Compare
David Nicholson 1843 vs W.L. Weller 12 Year
Comparing David Nicholson 1843 and W.L. Weller 12 Year is a closer contest than it looks — both are wheated bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$25 – $35 vs. ~$70 – $180).
Key Specifications
| Feature | David Nicholson 1843 | W.L. Weller 12 Year |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | 12 years |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$25 – $35 ~$95 less | ~$70 – $180 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- David Nicholson 1843 and W.L. Weller 12 Year do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
David Nicholson 1843
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
W.L. Weller 12 Year
No notes yet.
Flavor Profile
David Nicholson 1843 W.L. Weller 12 Year
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 4/7 oak: David Nicholson 1843 4 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 7 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: David Nicholson 1843 4 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 6 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: David Nicholson 1843 5 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: David Nicholson 1843 7 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 8 out of 10
spice 3/2 spice: David Nicholson 1843 3 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 2 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: David Nicholson 1843 3 out of 10, W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- David Nicholson 1843: A long-running wheated label at 100 proof. Smooth vanilla and caramel with a soft, bready body and a touch more spice than you would expect from a wheater.
- W.L. Weller 12 Year: Twelve years on a wheated mash at a modest 90 proof, which is the combination that made this bottle famous. Deep caramel and baked fruit with polished rather than aggressive oak — the closest widely-discussed analogue to the Pappy profile.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with David Nicholson 1843 if you want a smooth, 100-proof wheater with a long history at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
- Go with W.L. Weller 12 Year if you want age and elegance on a wheated mash, and you are willing to chase it.
Best enjoyed rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (David Nicholson 1843); neat (W.L. Weller 12 Year).