What's the deal with Weller?

[dogrange]

I like the Weller 107, I think it's a good value drink. Are the older Wellers and Eagle Rare the same bourbon at different ages?

[cowdery]

Always a tough question when two brands are sold by the same company. Harder still because Buffalo Trace did obtain some whiskey from Diageo when it acquired the Weller brand. What exactly is going into the bottles is hard to say. We all need to let our taste buds be our guide. For example, I have long been a fan of Weller Antique but the last bottle I bought, which lacked the gold veins in the glass and was from the new owner, also lacked the former's taste. Too bad. I probably won't buy it again.

What distilleries are supposed to do is maintain a taste profile and tinker with each new batch to make it taste like the profile. However, when brands change hands the new owners sometimes aren't as careful about maintaining the profile. In some cases, they simply don't have the necessary whiskey to make the necessary adjustments.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

While visiting Buffalo Trace this past September I witnessed barrels of Old Fitzgerald (Weller) being dumped. I'm not quite sure but I believe the year stenciled on the barrel heads was '93. As the whiskey came gushing out of the bung holes and down into the trough I stuck my cupped hand into the whiskeyfalls and lapped it up like the bourbon thirsty dog that I am. It was quite good. Better, in fact, than anything I had ever tasted out of a Weller bottle.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Two different recipes entirely. Weller is a wheater while Eagle Rare is a rye recipe.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.

[cowdery]

Free whiskey always tastes great.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://cowdery.home.netcom.com>--Chuck Cowdery</A>

[Guest **DONOTDELETE**]

Not always Chuck! After our invasion of the dumping shed we advanced upon Stoney Point Mansion where we tasted a variety of whiskies some of which were brought along by Straight Bourbon members while others were provided free by the good folks of Buffalo Trace.

It was there that I had the great displeasure of tasting the very worst bourbon that I had ever tasted - 19 year old Weller. It was free and horrible, but still much better than scotch.

The best bourbon at that gathering was a bottle of 16 year old Hirsch provided by the Giommarcos. 1st runner up was Elmer T. Lee. Also noteworthy was the 18 year old Sazerac Rye. Everything else we tasted was pale by compairson.

Linn Spencer

Have Shotglass. Will Travel.