What bottle got you into bourbon? I love asking this question as it tends to splinter into lovely micro tangents and descriptive memories. More often than not, I've found that a bottle from the Weller lineup is the most popular answer, and for good reason—the brand has been around for a long time.
Personally, I tried Weller Antique 107 early on in my whiskey exploration and remember thinking, had it not been for Four Roses Small Batch Select, this would have been the bottle that got me hooked. I suppose Weller Antique 107 has honorary runner-up status. Yet, I often don't think of writing a proper review on it, which is often the case with sips I am comfortable with. This bottle has staying power, though, and one that makes me anxious when the fill level grows low with no backup on hand. That alone makes this a bottle deserving of all the attention, as much as any other new release. So, as a warm-up to the palate, here is a quick rundown of what makes the Weller lineup as traceable as the other Buffalos in the rick house. Feel free to groan or giggle, I did both while typing that sentence.
The Weller brand was formed in 1849 by William Larue Weller, who is believed to be responsible for pioneering the use of wheat instead of rye in his mash bills. It's very likely that the wheated bourbon style (a staple in the Weller line) would later influence many other brands. William Larue Weller did more than play around with the grains in his mash bills, though. He also played a significant role in the early development of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, which makes sense since he was amongst the first to bottle bourbon. Yes, there was a pre-bottling era that we modern folk do not have to worry about, and we have WLW to thank, in part, for the ease in sipping standards of this day and age.
Over the years, the Weller brand has undergone various ownership and production transformations, which is to be expected given its legacy. Still, the wheated mash bill remained central to the lineup. Weller joined forces with the prestigious Buffalo Trace distillery when the Sazerac Company acquired it in the 1990s (Sazerac also owns Buffalo Trace, in case that wasn't clear), and the rest is more pages in American Whiskey history.
With hot debates about modern-day expressions and their quality at an all-time high, it is more important than ever to give gratitude to the lush history of bourbon and provide honest reviews of the whiskey we sip today. So, let's dive into a modern-day review of an old-school whiskey that continues to buzz like a bee in an endless garden of weller-flowers.
Company on Label: Buffalo Trace
Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon
Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace "Wheated Mash Bill"
Proof: 107°
Age: NAS (~6-8 years)
Further identification: This highly sought-after bottle in the Weller lineup was purchased in 2023 and has a suggested retail price of $52.99
Nose: Sweet dark fruit leads the way, warm and inviting like jam spread over a toasted slice of wheat bread. A dish of unwrapped Werther's hard caramels sits near a flickering cinnamon candle as a kiss of baked apple wafts through the air. I am not-so-curiously craving a mug of hot apple cider while sitting out in the fading light of an early autumn evening. This is rich and classic, but as I sit longer with my glass, the flavors continue to develop in complexity—oodles of baking spice, gooey cherries bubbling in a pie dish, and a kiss of black pepper. I'm ready to taste this loveliness.
After a few sips, the nose leads with stronger fruit tones, stewed and ready for all the Thanksgiving pies one could imagine. There's a hint of Madagascar vanilla and a to-go cup of Starbucks hot chocolate (IYKYK). The robust start to this nose does fall off a bit late in the glass, but complexity still abounds with store-bought cinnamon buns and cherry hard candy. It's classic, it's lovely, and it continues to evolve the longer I sip patiently through this tasting. It's remarkable, considering the number of times I've enjoyed this bottle. The empty glass smells like the bottom of a glass candy dish found in my grandparents' parlor room.
Palate: Oh yes, this is velvet on my tongue. Luscious chunks of dark chocolate spread throughout as pops of cinnamon flit around like a butterfly floating effortlessly with the soft flap of thin wings. There's stone fruit, notably cherry, and a kiss of sauteed sliced plum bubbling in rich caramel sauce. I'm in a leather armchair, book in hand, as the light filtering through my window is fading, relaxed and engaged with all that surrounds me. The flavors are cherry sweet and cinnamon oak spicy with a gentle and long-lasting finish. It's perfectly balanced from start to finish, incredibly approachable, and dangerously crushable. Late in the glass, sips continue their journey of sweetness and spice but in a way that feels like the first time, even after a lengthy duration in the glencairn. The final sip is a testament to those pours that transcend the test of time.
TL;DR: an approachable and high-caliber sip every time
Rating: 4/5
With classic bourbon notes and subtle complexity, it's hard to imagine this sip not being transformative for both seasoned whiskey enthusiasts and those just beginning their exploration. Weller Antique is like opening a familiar door to a slightly different decor every time; you know what to expect—great bourbon—but with fantastic tchotchkes waiting to be found. I happily share this bottle like I do a favorite book and get just as excited when my dear friends reveal what they like most.
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