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W.L. Weller 12 Year vs Ezra Brooks 99
W.L. Weller 12 Year and Ezra Brooks 99 sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus a blender-built, classically built bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | W.L. Weller 12 Year | Ezra Brooks 99 |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 99 proof (49.5% ABV) +9 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$70 – $180 | ~$22 – $28 ~$100 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- W.L. Weller 12 Year and Ezra Brooks 99 do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Ezra Brooks 99
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller 12 Year Ezra Brooks 99
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
fruit 6/2 fruit: W.L. Weller 12 Year 6 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 2 out of 10
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: W.L. Weller 12 Year 8 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 6 out of 10
spice 2/4 spice: W.L. Weller 12 Year 2 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 4 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: W.L. Weller 12 Year 7 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/5 nuttiness: W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10, Ezra Brooks 99 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Fruit character is what sets these apart.
- 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.
- Ezra Brooks 99: A high-proof value bottle from Lux Row. The nose is quiet, but the palate is bolder, with creamy caramel, brown sugar and a nutty, peanut-like edge.
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 Ezra Brooks 99 if you want a high-proof, nutty, caramel-forward everyday bourbon at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat (W.L. Weller 12 Year); rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Ezra Brooks 99).