William Larue Weller 750mL

William Larue Weller is the barrel-proof wheated bourbon in Buffalo Trace's Antique Collection, released once a year in the autumn. Each release is uncut and unfiltered, so the proof and age change from one year to the next.

About This Bourbon

The recipe swaps rye for wheat as the flavouring grain, alongside corn and malted barley. Most releases have been aged around 11 to 13 years in new charred oak, and most have been bottled well above 120 proof. Buffalo Trace picks the barrels from different warehouses and floors each year and bottles them without adding water or chill filtering. The year of release and its exact proof appear on the bottle.

Tasting Profile

• Nose: Caramel corn, new leather, plums, light toffee and pipe tobacco.
• Palate: Marshmallow, salted almonds, nougat, figs and dates.
• Finish: Smooth, composed and sweet, with gentle oak.

Serving & Food

Barrel-proof bourbon is best approached slowly. Serve at room temperature in a tulip glass, taste it neat, then loosen it with a little water. It pairs well with pecan tart, smoked brisket or a nutty Comté.

How to Enjoy

Bourbon drinkers who want to taste wheated whiskey at full strength and see how it changes from year to year.

Product Details

About the Distillery

The whiskey is named after William Larue Weller, born in 1825, who set up W.L. Weller & Brothers in Louisville in 1849. He is credited with the idea of using wheat in place of rye to make a softer bourbon, which remains the brand's defining recipe.

The family's whiskey roots went back further. His grandfather, Daniel Weller, settled in Kentucky in 1794, made whiskey and leased out his still for extra income. Buffalo Trace honours him with an experimental Daniel Weller line, launched in 2023, that tries different strains of wheat.