Weller Special Reserve

Distillery: Buffalo Trace

Age: No statement (Around 7 years)

Proof: 90

Verdict: Underpriced if you can find it at retail.

Score: 7.67

Weller bottles typically last a split-second on store shelves, if they even make it there.  One reason for the hype is that initially Weller and Van Winkle bourbons share the same aging process.  They’re one-in-the-same when they go into barrels.  It isn’t until the top-notch barrels are sampled and hand-selected to be Van Winkle bottles that the rest become Weller products.  And despite being the B-team, they’re still pretty darn good.

Weller SR is the low end of this wheated line from Buffalo Trace.  And because of that, I had low expectations going in. Yet pleasantly, I found everything about this bourbon to be smooth. You get caramelized sugar and vanilla mingling with butterscotch, honey, and toffee. The finish is short and sweet with some oak and a tiny bit of heat. Maybe it’s not the most complex, but it’s delicate and cohesive. I found SR to be a solid pour, despite some of the hate it gets in the community.

I’ve already admitted I love Weller Antique.  It’s a little clichéd, sure, but that doesn’t make it less delicious.  Even though Special Reserver is the cheapest (and technically easiest to find) expression, I still think it’s pretty great – especially considering the price point.  If you can find it, this bottle should be just under $30 before markups. But that’s a big if. Here’s the cheapest shipper I could locate:

It’s added to the THE LIST.

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