After serving in the Louisville Brigade during the Mexican-American war, William Larue Weller returned home to his native Kentucky. His family had helped settle Kentucky in the late 18th century, and his grandfather, Daniel Weller, purchased a distillery in Nelson County in 1800.
Upon his return to Kentucky following the war, W.L. Weller joined the family business and began working at his grandfather's distillery. Weller had a sharp palate and a keen sense for business and in 1849, he introduced the first bourbon ever that used wheat as its secondary grain instead of rye. Wheated bourbons (including Pappy Van Winkle and Larceny Bourbon, which eventually imitated W.L. Weller's mashbill) have a softer and more gentle flavor profile as compared to bourbons that use rye as their secondary grain. Wheated bourbons also have a slightly sweeter taste. Weller's bourbon was incredibly popular in antebellum America and ultimately forced him to place a green thumbprint on his invoices and barrels as a certificate of authenticity.
Old Weller Antique Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a wheated bourbon with a full-bodied flavor and a balanced palate and is matured for seven years. This American bourbon is bottled at cask strength, 107 proof. Old Weller Antique has a medium-amber hue, with an aroma of creamy vanilla and roasted nuts. Full-bodied, Old Weller bourbon has notes of honeyed fruits, vanilla and caramel that lead to a long and slightly spicy finish. It was called a "very well-crafted whiskey" by Wine Enthusiast.
It’s certainly a recognizable member of the Weller label and Buffalo Trace Distillery family, with its own unique characteristics to compliment the high proof. The nose features sweet and unusual floral notes and coupled with vanilla. The taste is very well balanced with sweet fruit notes, strong vanilla undertone and sharp spicy tones, with a cinnamon finish.
