Today’s review is from a legendary name in Bourbon, Weller. It is Weller Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. From their site, “Bottled at the same 114 proof the spirit was when it entered into the barrel, this non-chill filtered wheated bourbon forgoes chill filtration to preserve all the naturally occurring residual oils and flavors.” As all Weller expressions, this is a wheated Bourbon, meaning wheat is the secondary grain, not rye. Full Proof joins around six others with the Weller name. All the others have a very good reputation.
Weller Full Proof Bourbon is 114 proof, aged at least 4 years, and comes in the same shaped corked bottle as the other Weller offerings. The mash bill is not disclosed but it is some combination of corn, wheat, and malted barley. This juice is only released once a year, so it can be hard to find. Having said that, the MSRP of $60 is somewhat of a joke. You will be lucky to find it for $100, if not $200.
We have always been fans of Weller, so we are excited to taste this whiskey. We couldn’t tell from their site, but is this stuff just Special Reserve or Antique, but bottled at 114 instead of 90 and 107, respectfully. If so, we should like it.
NOSE
TB: Has the smell of a traditional wheated Bourbon with sweet caramel, vanilla, oak, and grain upfront. We are also getting some leather, corn, orange, and just a bit of cinnamon. Ice brings out more grain, sweetness, and, oddly, a taste reminiscent of black licorice.
TASTE
TB: Still getting the vanilla, caramel, and oak that was prominent on the nose. A little hot neat. ice/water opens it up with flavors of cherry, butterscotch, and some cinnamon.
FINISH
TB: Medium with a touch of honey.
OVERALL
TB: Weller has always been a fav of ours and this tasting hasn’t changed that.
Nose 4 out of 5
Taste 7.5 out of 10
Finish 4 out of 5
Total score 15.5 out of 20 barrels.
Another Weller Bourbon, another good tasting. This whiskey has a nice nose, good taste, albeit a little better with a dash of water, and a clean, sweet finish. Our only drawback is that if this is just Special Reserve bottled at a higher proof, and all indications point to that being the case, the $60 MSRP is a very good buy since that is just a little over Special Reserve. But $100, and definitely $200, is too much to pay for a little higher proof.
In the end, if you can find Weller Full Proof for a reasonable price, grab a bottle. It tastes good and is hard to find.