The bourbon world is vast and complex, with many excellent whiskeys. W.L. Weller Special Reserve is a high-quality and premium bourbon. Weller is one of the most expensive bourbons. Furthermore, It has also won numerous awards for its flavour and comes from one of the world’s oldest distilleries. Moreover, people love to enjoy it on different occasions such as birthday parties or festivals.
History of Weller Special Reserve!!
Buffalo Trace Distillery manufactures Weller Reserve bourbon. The bourbon got its name after William Larue Weller (1825-1899), a distiller in Kentucky’s early days.
He was the first to make straight bourbon with wheat instead of rye in the mash bill. Moreover, in 1849, the wheat bourbon was created.
Weller Reserve’s mash bill includes wheat, corn, and rye. Moreover, They preserve whiskey in new American white oak barrels for seven to eight years for better ageing. Weller Reserve comes in two varieties, and both of them are different from one another.
What’s the price?
Weller bourbon is an excellent brand for its affordable price; however, some people still feel that it’s out of their budget, and they can only have it occasionally because it’s a bit expensive. Weller’s flagship bourbon is easily available in local liquor stores in almost every part of the United States for as little as $59. However, Weller’s other expressions are more expensive. The Weller 12-Year, for example, costs at least $300. While this may be out of reach for some customers, remember that Weller bourbon is a premium product made with high-quality ingredients.
Furthermore, The preservation time for Weller 12 Year is for a minimum of twelve years, resulting in a complex flavour profile that is well worth the price. For those looking for a less expensive option, the Special Reserve is typically costs around $79.99 and has a flavour similar to the flagship bourbon.
The Weller Antique 107 costs around $130 to $140. Moreover, It’s also a heated bourbon, similar to the original.
Awards!!
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition awarded a 2017 Double Gold medal to William Larue Weller’s 2016 release from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.
Moving further, at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, Old Weller Antique 107 was awarded a Gold Medal. Afterwards, this award will help them increase their sales and revenue in the forthcoming years.
Furthermore, there are many other awards as well, such as
- Extraordinary Recommendation and
- The International Wine & Spirits Competition is an Outstanding Silver medal.
- The Second Finest Whisky in the World by Jim Murray.
- Silver Outstanding medal in 2016, And many other awards.
Why is Weller Special Reserve expensive?
The whiskey is made with a wheat recipe, which gives it a distinct flavour profile prized by bourbon connoisseurs. While Buffalo Trace produces several other wheat bourbons, including Pappy Van Winkle, Weller Special Reserve is the only mass-produced one. And because of this, we consider it one of the unique bourbons in the market, and the scarcity contributes to the high price. Furthermore, Buffalo Trace ages Weller Special Reserve in high-quality barrels, which adds to the cost.
Collection!!
Buffalo Trace produces the Weller line bourbons, which include several expressions such as the Special Reserve, Antique 107, Single Barrel, Full Proof, and 12 Year.
The bourbons in the Weller line are all non-chill filtered and bottled at between 90 and 114 proof. Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection includes the William Larue Weller expression, which is the only one that is not a wheat bourbon.
Additionally, after maturing in a cask, it is bottled at barrel proof, which means that water has not been added to dilute it.
These bourbons all use wheat rather than rye in the mash bill, giving them a softer flavour profile than most other bourbons on the market.
Tasting of Weller Special Reserve!!
Weller Special Reserve’s mash bill is 72% corn, 18% wheat, and 10% rye. They keep the bourbon in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of six years so that it can age better.
This bourbon has a sweet nose and a caramel flavour. It’s smooth and has a delicate finish with a honeysuckle undertone. Honey, butterscotch, and a soft woodiness are among the flavour notes.
The Buffalo Trace distillery website describes the expressions in the Weller collection as follows:
● Weller Antique 107 –
“Red label,” bottled at 107 proof, has an immediately sweet and fragrant nose with strong floral notes reminiscent of roses. There is also a distinct vanilla undertone, which leads to a spicy cinnamon finish. The flavour is authentic, with sweet fruit notes complementing the strong vanilla flavour. The sharp spices provide a nice counterpoint, and the cinnamon finish lingers on the palate nicely.
