Weller 12 year old Black Label Bourbon

[chief38]

I might have posted a thread about the Weller Black Label 12 year old Bourbon a while ago, but I just got a new gift and very exited! After enjoying the hell out of the bottle my friend brought over to my house for dinner a while ago, he promised me a bottle of my own. He told me you can't actually find it anywhere locally and online it sells for between $400 and $700 bucks. He gets it when he travels to KY but has told me the last few trips he came up empty.

Well....... guess what I got just recently! I believe it can be gotten in KY for about half the price it sells for online, but that's still a steep investment IMHO!! That said, I truly appreciate it, I will sip it slowly and enjoy his bottle as well!! Is it the best Bourbon I have ever had? Maybe. There are many I like almost as well and maybe one or two even better. BTW, the Weller Red Label (Antique) is actually almost 1/2 the price and sometimes I like it as much as and even a tad more than the black label - depends on my mood.

I find that with bourbon the higher is sells for the more diminishing the return on flavor. In other words there are many Bourbons that typically sell for $60-$80 dollars that are outstanding and much better than most of the $25 - $40 Bourbons but I have found that once in the $100+ range the return is again, diminishing. I am saving the bottle for when he and is wife come over for dinner - that is the least I can do!

 

[chief38]

BTW, on a Bourbon tasting dinner a few months ago I got to sample a newcomer - Traveler's which I though was pretty darn good. I knew nothing about it at the time of the tasting, but when I went into the Liquor store to buy a bottle that they did say they had in stock, I could not find it! When I asked the lady to show me where it was, she complied - but it was not in the Bourbon isle. Apparently even though we were at a Bourbon tasting, they slipped this one in - lol. It tastes just like a Bourbon however because it contains less than 51% corn in the mash, it can not legally be called a bourbon. It is called American Whiskey. For the price tag of $35 bucks it is worth buying and tastes great!

 

[Bald1]

Isn’t Traveller associated with Buffalo Trace, someway somehow ?

 

[chief38]

Isn’t Traveller associated with Buffalo Trace, someway somehow ?

Yes - and the bourbon tasting was sponsored by Buffalo Trace at a local restaurant. They served us Blanton's, Buffalo trace, Eagle Rare, 1792 and the Traveler's. That said, I did not know at the time the Traveler's was not officially a bourbon. Sure tastes lije one to me.

 

[RSBH44]

Weller 12 is outstanding stuff but unfortunately it’s usually only found on the secondary market up north here for way more than I’m willing to spend.
I recently went to a Bourbon tasting event at my go to bottle shop that was featuring a store barrel pick from Augusta Distillery. Buckners 10 yr. and 8 yr. Old Rt.8 . Both were cask strength bourbons and Very tasty !

 

[Bald1]

Yes, the percentage of corn and what state it’s made in can be a little silly sometimes.

 

[RSBH44]

Yes, the percentage of corn and what state it’s made in can be a little silly sometimes.

Bourbon can be made in any state , as long as it meets the mashbill requirements.

 

[lihpster]

In Oregon, the Weller Antique 7 year old goes for $60. The black label is not available. However, the Weller Millenium is available at only $7500.00 per bottle. I'm willing to bet it's not $7440 better than the 7 year old stuff.

 

[chief38]

Bourbon can be made in any state , as long as it meets the mashbill requirements.

I like Widow Jane and it is "built" in Brooklyn NY. I guess they buy the bourbon from KY and then blend it to their own formula in Brooklyn. At $70 for a 750 ml bottle it's interesting but not worth the money IMHO as there are better Bourbons to choose from at that price point. Plus to be honest, after being born, raised and lived there for most of my life, I have finally washed the "stink" off and never want to "return".

I have also tried Bourbon from PA, Wiggle to be exact. HORRIBLE!!! So yes, Bourbon need not come from KY, but most of the better ones are from there.

IMHO while certainly not the best bourbon I have ever had, Elijah Craig for $26.95 / 750ml is about the best bang for the buck I know of. Can't think of a single one that good for $27 bucks. 1792 isn't bad and even less $$, but not a premium pour.

