Every year around Thanksgiving, whiskey lovers start hunting for that one special bottle to crack open when the family’s gathered around the fire or the cards are on the table. This year, a lot of guys are going to reach for something they’ve never tried before: a 12-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon that spent extra time resting in pear brandy casks. The World Whiskey Society just dropped it as the final quarterly release of 2025, and it’s already creating serious buzz among collectors and everyday drinkers alike.
The World Whiskey Society isn’t your average whiskey club. Started back in 2020, these guys hunt down rare barrels from all corners of the planet, then either bottle them straight or give small batches of good American bourbon an unusual second life in exotic wood. Past releases have seen bourbon finished in Japanese Mizunara oak, tequila barrels, even wine casks from France. This time they went with pear brandy casks, and the result is something that smells and tastes like nothing else on most shelves.
Image credit: World Whiskey Society
Pour it in the glass and the first thing that hits you is peanut brittle and warm honeycomb. Right behind that comes a soft wave of pear nectar mixed with toffee. There’s a little light tea note and some deeper oak spice that keeps everything from getting too sweet. Take a sip and you’re greeted with ripe pear and caramelized nuts up front. The pear brandy influence lifts the whole thing, almost like the fruit is floating above the bourbon instead of fighting it. Golden honey, vanilla, and a hint of black tea roll through the middle, then it finishes long and smooth, leaving behind pear preserves, toasted oak, and one last memory of candied peanut brittle.
Alex Kogan, the founder of World Whiskey Society, summed it up pretty plainly: “For the fourth and final Society Subscription release of 2025, we selected a unique 12-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon finished in Pear Brandy Casks. This release is a perfect way to close out an incredible year, and we’re excited to share it with our World Whiskey community.”
It’s the kind of bourbon that feels fancy without being fussy. Rich enough to stand up to a good cigar, gentle enough to sip neat while you’re watching the game or telling old stories with buddies. The Southern candy-shop sweetness of a great Kentucky bourbon meets the clean, elegant fruit you’d expect from a top-notch pear brandy. It’s decadent, but it never crosses the line into cloying.
Here’s the catch: you can’t just walk into a store and grab it. This one is exclusive to World Whiskey Society members. New members and current subscribers get it shipped straight to the door. If you’re already in the club, it’s probably waiting on your porch right now. If you’re not, there’s still time to sign up before the holidays hit full swing.
Joining is simple. Basic Society Access is free and gets you first crack at limited releases and special offerings. The full Society Subscription runs $150 a quarter, and that’s what guarantees you get bottles like this pear-finished 12-year beauty delivered four times a year. A lot of members say the surprise of opening each new box is half the fun.
The World Whiskey Society has built its name on uniqueness. Whether it’s tracking down a forgotten Scottish cask, paying tribute to legends like Doc Holliday with special editions, or taking perfectly good Kentucky bourbon and giving it a twist no one else thought of, they keep raising the bar. The Classic Collection is great for weeknights, the Reserve Collection steps it up for weekends, and bottles like this pear brandy release land squarely in celebration territory.
Thanksgiving is next week. Christmas is right around the corner. If you’re the guy who likes bringing something to the table that makes everyone stop and say “now what the hell is THIS?”, the new 12-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Pear Brandy Casks might just be your move this year.
It’s limited. It’s different. And once your brother-in-law takes his first sip and starts asking where he can get more, you’ll be glad you locked one down while you still could.
