PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
W.L. Weller is the original wheated bourbon. William Larue Weller (1825–1899) was a Kentucky distiller who, the story goes, was the first to use soft winter wheat in place of rye as the secondary grain in his bourbon mash, around 1849, which produced a gentler, rounder, sweeter whiskey. His name later became one of the most prized in American whiskey. The recipe was made for decades at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, and today Weller is made at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. The “Special Reserve,” known as the “green label,” is the entry point to the line, and it’s built on the same wheated mash bill family as the Van Winkle bourbons, which gives it a lineage that bourbon fans know well.
It’s a Kentucky straight bourbon with no age statement (one retailer estimates around seven years), bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV), with a burnt orange color. Weller’s descriptions emphasize its soft, sweet, honeyed character: “a sweet nose with a presence of caramel. Tasting notes of honey, butterscotch, and a soft woodiness. It’s smooth, delicate and calm. Features a smooth finish with a sweet honeysuckle flair.” Another description finds “strawberries and cream” opening the nose, “with tinges of cinnamon, pipe tobacco, and orange blossom,” and a palate that is “round and complex, soft, chewy caramel, candied grapefruit peel, herbs, and vanilla.” Retailers also note “honey, light caramel, vanilla, and fresh grain with subtle oak,” and a finish of “creamy vanilla and toasted oak.” It earned a Gold Medal at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Silver Medal at the 2019 World Whiskies Awards.
To be balanced, there is a gap between the Weller name and the whiskey in the glass. Weller Special Reserve is a soft, mild, easy-drinking bourbon, a gentle, sweet pour with little rye spice, and one customer reviewer described it as “smooth neat,” but another found it “like watered down Evan Williams,” noting that it’s the name that makes it a hit at parties. A fair description: a pleasant, wheated, everyday sipper that makes a great cocktail base, and the famous name makes it a gift and crowd-pleaser.
The 1.75-liter handle holds about 59 ounces, or roughly 39 pours of 1.5 ounces, which makes it a party and bar-cart bottle, and the best value per ounce in the Weller family. It’s typically allocated separately and in smaller quantities than the 750ml. Enjoy it neat, on the rocks, or in an Old Fashioned, a Whiskey Sour, or a Manhattan, where the wheat sweetness works well.
W.L. Weller Special Reserve is produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, a Kentucky straight bourbon made from a wheated mash bill (wheat replaces rye as the secondary grain), with no age statement. Bottled at 45% ABV / 90 proof, 1750ml (1.75L handle).
Awards: Gold Medal, San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2019 · Silver Medal, World Whiskies Awards 2019 (per a retailer listing)
Buffalo Trace / importer tasting notes:
“A sweet nose with a presence of caramel. Tasting notes of honey, butterscotch, and a soft woodiness. It’s smooth, delicate and calm. Features a smooth finish with a sweet honeysuckle flair.”
Alternate tasting notes:
“Strawberries and cream open on the nose, with tinges of cinnamon, pipe tobacco, and orange blossom offering depth. Round and complex on the palate, soft, chewy caramel, candied grapefruit peel, herbs, and vanilla.”
Customer reviews (mixed):
“Taste is very smooth ‘neat’, ages well.” · “I’m not a fan of Special Reserve. It tastes like watered down Evan Williams. I buy these for the holidays and serve it at parties. Guests and the in-laws go wild because it’s Weller.”
Nose
Burnt orange color. Sweet caramel, honey, vanilla, and fresh grain, with strawberries and cream, orange blossom, and subtle oak.
Palate
Soft and smooth, with honey, butterscotch, chewy caramel, candied grapefruit peel, gentle spice, and a soft woodiness.
Finish
Smooth and sweet, with honeysuckle, creamy vanilla, and toasted oak.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Style | Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Wheated |
| ABV / Proof | 45% ABV / 90 Proof |
| Age | No age statement |
| Mash Bill | Wheated (wheat replaces rye as the secondary grain) |
| Distillery | Buffalo Trace — Frankfort, Kentucky |
| Label | “Green Label” Special Reserve |
| Awards | Gold, SFWSC 2019 · Silver, World Whiskies Awards 2019 (retailer-listed) |
| Style / Identity | A soft, sweet, honeyed, easy-drinking wheated bourbon, the entry point to the Weller family |
| Aromas & Flavors | Caramel, honey, butterscotch, vanilla, soft oak, honeysuckle |
| Bottle Size | 1750ml (1.75L handle), about 39 pours |
Neat or on the rocks — a gentle, sweet sipper.
Old Fashioned — an easy, honeyed base.
Whiskey Sour or Manhattan — soft wheat sweetness, no rye bite.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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