Oh shit. Mmm. Oh boy. Woah ho ho ho. Shit. Ohhhh.Fred Minnick, Wall Street Journal-Bestselling Author, Bourbon Curator & Taster, Ascot-Wearer in ChiefClick to explore our complete library of reviews to help you choose your next perfect bottle.
Weller Single Barrel Bourbon
- DISTILLER: Buffalo Trace Distillery
- MASH BILL: Buffalo Trace Wheated Mashbill (undisclosed)
- AGE: Who cares? It's Weller!
- PROOF: 97 Proof (48.5% ABV)
- MSRP: $49.99
- PRICE YOU WILL ACTUALLY PAY: First born child (or the kid you actually like the most)
- BUY ONLINE: Specialty Secondary Bourbon Emporium
NOSE: A freshly popped can of Lysol the first week of quarantine that you managed to snag for retail | Guyanese Grape Flavor Aid | Nutmeg, apparently
TASTE: TNT-laced Swiss Miss | Gentle Whisper of Cinnamon | A McRib washed down with a Shamrock Shake
FINISH: Like Sophia Vergara slowly drinking a Diet Pepsi, refusing to break eye contact | Spicy Popeye's Chicken Sandwich (but, like, before you could easily get it, so it tasted way better)
SHARE WITH: Only those willing to make a blood sacrifice to Kali Ma!
WORTH THE PRICE: Depends how much you like that favorite kid of yours. If it's not that much, then sure!
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: I mean, get your hands on it by any means possible, especially if you want to reserve a spot on the Hale Bopp comet when it comes back round.
OVERALL: As the press release says, Weller fans have been jonesing (Jonestowning?) for a single barrel version. What the press release didn't say is how many of these fans are already lining up to sell their extra kidney to be sure to secure a bottle on the secondary market. It's so awesome that Evolution has equipped us humans with two of these organs, so one can keep us alive and the other can be used as currency for essential purchases like this. HOW COOL!
On a personal note, my bizarre COVID quarantine dreams have only been redeemed by the occasional appearance of the promise of this bottle in my future. And since you are a loyal fan of the blog, I will share a little known secret with you to ensure you snag a bottle of this highly anticipated release: repeat the below words (you'll need the aforementioned kid and a pretty sharp knife, I recommend this one from Bed Bath & Beyond - who can say no to 20% off?):
Learn more about Erin's whiskey preferences and check out more of her reviews…
BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASING WELLER SINGLE BARREL BOURBON
BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASING WELLER SINGLE BARREL BOURBON
New Addition to Wheated Bourbon Line to be Annual Release
FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (May 19, 2020) A Weller Single Barrel offering is the latest addition in the storied Weller bourbon line from Buffalo Trace Distillery. Bottled at 97 proof, the Weller Single Barrel will be an annual release, starting this Summer.
“Many of our Weller fans have been asking for a single barrel bourbon for quite a while, and we’ve planned for this addition for a number of years, so we’re excited to be able to make this happen, said Joshua Steely, marketing manager, bourbon. “Our rye bourbon mash bill has a variety of options, like Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Stagg Jr. George T. Stagg and E.H. Taylor, Jr. bourbons, so it’s nice to be able to offer some variety in our wheated bourbon mash bill as well.”
Tasting notes for the new expression describe the new Weller Single Barrel as having a nose of cherry and mint, fading to vanilla. Caramel and baking spices with hints of cocoa explode on the palate, with a finish of cinnamon, coffee, and a hint of pepper.
Weller Single Barrel joins the Weller line up of Weller Special Reserve, Weller Antique 107, Weller 12 years old, Weller Full Proof, Weller Craft Your Perfect Bourbon, and William Larue Weller, which is part of the Antique Collection, released each fall.
The Weller Single Barrel will be available starting in June this year, and although the offering will be limited, it will be released once per year. The packaging will contain a cork stopper, like the Weller Full Proof Bourbon released last year. Suggested retail pricing is $49.99.
Born and raised in the Bluegrass, Erin Petrey has always held an affinity for her home state’s signature spirit: Bourbon. Throughout her world travels (36 countries and counting!), Erin delights in spreading the gospel of Bourbon across the globe, from Spain to Korea and even here at home in the Nation’s Capital, where she also serves President of the Kentucky Society of Washington. She loves helping people find their next favorite bourbon or cocktail. Though bourbon is her first love, gin comes in a close second. Her favorite cocktails are the Black Manhattan, Gin Gimlet, and Aviation. If you see her, be sure how to ask her how to make the perfect Old Fashioned.
Read Erin's full profile.
About the Author
Wow sounds like a good find if you can get it
Not a hopeful review. If you are telling people they are going to be paying secondary prices before it’s even released, you are just promoting the gougers to gouge more. If I don’t get one, so be it but I won’t be told that secondary is the way to go. I will get a taste at a bar somewhere and not worry about supporting the gougers. Personally I am tired of it. I have been drinking bourbon for a long time and I do remember when you could find those special bottles just sitting on the shelf. Shame on the gougers and the fat cats that pay and brag about it. In my humble opinion.
I am in no way promoting the secondary but rather bringing light to the absurdity of the secondary and that so many bottles like this one will never be obtained at MSRP. Long story short,don’t even bother trying to get ahold of it because there are so many amazing bottles out there easily accessible on the shelves. This piece is a parody review just like my BTAC review.
Ah. Kentucky. Land of Mictch McConnell. Boycott.
What’s with the swear words? I was taught people who use or say these words aren’t smart enough to come up with more appropriate words
Actually, people who swear are considered more honest and trustworthy. Look it up!
So , is it any good. Parody aside , IS IT good?
No idea! But I bet it won’t be worth whatever you end up paying or going through to get it. It’s the BT wheated mashbill and wouldn’t think it would be markedly different from 107, W12, or even ORWV.
Hi Erin,
I’m not sure why you blocked and deleted? That’s the correct translation, right?
I had hope you meant something positive when you included it in your review. I had hoped to find a new bourbon to surprise my husband with on Father’s Day, but now I’m distracted and confused.
I would appreciate some of that “more honest and trustworthy” you mentioned so I may move on.
I’ll ask again… what was the point?
Are you referring to the Kali Ma quote? That’s from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Your original post looked very odd, which is why I spammed it.
Love the review. Mola Ram’s hymn added rye-spice to this wheater-review. Cheers to many more SiB and Full Proof and Antique iterations from stables of W.L.Weller.
Yes. I’m not familiar with that film. That was how it translated.
Where can I purchase the Weller Single Barrel in the Atlanta area
Do you have bottles for sale?
I can’t find them on the website.
I appreciate Erin Petrey’s perspective.
Erin, you’re a wonderful writer (and in this case, parodist — especially, the Fred Minnick “quote”), Enjoyed your “review” and your dish of the state of Bourbon marketing, price gouging, etc. There is good Bourbon out there for less than $100 a bottle (some of your favorites, are mine, too!). I’ve made a vow to keep my purchases under that threshold (which is challenging here in NYC). But that doesn’t mean that I’ll refuse your tender of a choice bottle when you come to visit me in NYC, after the pandemic is over or it’s safe to do so. LOL.