Weller Single Barrel The nose of Weller Single Barrel – bottled at 97 proof – is cherry and mint, with a hint of vanilla on the finish.
● Weller Foolproof –
Vanilla, dark cherries and caramel are prominent on the nose. There’s a nice balance of caramel and toasted oak on the palate. The finish is a long, with crème brûlée and chocolate notes. This bourbon is not chill-filtered and contains no artificial colouring.
● Weller 12 Year –
“Black Label,” bottled at 90 per cent ABV Proof bourbon whiskey, is smooth, rich, and intense. Lanolin, almond, creamed corn, Moreover toasty vanilla aromas give way to a wheaty flavour with layers of sweetness. The finish is complex and smooth, with a long, oaky finish.
● Weller C.Y.P.B. –
Whiskey Enthusiasrt prepare the “White label,” bottle at 95 degrees Fahrenheit. On the nose, this bourbon has a light aroma of citrus and oak, and the palate is well-rounded and balanced. It has a medium-length finish with vanilla undertones. The W.L. Weller C.Y.P.B. has received positive feedback, with customers praising its smooth taste and complex flavour profile.
● William Larue Weller-
The aroma of the whiskey is strong and distinct, with notes of caramel corn, new leather, plums, light toffee, and pipe tobacco. It’s a smooth bourbon that’s easy to drink. The most noticeable flavour is woodiness. However, it is not overpowering. The aftertaste is pleasant and not overpoweringly sweet. Because of the low price and smooth characteristics, this is an excellent bourbon for beginners or those looking for a soft, easy-drinking option.
Let’s figure out which one is best. Weller Special Reserve vs Buffalo Trace
● Let’s begin with taste!!
Both bourbons have very different tastes; however, people like them because they taste perfect.
The flavour profile of Weller Special Reserve is rich and sweet. Each sip delivers deep caramel, honey, and a hint of spice. It’s not particularly robust, especially on the nose; however, it has enough personality to keep things interesting. It’s straightforward to drink. On the other hand, Buffalo Trace is unique in taste. It’s similar to a slightly watered-down version of Weller Special Reserve, however, with more vanilla and brown sugar notes. It’s still a fan favourite because it’s easier to drink than WSR.
So, now the question is, which one is better??
A survey a few years back concluded that approximately one-third of the people prefer to drink Weller Special Reserve instead of Buffalo Trace.
● Value for money?
When determining “value,” we always consider the bourbon’s quality about the price of a bottle.
As a result of price fluctuations, this formula could result in one bottle being a “better value” than another. However, Buffalo Trace is the better buy at this point.
In most cases, $25 gets you a high-quality, easy-to-drink bourbon that anyone can enjoy. If Weller Special Reserve’s price were at $25, it would easily outperform Buffalo Trace.
● Which one is readily available in the market?
Both bourbons have different distribution channels.
Weller Special Reserve and Buffalo Trace are both hard to come by. Weller Special Reserve is frequently out of stock in liquor stores, and when it is available, you can find it in almost all liquor stores. Moreover, if they have it, it’s usually on their shelves.
Buffalo Trace is also frequently out of stock in liquor stores,
However, even when it is available, it is usually available in many stores. So, you might have to visit several stores to purchase Buffalo Trace.
You usually don’t have to bother store owners about whether or not they have their allocations to see it. All of this depends on where you live; however, in most cases, Buffalo Trace is relatively harder to find!!
So, after discussing a couple of aspects of both the bourbons, we can easily conclude that Weller Special Reserve is better than Buffalo trace.
Final words: Weller Special Reserve
That’s it for today!!
The Weller Special Reserve Bourbon retails for around $45 to $50 and is a high-quality, small-batch bourbon. Moreover, numerous awards and achievements have been bestowed upon it. Because the Weller Special Reserve is made from wheat rather than rye, it has a distinct flavour profile.
If you’re looking for a great experience and unique taste at an affordable price, I highly recommend trying the Weller Special Reserve.
Don’t forget to tell us your Favourite bourbon in the comment section below.
