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DETAILS
REVIEW
RARITY
DISTILLERY
Buffalo Trace
MASTER DISTILLER
Harlen Wheatly
AGE
NAS (6-8 Years)
PROOF
114 | 57% ABV
FIRST RELEASE
2019
RELEASE FREQ
Annual
MASH
REVIEW69%
CORN
16%
WHEAT
15%
BARLEY
PALATE: Aromas of lanolin, almond, creamed corn and toasty vanilla. The mid-palate flavor is heavily wheated, layered and moderately sweet. Long, oaky, and intensely smooth finish.
HISTORY LESSON
REVIEWThe W.L Weller brand, or W.L. Weller for “William LaRue Weller” has been around for a long time. A very long time. William Weller was born in 1825 and began his bourbon ventures around 1840. In the mid 1800s, William LaRue Weller is credited with being the first bourbon distiller to replace rye with wheat as the secondary grain in his mash. The addition of wheat to the mash created a softer, creamier bourbon with much more sweet caramel and vanilla flavors instead of the traditional rye spice. This is still true today in releases by Kentucky (and beyond) Distilleries with wheat mashes in their portfolio.
However, the lore behind the story is probably a little more stretched truth than reality. For more check out William LaRue Weller.
W.L. Weller Antique 107 was one of the original bottles of Weller ever introduced back in the early 1900s, then being produced by the Stitzel-Weller Distilling Co. After 1972 the brand was bought and sold several times before landing with Buffalo Trace in 1999. Today Buffalo Trace carries on the legacy of William LaRue with the Weller brand and a variety of W.L. Weller releases. The first new release of W.L. Weller Antique 107 under Buffalo Trace was first introduced in 2006.
REVIEW
Each Weller Full Proof release varies slightly but bourbon should exemplify:
NOSE: Well-aged oak leads into rich vanilla, brown sugar, some slight earthiness and that classic cherry and subtle citrus the Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 is known for.
SIP: The sip opens right where you would expect, sweet caramel over rich oak with hints of cherry. After the initial sweet notes, it waves in hints of darker fruits and closes in on some nice rye spice, pepper and even some of that earthiness. Overall the pour is perfectly harmonious with sweet and spice over light oak and dark fruit. It is truly well-aged, classic bourbon in every sense.
For an in-depth review of each Weller Full Proof release, see Reviews.
WHAT IS IT?
W.L. Weller Full Proof is a 6-8 year, bottled at barrel entry proof (114) expression of Buffalo Trace’s famous wheat mash, sharing the same mash and proof as the famous Pappy Van Winkle.
Weller Full Proof is a high proof bourbon aged 6-8 years initially released in 2019 by Buffalo Trace. While the initial release of the Weller Brand was actually in the 1840s, Buffalo Trace did not acquire and release it until 1999. At that time, the Weller Special Reserve was the only W.L. Weller released. Today the brand has expanded even further to include several releases in the W.L. Weller Brand. The Weller Full Proof is one of the last bottles to join the yearly release.
More about Buffalo Trace W.L. Weller Brand.
The bourbon is meant to be a soft, sweet, moderately-aged bourbon with added flavor. The high proof adds a level of complexity to a wheat bourbon that is otherwise soft and sweet. Though there is a new release each year, due to the barrel entry proof, there isn’t much variation between releases. The fact that this is a wheat bourbon and the proof is on the lower end of “high proof”, this bourbon drinks softer than many other high proof entries. But make no mistake, it still has some heat. Each expression captures the sweet notes of a lower proof wheat mash with much more complexity, while still maintaining a level of smoothness and refinement.
IS IT HARD TO FIND?
Not the most difficult. You can find these for a pour pretty easily and often in the wild. Many liquor stores and high-end bars purchase a barrel to release a “store pick”. Your best chance of finding these at retail prices is by getting to know your local liquor store owner or at bourbon drops. The chains get a ton of these, especially if they have a barrel program, and local retailers get these as well so being on the short list is helpful. The Weller Full Proof is not well-aged so they are released in higher quantities, however it is often considered one of the best in the release so grabbing one still isn’t easy. These are often released year around so happy hunting.
IS IT WORTH IT?
Worth the hype? For most. This is an excellent pour and could easily be a daily sipper for the high proof flavor packed fan. Worth the MSRP? Absolutely. All of the Weller line is worth their MSRP. Worth the ridiculous secondary prices? Usually not, but it depends. The Weller Full Proof first dropped in 2019 and, as expected, secondary prices went a little crazy. Seeing a bottle of this for $450 was not unheard of. Of course times have changed and the bourbon is “old” news. With the abundance of the release, and with the introduction of many barrel programs, the bottles became easier to find. Secondary prices have now tamed quite a bit and you’ll see them from anywhere in the low $100 to mid $200. That said, this bottle is worth anywhere in the low $100s and under, however, if you’re patient and don’t mind waiting in line at your local bourbon drop, you can score a bottle of this at MSRP fairly easily.
Like all the Weller releases, this is a truly a great pour. I’d put this in the must try for any bourbon enthusiast along with all the other Wellers. If you can try them together in a single flight, even better. As far as a bottle, if you had the opportunity to purchase this for a reasonable price I think it is a must own. For many, the higher proof adds a flavor packed punch that other wheat bourbons can’t deliver. Either way, this is an amazing bourbon that will impress a drinker at almost any level and with patience shouldn’t be too hard to find for a reasonable price.
More about worth here: Worth it?
IS IT FOR YOU?
Honestly the answer is probably yes for anyone. Some might find the higher proof a little off-putting, or prefer the simple softness of some of the other Wellers. A drop of water would tame this back down to a leveled up Weller Special or possibly Antique. Even those who don’t traditionally love wheat bourbons might find the added heat and complexity of this to be worth the pour. In all, this just delivers a complex and refined pour that most will enjoy. While this bourbon might not check all the boxes for everyone, a vast majority will find it excellent.
RELEASES
This is a batched release so most years are the same.
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