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W.L. Weller 12 Year vs Yellowstone Select
W.L. Weller 12 Year and Yellowstone Select 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 | Yellowstone Select |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Age | 12 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 93 proof (46.5% ABV) +3 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$70 – $180 | ~$40 – $50 ~$80 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- W.L. Weller 12 Year and Yellowstone Select do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Yellowstone Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller 12 Year Yellowstone Select
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 8/6 sweetness: W.L. Weller 12 Year 8 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 6 out of 10
spice 2/4 spice: W.L. Weller 12 Year 2 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 4 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: W.L. Weller 12 Year 7 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 5 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: W.L. Weller 12 Year 6 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/2 nuttiness: W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 2 out of 10
heat 3/3 heat: W.L. Weller 12 Year 3 out of 10, Yellowstone Select 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Sweetness is where these two part ways.
- 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.
- Yellowstone Select: A revived historic brand from Limestone Branch. Light and creamy, with toasted oak, vanilla and peach and a short, peppery finish. Part of the proceeds support Yellowstone National Park.
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 Yellowstone Select if you want a light, creamy everyday sipper with a historic name at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat (W.L. Weller 12 Year); rocks, highball, old-fashioned (Yellowstone Select).