Review #3 – Weller SR
Weller Special Reserve
Proof: 90
Age: NAS (Reported to be between 4-7yrs)
Mashbill: Undisclosed Wheated Mashbill
Price: $28
Filtration: Chill Filtered
Tasted: Neat in a spey dram glass
It’s been a little while since my last whiskey review, but I figured it was time to get back into it with Weller Special Reserve. Produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery, Weller has an interesting connection to Pappy Van Winkle. During production, the Pappy team samples from Weller barrels and selects certain ones they believe are good enough to continue aging into future Pappy releases.
Special Reserve is the entry-level bottle in the Weller lineup and the most affordable offering in the series. New for 2026, Weller SR has moved to a cork top and foil treatment similar to Weller Antique 107. My bottle for this review predates that change though, still sporting the classic screw top after being picked up in spring 2025.
Nose: Immediate notes of potent vanilla frosting and a light caramel bread pudding sauce, followed by a strong ethanol note for just 90 proof.
Palate: The palate carries that vanilla frosting note over in a big way, with a faint caramel drizzle sweetness. It’s easy drinking, though overall there isn’t a ton of complexity going on.
Finish: The finish lingers with soft vanilla sweetness alongside a fairly pronounced wheated funk that sticks around longer than expected.
Uniqueness: There just isn’t a whole lot here that separates Weller Special Reserve from the rest of the entry-level wheated bourbon crowd. Even though it carries a bit of allocation hype in Ohio (Barely, it sits on shelves for a couple days after drops now), it’s still competing directly with bottles like Maker's Mark and Larceny. Both of which are typically easier to find, and often a little cheaper too. At the end of the day, there’s nothing about Weller SR that really makes me reach for it over those competitors.
Value: At $28, the value honestly feels just okay to me. It’s not a bad price, but this bottle doesn’t really do enough to justify spending much more than that either. If anything, I’d probably prefer it a few dollars cheaper. Truthfully, I’d reach for Jim Beam Black or Evan Williams Bonded before grabbing this again, especially considering both tend to offer a little more character for the money.
Overall: As a neat pour, Weller Special Reserve really isn’t going to amaze many people (if any). I wouldn’t recommend hunting for it or going out of your way to track one down, and I definitely wouldn’t suggest paying over MSRP for it. Where I do think this bottle shines, though, is in cocktails. Its softer and mellower flavor profile lets other ingredients step into the spotlight instead of overpowering them. Lately, it’s actually become one of my favorite bourbons for a Manhattan, where the vermouth can really take center stage alongside orange bitters that complement the wheated profile nicely.
Outside of cocktails, though, this ends up being a fairly average pour that benefits quite a bit from the hype surrounding the Weller name and Buffalo Trace Distillery.
I really like the in-depth review scale used by Breaking Bourbon, I think it gives a better understanding of what to expect from each bottle compared to the popular t8ke scale.
Nose: 2.5/5 (Average)
Palate: 2.5/5 (Average)
Finish: 2.5/5 (Average)
Uniqueness: 2/5 (Below Average)
Value: 2.5/5 (Average)
Overall: 2.5/5 (Average)