Dark brown sugar | Wet stone | Grassy | Burnt sugar over vanilla custard | Earthy | Complexity becomes apparent the longer it sits

Holiday spices | Mulling spice | Clove | Cinnamon | Proof shines through

Cinnamon | Clove | Stewed dark fruit | Touch of smoke | Well integrated oak

Coming in at 2 months younger, but 9 proof points higher than last year’s release, William Larue Weller returns to familiar territory. That shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone familiar with the brand, as it is one of the most consistent releases in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection - though this year’s release isn’t without some of its own differences.

The biggest deviation for William Larue Weller this year is apparent in its nose. Its aroma has a noticeable earthy tone to it which manifests scents of wet stone and grass. It’s far from an overly dramatic shift, though it's a nice change of pace that shows the brand in a slightly different light. A scent of dark brown sugar is present as usual, though it's entwined with burnt sugar over vanilla custard. It’s every bit as rich and enjoyable as William Larue Weller has become known for, and few wheated bourbons can match it pound for pound.

The palate is again anchored by dark spices, but instead of stewed fruits on the palate, holiday and mulling spices take the lead. It’s a very dark and robust mixture that is heavily enriched by additional notes of clove and cinnamon (though less cinnamon than usual).

Finally, the bourbon ends with a pronounced clove note which brings with it a touch of smoke, which isn’t a common note found in William Larue Weller. This is when the brand’s traditional stewed fruits return, ending the bourbon in familiar and effective territory.

Overall, it's another great showing for William Larue Weller. The slight deviation this year’s edition provides is a welcomed one, though the inclusion of earthiness, clove, and light smoke won’t necessarily be for everyone. This year also saw the release of the excellent Larceny Barrel Proof Batch B523, which doesn’t have the punch that William Larue Weller has, but is still very flavorful and an all around better balanced barrel proof wheated bourbon. William Larue Weller continues to shine in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, though with increased competition, its reign as the king of wheated bourbons is being contested.