W.L. Weller Special Reserve is known as the original wheated bourbon, and it remains the most approachable entry point into one of the most sought after families in American whiskey. The Weller name honors William Larue Weller, born in Kentucky in 1825, who returned to Louisville after serving in the Mexican American War to open his wholesale liquor business. He is credited with pioneering the use of wheat in place of rye as the secondary grain in a straight bourbon mashbill, a change that softens the peppery spice rye would bring and lets sweeter caramel, honey and vanilla notes lead. That wheated recipe is the same DNA behind the entire Weller and Van Winkle family, and the Weller story is closely linked to Pappy Van Winkle: in 1893 a young Julian Van Winkle Jr. joined W.L. Weller and Sons as a traveling salesman, and the two names have been intertwined ever since. Today Weller is distilled and bottled at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Special Reserve, widely known as green label Weller for its distinctive packaging, is bottled at 90 proof and pours a striking burnt orange. The nose is sweet with a clear presence of caramel. The palate is smooth, delicate and calm, offering honey, butterscotch and a soft woodiness with no rough edges. The finish is smooth and gently sweet, closing with a honeysuckle flair. It is an easy sipper neat or over ice and one of the most cocktail friendly bourbons in the Buffalo Trace portfolio, excellent in an Old Fashioned or a whiskey sour. It took Gold at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Gold at the 2019 New York World Spirits Competition. This is the 1 Liter bottle, a third more whiskey than the standard 750ml and a smart buy on an allocated bourbon that rarely sits on shelves.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
45% |
| Proof |
90 |
| Size |
1 Liter |
| Country |
United States |
| Region |
Kentucky |
| Type |
Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey |
| Distillery |
Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky |
| Producer |
Sazerac Company |
| Mashbill |
Wheated: corn, wheat and malted barley (no rye) |
| Age |
No Age Statement |
| Maturation |
New charred American oak |
Tasting Notes
Color: Burnt orange.
Nose: Sweet, with a clear presence of caramel.
Palate: Smooth, delicate and calm, with honey, butterscotch and a soft woodiness.
Finish: Smooth and gently sweet, with a honeysuckle flair.
FAQ
What is a wheated bourbon?
It uses wheat rather than rye as the secondary grain alongside corn, producing a softer, rounder and sweeter profile.
What proof is Weller Special Reserve?
It is bottled at 45% ABV, which is 90 proof.
Does Weller Special Reserve have an age statement?
No. It was once sold as a seven year old bourbon, but the current bottling carries no age statement.
How does it compare to Weller 12 Year and Antique 107?
Special Reserve is the softest and most approachable of the range. Antique 107 is higher proof and more intense, while Weller 12 Year adds age for deeper oak and darker fruit.
Why is Weller called green label?
Special Reserve carries a green label, in contrast to the red label of Antique 107 and the blue label of Weller 12 Year.
Where can I buy W.L. Weller Special Reserve 1 Liter online?
Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
