BOTM, 2/08: WL Weller Special Reserve

This could very well be my lack of bourbon experience, but I wasn't terribly impressed with Weller SR. It's not that there's anything wrong with it, really, but there doesn't seem to be much there. The flavor is very light, almost timid. The most disappointing part is the finish. It almost seems to me as if the finish ends before I swallow. One moment its there, the next its simply a memory. I guess I want heavier flavors from my bourbon experience.

I certainly wouldn't turn this down, but I don't know if I'd buy another bottle. I'd rather save my few pennies for something with more character. Is this lightness typical of the wheaters? I've never had any others of that genre.

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Originally Posted by ggilbertva

As coincidence would have it, I had one bottle of WSR that I had not opened nor tried to date. I played poker the other night and brought along my unopened bottle of WSR. I've always enjoyed the Weller brand and this one did not dissapoint. VA does not carry Weller products so now I'll have to figure out where it's carried in MD or D.C.

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Greg, I have had the ABC folks here in VA special order Weller for me.. just got 4 bottles of Antique. The fellow who runs the VA ABC in Clifton (Newgate) is a real bourbon nut and will work to get you what you want. I and a few friends are always up to split a case if that is what has to be ordered...
FYI... the ABC next to the Safeway in Burke had a few bottles of Antique in the back.... he always seems to have some on hand for the regulars....

Others have mentioned differences between Bernheim distillate and BT distillate.

One thing to which I'm really looking forward is that in just over a year we should be seeing the first juice coming online that was made after the BT/VW agreement of Spring 2002. I believe Weller Special Reserve and Weller Antique, both at 7 years, are the youngest wheated products to come out of the BT distillery.

Julian Van Winkle had talked about some distillation tweaks he had discussed with BT for his juice - I wonder if those talks did indeed produce any changes for the VW lines, and if we'll see any difference in the Weller lines as well.

Roger

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Originally Posted by Rughi

Julian Van Winkle had talked about some distillation tweaks he had discussed with BT for his juice - I wonder if those talks did indeed produce any changes for the VW lines, and if we'll see any difference in the Weller lines as well.
Roger

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If any of the two are different than I would say (and hope) that it would be the Weller.
I ain't knocking Weller, I just don't want the Pappy to change.

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Originally Posted by OscarV

...I just don't want the Pappy to change.

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This is starting to get far afield from the Weller SR, but Pappy has never been the same thing for a long period of time: Pappy 20 and 23 have both been sold as wheated and rye bourbons . Pappy 15 was, we're told, all SW until last year and now presumably is hand selected from BT stocks . Pappy 15's predecessor of just a few years ago, ORVW 15 was, Julian swears, from similar stock as the first Pappy 15 , but members on this forum swear they can taste a difference, possibly based on slight age differences and the lesser flexibility possible with the small vattings for each run.

The way I see it, the Pappy products are now and always have been a moving target - except of course, they've always been damn good whiskey.

And back to my original hope, that any changes for the VW lines that Julian may have asked for will improve the Weller lines as well.

Roger

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Originally Posted by Rughi

The way I see it, the Pappy products are now and always have been a moving target - except of course, they've always been damn good whiskey.

And back to my original hope, that any changes for the VW lines that Julian may have asked for will improve the Weller lines as well.

Roger

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You are correct Roger and stated it clearer than I did.
I think JVWIII will have a positive effect on BT's Weller.

So has anyone compared the Old Weller Antique and the WSR? I know I can just buy some and see for myself, but I've currently got a lot of the Antique and don't know that I would prefer a softer, lower proof version to it. Your thoughts?

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Originally Posted by felthove

and don't know that I would prefer a softer, lower proof version to it.

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I would certainly agree. I think the Weller Antique is a heck of a bourbon. However, its flavors are very mellow, so I don't know that I'd appreciate a lower proof version.

I think i was the only vote for the W.S.R. in the Weller poll a while back. Truth it was the only the second bottle i had the 1st being 100 proof. Got a half gallon on the cheap while in Atlanta last year and really enjoyed it. I do have a B.H.C. bottle of Weller Centennial in my bunker. Wishing they were all available in Alabama.

I like both Special Reserve and Antique but if forced to choose between them, I would pick Special Reserve and, in fact, do just that frequently when I'm making a drink and both bottles are open and in front of me.