Weller Antique 107

Producer: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY

Distiller: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY

Age: No Age Statement, probably 6-8 years

Bottled: 2019

Proof: 107

Finish: None

This is the flagship Weller wheated bourbon from Buffalo Trace. It's bottled at 107 proof. It's the same mash bill and the same proof as Old Rip Van Winkle Aged 10 Years, but it's 2-4 years younger than the entry level Van Winkle bourbon. Presumably, the Van Winkle bourbons come from honey barrels chosen by Julian himself, based on his contract with Buffalo Trace, but it could be said that all the wheated bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace are honey barrels. If Weller Antique 107 is the example, then that statement is probably true. The MSRP of this bottle is quite reasonable, but the Buffalo Trace hype makes it difficult to find and drives its price up threefold on the internet. Can it deliver that much sought after wheated bourbon profile desired by consumers today?

Color: Golden orange

Body: Medium, slight legs

Nose: Raisin bread, panettone, cherry, apricot, black currant

Palate: Funnel cake, brown sugar, graham crackers, nutmeg, cherry, floral elements from the wheat, orange zest

Finish: Long, spice and heat, cinnamon toast

Score: Queen

Song: Raise Your Drinkin' Glass - Hell In The Club

Many people refer to Weller as "Poor Man's Pappy", the reason being that Weller is a wheated bourbon from Buffalo Trace with exactly the same mash bill as the venerable "Pappy" Van Winkle bourbons. It's less well aged, and it's presumably taken from barrels that didn't make the cut for Julian's private contract with Buffalo Trace. Of course, it's less expensive than Van Winkle, so it's presumably a better value. I would say all of those statements are true. While Weller Antique 107 doesn't rise to the "Pappy" level, it is an exceptional bourbon in its own right. The nose starts with dried fruits like raisins, apricots and currants. It has the sweet wheated flavors of raisin bread and the Italian Christmas classic panettone. The typical Buffalo Trace cherry essence continues into the palate, complimented by brown sugar, funnel cake and honeyed graham crackers with some nutmeg spice, orange zest and a slightly floral note. It finishes long with spice and heat and a bit of toasty cinnamon. The panettone note made me pick an Italian heavy metal band to pair with this bourbon. I recommend listening to Raise Your Drinkin' Glass by Hell In The Club, while sipping on a neat pour of Weller Antique 107. You will still enjoy that desirable wheated bourbon profile without paying the high price for "Pappy".