Buffalo Trace Is Dropping a Weller 18 Year Old Bourbon
Buffalo Trace is having quite the summer, with the release of a slew of new expressions that are keeping American whiskey fans on the hunt for allocated bottles. First there was the new E. H. Taylor Distiller’s Council bottled-in-bond bourbon, then earlier this week a new Sazerac Rye bottled at 100 proof was announced. Now there’s Weller 18 Year Old, the oldest expression in that coveted lineup to date. We have the details, and also got to sample this new whiskey a few weeks ago at the Sazarac House in New Orleans.
Weller is sometimes called “the poor man’s Pappy,” but that’s really a cliche at this point. The reason for that is Weller is made with the same wheated mashbill as its much more famous sister bourbon, Pappy Van Winkle, but for years was not as expensive and much easier to get (that has changed for the most part, as Weller has soared in popularity). The history of the brand dates back to German immigrant and distiller Samuel Weller, who moved to Kentucky in the 18th century. He married Phoebe Larue, and their son William Larue Weller got into the whiskey business, eventually hiring Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr. W.L. Weller was originally produced at the famed Stitzel-Weller Distillery, and in 1999 it was acquired by Sazerac and has been produced at Buffalo Trace ever since.
The new 18 Year Old, bottled at 90 proof, is the oldest age statement in the lineup—the only other age statement is the 12 Year, along with NAS whiskeys Antique, Full Proof, Special Reserve, C.Y.P.B., and Single Barrel (there’s also the Antique Collection’s William Larue Weller, Daniel Weller, and Weller Millennium, which we’ll get to). Eighteen years is pretty old for a Kentucky whiskey, but this one wears its age gracefully. The color is a dark amber-brown, and the palate is rich with notes of dark chocolate, cinnamon, maple syrup on top of warm pancakes, ripe plum, and vanilla custard. There is a bit of oaky tannic dryness as well, but it complements the flavor and does not distract.
“Weller 18 Year Old is the culmination of curiosity, tradition and time,” said master distiller Harlen Wheatley in a statement. “Wheat has a softness that can sometimes get lost with age, but here, it’s evolved into something rich and beautifully expressive. We’re extremely proud of the resulting whiskey, which showcases the versatility and potential of a wheat-forward mashbill.”
And that’s not the only new Weller release. Weller Millennium, which made its debut last year, has returned. This new expression is different from the first release: It’s a blend of wheated bourbons and wheat whiskeys bottled at 99 proof that were distilled at Buffalo Trace in 2001, 2003, and 2006. “Weller Millenium was crafted to feature some of the first whiskeys distilled in the new millennium amid a period of transformation at Buffalo Trace Distillery,” said global brand director Andrew Duncan in a statement. “This second edition takes last year’s release a step further, with a new blend that we humbly believe is an improvement over the well-regarded first edition.” Like the inaugural release, this whiskey really stands out from the rest of the Buffalo Trace portfolio and might not be for everyone. The flavor profile has some well-aged bourbon characteristics, but veers from that path with notes of candied cherry, peppermint, leather, balsa wood, and cloves.
Both of these new whiskeys are highly allocated and are going to be a challenge to get your hands on. Weller 18 Year Old (SRP $500) is initially only available at global travel retail at airports like LAX, JFK, and London Heathrow (a rep for Sazerac says wider availability will be determined in the future). Weller Millennium #2 (SRP $7,500), which comes in a crystal decanter in an illuminated display case, is available via Sazerac’s distributor networks, at the distillery, and the new online platform Legacy de Forge—an auction package including a signed bottle, a stay at the Stagg Lodge, and a distillery tour is available now.
