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Weller Full Proof

$55 | $184

0

Wheat Mash

High Proof

Age

NAS (6-8 Years)

Proof

114 | 57% ABV

Brand

William LaRue Weller

Launch

2019

Releases ›

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 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.

The bourbon is meant to be a soft, moderately-aged bourbon with an added 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. 

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Rare

4.24 (4.1k)

90.4  Great

Mash

69%

CORN

16%

WHEAT

15%

BARLEY

PALATE: Having a nose of vanilla, dark cherries and caramel. On the palate, there is a balance of caramel and toasted oak. The finish is said to be long, with notes of crème brûlée and chocolate.

Sweet
Spice
Heat
Balance
Texture
Complexity
Blue Book

$55

MSRP

U $150

FAIR

O $175

HIGH

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Caramel

This is a low-aged high proof wheat bourbon with heavy notes of vanilla, dark cherry, and caramel. As a soft wheat, it has great texture with a crème brûlée finish. This will pair well with other wheat bourbons, particularly those with a strong flavor profile. 

“Honest Whiskey at an Honest Price”

– William LaRue Weller

The 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. 

Each Weller Full Proof release varies slightly but the 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.

Who will love it: Honestly the answer is probably most people. 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.

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