Compare
W.L. Weller 12 Year vs David Nicholson Reserve
W.L. Weller 12 Year and David Nicholson Reserve sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus a sourced, classically built blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | W.L. Weller 12 Year | David Nicholson Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$70 – $180 | ~$30 – $40 ~$90 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- W.L. Weller 12 Year and David Nicholson Reserve do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
W.L. Weller 12 Year
No notes yet.
David Nicholson Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller 12 Year David Nicholson Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/6 spice: W.L. Weller 12 Year 2 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10
sweetness 8/5 sweetness: W.L. Weller 12 Year 8 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10
fruit 6/3 fruit: W.L. Weller 12 Year 6 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 5 out of 10
oak 7/6 oak: W.L. Weller 12 Year 7 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10, David Nicholson Reserve 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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.
- David Nicholson Reserve: The rye-recipe sibling to the 1843, with extra age. Toasty oak and rye spice give it more backbone, and the spice stays put through a long, warm finish.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with W.L. Weller 12 Year if you want age and elegance on a wheated mash, and you are willing to chase it.
- Go with David Nicholson Reserve if you want a toasty, spicy, 100-proof value bourbon that stands up in cocktails without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat (W.L. Weller 12 Year); old-fashioned, cocktails, rocks (David Nicholson Reserve).