W.L. Weller Special Reserve
W.L. Weller · Buffalo Trace Distillery
Weller Special Reserve demonstrates what a wheated bourbon can do even at entry level. The absence of rye bite allows the corn sweetness and barrel influence to dominate in a gentle, crowd-pleasing way. A genuine value when found at retail.
Kit Aromas
Nose
Soft wheat and honey open the glass, followed by caramel and a gentle vanilla sweetness. A hint of dried cherry and mild butterscotch rounds out the aroma without any burn.
Palate
Creamy and approachable, with caramel and buttery toffee leading into baked apple and a whisper of cinnamon. The wheat-forward mash bill keeps the texture soft and the spice restrained.
Finish
Medium length, fading on vanilla and light oak with a trace of warm butterscotch.
- Mash Bill
- Corn, wheat, malted barley (exact proportions undisclosed)
- Barrel Type
- New charred American oak
- Bottled in Bond
- No
- Single Barrel
- No
- Wheated
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Wheated Paper Plane — 1 oz W.L. Weller Special Reserve · 1 oz Aperol · 1 oz Amaro Nonino · 1 oz fresh lemon juice · Shake with ice, strain into a coupe.
Food Pairing
Peach cobbler with brown butter crumble
Produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, W.L. Weller carries the legacy of William Larue Weller, who championed wheat over rye in bourbon mash bills long before the style became fashionable.
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