Weller Reserve With Age Statement

[Bmac]

Sorry if this has been brought up before, i couldnt find it in a search. When I was at my old haunt today I happen to notice some rather large bottles of Weller Reserve that say 7 yrs. They are the new label and bottle design, but I think they are a liter in size. I didnt think it came in liter sizes.

Is this an older bottling before the complete removal of the age statement? Are they worth getting because its a guarenteed 7 yr product?

[AaronWF]

If it has an age statement, then yes it is a bottling from before they removed the age statement.

They changed the label from paper in around '09 and now they've removed the age statement, but unless it says Louisville, I wouldn't be much inclined to take notice.

[Bmac]

Right, that's what's weird about it. It's not a papr label, it's platic and identical to the current relase bottle...excpet it's a slightly bigger bottle. The neck has a sticker that should just say 90 proof. The 750 ml and the 1.75ml all say 90 proof. Then there is this odd ball that says 7yrs.

Maybe there was a small batch of liter sized WR where it was a 7 yr product.

[StraightNoChaser]

Liters tend to not sell as well as 750ml or 1.75L. I've noticed this in my dusty adventures as I've acquired quite a few old Wellers in 1L size. However, the new bottle style WSR isn't anything particularly special unless you have a taste for BT wheaters at 90p.

[cigarnv]

Liters tend to not sell as well as 750ml or 1.75L. I've noticed this in my dusty adventures as I've acquired quite a few old Wellers in 1L size. However, the new bottle style WSR isn't anything particularly special unless you have a taste for BT wheaters at 90p.

Sadly the WSR is nothing like it was years back.... lots of old 1.75's were to be found in DC just a short time back that were amazing!!!

[JayMonster]

I agree with StraightNoChaser about it probably being because the Liter size doesn't sell as well. Had a similar situation with Jim Beam Black recently where the 750 and handle were both current, but the one liter bottles were actually from around 97-99.

[Bmac]

Weird, so they use the age statement to increase the sales of an undesirable size.

I am beginning to think I will never understand distillery business practices.

[callmeox]

No, they are leftover liters from when Weller SR was age stated....like last year.

[Jwilly019]

Weird, so they use the age statement to increase the sales of an undesirable size.

I am beginning to think I will never understand distillery business practices.

I don't mean to presume, but I think what Jay meant was that the age stated 1L WSR is simply older product left over from the age stated days of WSR. Not a current product given an age statement in order to increase sales.

Edit: callmeox beat me to it.

[cowdery]

Next time you're in a bar, look at the bottles on the back bar. Most will be liters. Bars have historically preferred the liter size, and the quart size before that. Most stores don't stock liters but some do. When you see liters in a retail store, it may be because small bars with credit problems are buying their spirits at retail, which they're not supposed to do in most states, but it happens. As Callmeox said, what you found are just older bottles, produced before the age statement was discontinued. Nothing weird, mysterious or sneaky about it.

[Brisko]

Next time you're in a bar, look at the bottles on the back bar. Most will be liters. Bars have historically preferred the liter size, and the quart size before that. Most stores don't stock liters but some do. When you see liters in a retail store, it may be because small bars with credit problems are buying their spirits at retail, which they're not supposed to do in most states, but it happens. As Callmeox said, what you found are just older bottles, produced before the age statement was discontinued. Nothing weird, mysterious or sneaky about it.

[bad_scientist]

Sadly the WSR is nothing like it was years back.... lots of old 1.75's were to be found in DC just a short time back that were amazing!!!

Luckily, there were still some in DC two months ago when I was hunting with another SB.com member. I like it but it won't make me a wheater fan. Maybe for the price it's great.

[WsmataU]

Sadly the WSR is nothing like it was years back.... lots of old 1.75's were to be found in DC just a short time back that were amazing!!!

You're the one!!!!!:smiley_acbt:

[Bmac]

Next time you're in a bar, look at the bottles on the back bar. Most will be liters. Bars have historically preferred the liter size, and the quart size before that. Most stores don't stock liters but some do. When you see liters in a retail store, it may be because small bars with credit problems are buying their spirits at retail, which they're not supposed to do in most states, but it happens. As Callmeox said, what you found are just older bottles, produced before the age statement was discontinued. Nothing weird, mysterious or sneaky about it.

Any chance that the juice within is a higher grade than the standard?

[JayMonster]

Any chance that the juice within is a higher grade than the standard?

Certainly npt becaise it is a liter bottle. Since it is in a bottle with the new label, if you xonsider what was released before the past couple of months (since WSR went NAS) "superior, then yes... But I suspect that you will find little to no difference.

[cowdery]

When an age statement goes away, my assumption is that the product won't change immediately but, in time, they will start to mix in some whiskey younger than the old age statement would allow, else why would they drop it? But, in reality, all you can say for sure about an age-stated bottle is that nothing in the bottle is younger than the stated age. That doesn't necessarily mean it's good or better than the NAS bottle.

[PaulO]

I have noticed that 1L bottles of bourbon seem fairly common in KY, but rare in IN. When I think about it, all the liters in my collection were purchased outside IN.

[CoMobourbon]

Man, the things you learn here. The only place that I really frequent still stocks WSR fifths with a 7 year age statement at what I think is a reasonable/normal price (14-17$) I didn't even know to appreciate it.

So, I realize we have hashed out the uncertainty of lower quality with a dropped age statement, but I have to ask: should I, a poor college student, buy some up some of the 7 year juice now? If somebody put a gun to your head, would you answer yes or no?

[callmeox]

I would buy one and, if I liked it, would then buy others.

Don't get hung up on the age statement. Many here thought that Old Weller Antique improved when it went NAS.

[CoMobourbon]

To be clear, I have had it and enjoyed it. Bang for buck, it's good. After two weeks in the bottle, it's good price notwithstanding.

But no special hurry or rush on the 7 year stuff? We can maybe reasonably expect that the NAS stuff will not be basically very different?

[callmeox]

If you like it, buy it. No guarantee that you will like the NAS.

[CoMobourbon]

Thanks - Good to know.

[cowdery]

You have to figure WSR isn't going to get better because it went NAS.

[CoMobourbon]

Yeah good call.

The question really was whether or not I should response with "Oh NO! It is probably going to be MUCH worse and I should act immediately" or with "Meh; it may be a little bit worse, but nothing to get worked up over". Unfortunately, you guys refused to tell me what to do and put the onus of risk and judgment on me.

If it's not your job to do my thinking for me, then I don't know what it is, dammit! Isn't that why you're into bourbon in the first place?!?

[Bmac]

I like aged spirits. Seeing an age statement does seem to influence my decision. Even though I understand that age doesnt always denote quality, I have found more pleasure in older bourbons. Wheated recipies just seem to take longer to age than rye based bourbons. I would go as far to say a minimum of 10yrs and an average of 12 - 15 yrs for the best results. For rye it's around 9 yrs. Therefore, to see an age statement of 7yrs on a wheater gives the idea that itis at least 7 yrs, versus no age statement meaning it could be 4 yrs old. A 4yr old whiskey shouldnt cost more than a 7yr old...yet the price on a NAS product remains the same.

Just my two measures on the subject.