 

[chief38]

In Oregon, the Weller Antique 7 year old goes for $60. The black label is not available. However, the Weller Millenium is available at only $7500.00 per bottle. I'm willing to bet it's not $7440 better than the 7 year old stuff.

Well Sir, send some my way!! lol Are you SURE it's the red label?? That seems incredibly inexpensive!

 

[lihpster]

Check for yourself. Oregon keeps a searchable online database of their alcohol for sale. Price reflects a price controlled state.

Find Liquor In Oregon | Oregon Liquor Search

Find your favorite distilled spirit and the liquor stores that carry it. Search by brand, a distilled spirits category such as vodka or cognac, or by store.

www.oregonliquorsearch.com

 

[chief38]

Check for yourself. Oregon keeps a searchable online database of their alcohol for sale. Price reflects a price controlled state.

Find Liquor In Oregon | Oregon Liquor Search

Find your favorite distilled spirit and the liquor stores that carry it. Search by brand, a distilled spirits category such as vodka or cognac, or by store.

www.oregonliquorsearch.com

The website would not let me connect.

 

[lihpster]

The website would not let me connect.

Huh. That's weird. try this:

http://www.oregonliquorsearch.com/servlet/FrontController?view=browsesubcategories&action=select&productRowNum=1257&columnParam=Description&itemCode=8722B&newItemCode=99900872275

 

[lihpster]

Or this:

 

[RSBH44]

Well Sir, send some my way!! lol Are you SURE it's the red label?? That seems incredibly inexpensive!

Check for yourself. Oregon keeps a searchable online database of their alcohol for sale. Price reflects a price controlled state.

Find Liquor In Oregon | Oregon Liquor Search

Find your favorite distilled spirit and the liquor stores that carry it. Search by brand, a distilled spirits category such as vodka or cognac, or by store.

www.oregonliquorsearch.com

Yup, There are several price controlled states where you can get Weller and other semi hard to get elsewhere bourbons at MSRP. The problem, the state run stores don’t get a ton of the stuff and what they do get is first come first served. However this is not the first time that I have heard of the other Weller products selling for normal MSRP.

 

[RSBH44]

I like Widow Jane and it is "built" in Brooklyn NY. I guess they buy the bourbon from KY and then blend it to their own formula in Brooklyn. At $70 for a 750 ml bottle it's interesting but not worth the money IMHO as there are better Bourbons to choose from at that price point. Plus to be honest, after being born, raised and lived there for most of my life, I have finally washed the "stink" off and never want to "return".

I have also tried Bourbon from PA, Wiggle to be exact. HORRIBLE!!! So yes, Bourbon need not come from KY, but most of the better ones are from there.

IMHO while certainly not the best bourbon I have ever had, Elijah Craig for $26.95 / 750ml is about the best bang for the buck I know of. Can't think of a single one that good for $27 bucks. 1792 isn't bad and even less $$, but not a premium pour.

There are a Lot of Bourbon companies that do nothing but blend or finish sourced bourbon. MGP is just one of many. I’ve had bourbon distilled in Washington State, Tennessee , and Indiana just to name a couple that was excellent and well worth the price point, which is not all that expensive.

 

[chief38]

Or this:
View attachment 765615

That's a great price for the Red (Antique)! I wonder what the Black 12 year old costs.... Thanks for posting!!

 

[chief38]

BTW, I am (right this moment ) sipping on a Michter's waiting for the Wifie to get home with the Chinese take out we get once a week. Pretty darn good as well! I found this bottle in the back of my liquor cabinet 2 weeks ago when reorganizing it. We always have people in my home and when they help clean up they put the bourbon back wherever they find an empty spot - - - and there are really no spots left so sometimes stuff gets shoved to the back of the cabinet. It's actually kind of exiting to find something you forgot about. lol!

 

[chief38]

Huh. That's weird. try this:

http://www.oregonliquorsearch.com/servlet/FrontController?view=browsesubcategories&action=select&productRowNum=1257&columnParam=Description&itemCode=8722B&newItemCode=99900872275

NOPE! Says "proxy Error". Maybe not available out of State??

 

[lihpster]

NOPE! Says "proxy Error". Maybe not available out of State??

Might be. Don't know.