Bourbon Review · Weller

W.L. Weller Special Reserve

The Original Wheated Bourbon · 90 Proof

3Just Have a Pour

Distillery Buffalo TraceOrigin Frankfort, KY Type Wheated Straight BourbonABV 45% (90 proof)Price ~$25–30 retail

The Story

Special Reserve is supposed to be the easy, affordable entry point into the Weller lineup. In practice, it's gotten caught up in the same Weller mania as everything else with the name on it, so "easy to find" isn't really true anymore. Before the wheated-bourbon craze, this was just a solid everyday pour, and honestly, it still is — when you can actually get it at MSRP.

Nose, Palate & Finish

Nose

Light and simple — soft caramel, vanilla, a little honey. Doesn't ask much of you. No spice to speak of, just an easy, soft nose.

Palate

Light-to-medium body, sweet, smooth. Vanilla and caramel doing most of the work, a little oak in the background. Uncomplicated, but not in a bad way — this is a bourbon you can just drink without overthinking it. Works fine in a cocktail too.

Finish

Short to medium, warm and sweet. Doesn't hang around long, but it exits clean. For the price, that's totally fine.

The Verdict

At retail, this is a perfectly solid everyday bourbon. Don't pay secondary prices for it — that's not what this bottle is for. But at MSRP, it does exactly what it's supposed to do.