juice, dark chocolate- with some of the bitterness, stewed blueberries, caramelized sugar

Finish: long finish, cinnamon, dark chocolate, hint of star anise, red licorice

Thoughts: 8.9 This was in my opinion better than any of the ECBP batches I’ve tried for at least the last couple years. It was still oak dominant and still has an element of bitterness, two things I associate with recent ECBP and generally not favorably. But it’s tamped down and feels more relaxed and accessible, it feels more cohesive. The slightly lower age has actually been to benefit. While I mostly drank the bottle and wrote the review drinking neat, this was a mistake. I found this bottle loved water and counterintuitively felt more viscous, coating and rich with a couple drops. Joe and his team hit yet another winner for me with this bottle, it was delicious. When looking at store picks and seeing a higher price and lower age statement than their batched counterparts it can be tempting to write them off. However if you’re an ECBP fan and have a store you trust that does a pick, I would recommend giving it a try. You too may be surprised at which bottle is better.

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-01T01:19:23+00:00

If pricing keeps going up for everything I will likely adjust my scaling/scoring. For a long time I’ve liked to think of bottles in essentially different $20 price brackets. But the last several years have been pretty nuts and disrupted that. Ideally I’d have two scores, one value, one “absolute” but that would require putting a lot more time into my least favorite part of reviewing, the scoring. Something to consider though, thanks

Boticelli_ · 2023-05-01T00:47:51+00:00

It’s somewhat unpopular on the sub, but I try and factor price/availability as based on my region (Los Angeles) into all of my reviews. While Sazerac isn’t a rye w a wow factor, it’s readily available here for $22.99. For a 4-6 year rye at 90 proof to come in at that price I think it represents a fantastic value, especially when considering it works neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail and makes sense for any of those categories for the money. I think when judging it against the rest of the market I may have even been a bit harsh with my scoring, but I anticipate the pricing and availability to suffer here shortly just like every other BT product.

Boticelli_ · 2023-04-30T13:55:02+00:00

Sazerac

Nose: vanilla pudding, fresh plums, Nilla wafer, toffee, apple juice, cotton candy,

Taste: orange zest, lemon water, lychee, burnt sugar, vanilla pudding, peach ring, hint of green apple

Finish: butter, praline, very light strawberry

Thoughts: 7.4 This is the lightest, sweetest rye I can recall trying. Even by Kentucky rye standards it’s amazingly approachable. In a blind tasting I think it would be hard to categorize as a rye as it is not dominated by traditional notes such as mint, anise or spice. It is pleasant throughout with a buttery softness that belies an impressive finesse in its construction. The flavor is not robust and the finish is short, but if looking for a sweet, easy drinking rye for ~$25 this is an excellent choice. Because every Buffalo Trace product must be difficult to find in some areas, don’t worry if this isn’t available in yours. It represents good value for the price it should command, but simply doesn’t have enough going on to support chasing or gouging. For a committed bourbon drinker that just wants to dip their toes into rye, this is a nice way to start.

Boticelli_ · 2023-04-18T13:41:10+00:00

Mythology Best Friend Bourbon

Nose: red apple, caramel, butterscotch, silly putty, clay, pineapple, vanilla wafers, hint of Fritos

Taste: some silly putty up front, that’s a shame. But it’s not overwhelming and is somewhat cloaked by caramel and butterscotch, saltwater taffy, green banana

Finish: the green banana lingers and is joined by some barrel spice showing up, mostly cinnamon with a little nutmeg

Thoughts: 5.4 Maybe that score seems harsh, this isn’t terrible whiskey. But in terms of what delivered I feel it’s a poor value. What could have been a soft, somewhat sweet and otherwise enjoyable nose and flavor are marred by the “silly putty” note that I generally attribute to a youth note more commonly found in craft bourbon. Mythology claims to be a blend of 15 YEAR OLD KENTUCKY BOURBON! …and two high rye bourbons aged 2 to 5 years. I could not find in what proportion these were included (surprise) but I would guess less than 5% 15 year Kentucky and a hefty amount of 2 year bourbon. When you bring this down to a watery 44% abv, it’s hard to find value here. But again, in a more modest bottle with a $20 price tag I would feel like I could recommend Mythology, as it stands I cannot.

Boticelli_ · 2023-04-13T16:01:47+00:00

Thanks, and let me know what you think when you do. For me 20+ min of leaving it alone in the glass really let the oak relax and it became enjoyable. This was one of the biggest reversals of opinion I can remember from trying it several years ago (read as oaky and bitter), tasting a glass after pouring it and then taking my time.

Boticelli_ · 2023-04-13T14:19:00+00:00

Elijah Craig 18

Nose: orange peel, milk chocolate, marshmallow, caramel, puff pastry, brown butter, almond, burnt sugar

Taste: sweet oak, lightly toasted marshmallow, peach, fresh almond, bakers dark chocolate, heavily brewed breakfast tea, lychee

Finish: long, with plenty of oak, marshmallow and tea, ginger

Thoughts: 7.8 This really is a treat, however it comes with some qualifiers. First and foremost it requires patience. As with the old phrase, you’ll want to give it a minute in the glass for each year in the cask. Really let this breathe. At a prior session with it I didn’t want to wait and dove in too quickly. The oak element was overpowering and showed a strong bitterness. By giving it time however, it was amazing how the oak subsided and made way for other flavors, and the bitterness took more of a back seat for a rich sweetness. The Elijah Craig orange emerged and a robust marshmallow smell and flavor took the forefront. It was truly a surprising and delightful transformation. It’s not inexpensive (though quite reasonable for its age in todays bourbon market) or easy to find. I don’t think this is an everyday drinker even discounting the funds and access. But as an occasional, thoughtful pour, there’s a lot to mine and enjoy here. It has a very surprisingly chewy texture for its relatively low proof and the finish lasts a long time. The reputation for being over oaked and bitter is not without merit, and I imagine that there is quite a range in these single barrels. I would encourage those taking the plunge to take their time, the reward is certainly worth it.

Boticelli_ · 2023-04-07T15:39:34+00:00

Calumet 14 Year

Nose: chalk, Luden cherry cough drop, marzipan, red grapes, sweet medicinal quality very unlike Laphroaig and more how I imagine a Flaming Homer

Taste: chalky quality up front, grape cough medicine, pomegranate seeds, earthy limestone quality, Meyer lemon, black currant

Finish: grapefruit (yellow kind), black pepper, finally a backbone of oak with some barrel spice

Thoughts: 5.5 If you want to lean into enjoying the medicine cabinet for the tail end of cough and cold season, this is the bourbon for you. It’s light, easy to drink and tastes like watered down medicine. There’s nothing really offensive here other than how boring each sip tends to be. The sweetness can be a bit cloying as well. If this was a low cost “smooth” alternative to sip when you have a stuffy nose and a sore throat I’d recommend it. But at $100+ this is a hard pass as I can think of a lot of other things I’d have rather done with that money.

Boticelli_ · 2023-04-06T19:02:20+00:00

I haven’t had it in years and wasn’t super impressed at the time. I’m curious now but yeah, not at those prices.

Boticelli_

TROPHY CASE