The first whisky poured at the Oak Haven tasting was William Larue Weller 2018. WLW and George T. Stagg battle it out year after year for my top BTAC honors. While Weller wins every once in a while, Stagg is usually too good to beat. Tasting these two back to back was the perfect opportunity for me to determine the 2018 winner once and for all.
WLW 2018 is a 2006 vintage aged for 12 and a half years and bottled at 125.7 proof. This vintage came from 149 barrels of Buffalo Trace’s wheated mashbill whiskey. For all the details you could ever want about this particular release, check out all the tech specs straight from the source.
My tasting notes are below.
This is 2017 WLW, but you get the point.
William Larue Weller 2018 - 62.85% ABV
Category
Notes
Appearance
Dark Amber
Nose
Vanilla and caramel, soft wheat, cherries, fig, hint of fresh strawberry, creme brûlée.
Taste
Big fruit, creamy mouthfeel, vanilla, dried berries, maple syrup, toasted oak throughout
Finish
Fruit salad, nice layer of oak, fresh whipped cream, baking spice, hint of blackberry.
Overall Thoughts
A fruit forward WLW that still features plenty of spice and that classic Weller soft wheat. This one didn’t top 2016 or 2017 for me but I still enjoyed it throughly.
Chris Perugini is a bonafide whiskey nerd and isn't afraid to admit it. Chris has been completely immersed in whiskey for over a decade and brings a well-rounded appreciation for all styles of whiskey from around the world. As the creative force behind Single Malt Savvy, he regularly reviews new releases, writes in-depth articles about the whiskey industry, fosters meaningful whiskey discussion on social media, and curates private whiskey tastings for groups of all sizes across the US.
