I Tried And Ranked 6 W.L. Weller Bourbons. This Was My Hands-Down Favorite

It wasn't too long ago when you could roll into a liquor store and snag a handle of W.L. Weller for a Jackson and some change. But alas, Pappy-monium brought that all to a halt as consumers became wise to the fact that the two wheated bourbon legends (both currently produced by Buffalo Trace) are close relatives that share the same mash bill. (The barrels considered to be superior bear the Van Winkle name.)

Over the last few years, Weller's prestige continued to elevate with the additions of C.Y.P.B., Single Barrel, and Full Proof, which joined the original trio of 12 Year, Special Reserve, and Antique 107 to form the brand's core lineup. While the bottles, each distinguished by a different colored label, vary in elusiveness, they are all in the allocated realm. That means you either need some excellent timing, a strong relationship with your local booze shop owner, or a willingness to spend well over MSRP to snag one off the shelves.

Tracking down one Weller is hard enough, so it goes without saying that putting together a sampling of the whole shebang requires some special favors. I was lucky enough to receive an invite from Buffalo Trace to "taste the rainbow" and enjoy the entire main lineup in a single, magical sitting (sadly, the even rarer William Larue Weller, Daniel Weller, and Weller Millennium were unable to attend). With each pour a mystery, I sipped my way through a blind tasting of the core six and ranked them from worst to best, though considering the level of quality I enjoyed during the bucket list experience, "great to greatest" seems more apropos.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

If you're unfamiliar with Weller, the distinguished "Special Reserve" moniker may be somewhat misleading. There is no plain old W.L. Weller label — this is, in fact, the entry-level bottle in the lineup. That said, Weller Special Reserve bourbon is by no means bottom of the barrel.

If you're looking to ease someone into the world of bourbon, this is a prime candidate for an introductory taste. Sitting at 80 proof, it's a dangerously drinkable sipper, sweet without being cloying and easy on the palate. Distinct notes of Teddy Grahams and confetti cake evoked welcome childhood nostalgia. If there's one notable flaw with Special Reserve, it's on the finish, which is a bit too fleeting for my taste — it does a quick two-step on the tongue and then bids farewell.

Special Reserve is essentially the "Pablo Honey" of the Weller oeuvre. It's enjoyably accessible, and you'll be returning to it again and again, but it lacks the boundary-pushing complexity of its more compelling counterparts.

Hello, old pal. Antique and I go way back, and in those easily accessible days of Weller, it served faithfully as the "well" bourbon of my home bar. While the label and price have changed, it remains an enticing wheated expression. 

Despite the triple-digit proof, it's not overly aggressive on the palate, with touches of dark fruit and carob taking center stage with a mouthfeel that's slightly syrupy and pleasingly oily. Though it's enjoyable on its own, this star shines brightest in a cocktail (it's particularly sublime in a Manhattan or a boozy paper plane).

Antique 107 is certainly more dynamic than Special Reserve, and while it brings fireworks, they skew more toward state fair than Disney theme park. If you can find it for $50, grab it, but it's not worth going out of your way to land a bottle. According to Buffalo Trace, that might not be an issue much longer, as the distillery is ramping up production on the OG three. Fingers crossed, we'll be able to rekindle our friendship soon.

We're at the point in these rankings where the margins separating the remainder of the picks are rather slim. The first of the rarities to appear on the list, Weller C.Y.P.B. is a notable crowd favorite because, well, its recipe was left up to the fans. When Buffalo Trace launched an online survey inviting the general public to craft your perfect bourbon (get the name now?), that input led to a 95 proof, 8-year bourbon that is among the most coveted bottles around.

The nose was perhaps the most alluring of the bunch, leaning heavy on the citrus with English toffee vying for attention. Lovers of crème brûlée, myself among them, will relish the delightful interplay of luscious custard and sharp burnt caramel.

I've been trying to track down C.Y.P.B. for years, and thankfully, it did not disappoint. Is it worth selling a kidney to procure a bottle? Not quite. But if you spot it on a menu and have yet to give it a try, go ahead and plunk down some extra dough for a taste.

Introduced back in 2001, Weller 12 Year is arguably the brand's signature release. Dubbed the "poor man's Pappy," this 90 proof gem is often compared to the far pricier Van Winkle 12 Year Special Reserve Lot B, though we'll save that side-by-side for another time.

I've been fortunate enough to try the 12 Year a handful times, and during my most recent sipping, it continued to impress. While the nose was more muted than C.Y.P.B.'s intense bouquet, I couldn't get enough of its alluring tasting notes of tart cherry and bittersweet dark chocolate — I'm talking the primo, high-percentage cacao. Unsurprisingly, the dozen-plus years in the barrel yielded a pronounced oakiness, a sturdy backbone that didn't overpower that rich cocoa goodness. As for the finish, it registered at a pleasant peppermint tickle. This decorated all-star continues to come in clutch.

It was the night before Christmas, and I had stumbled into the Sand Dollar Lounge off the Las Vegas Strip for some holiday cheer. As I saddled up to the bar, it caught my eye — that distinctive orange label of Weller Single Barrel. (Cue "Ode to Joy.") Yes, I was finally going to imbibe one of my bourbon white whales.

Perhaps it was the pre-game eggnog that overwhelmed my palate, or it was just an off batch, but the pour failed to live up to my expectations. It was by no means a complete bust; it just lacked the wow factor that one expects from a highly allocated bourbon.

Flash forward to the blind tasting, and things are different this time around. Creamy vanilla latte is complemented by a toasty barrel presence ... and the angels are playing trumpets and all is glorious. A distinct spicy black pepper finish is in line for a mid-range 95 proof bourbon, but the temperature is by no means too hot. For this particular ranking, it's worthy of the silver. But be warned: Since there will be a difference in flavor for single barrel bourbons, your mileage may vary.

It seems only fitting the blue ribbon goes to this beast with the blue label. Uncut and non-chill filtered, Full Proof is the purest expression of Weller bourbon — and the absolute best.

There's a lot going on here, but it all came together: a triumphant symphony of caramel, oak, and coffee cake with vanilla coming through on the pronounced boozy aroma. Another major draw was the mala numbing finish that danced around on my tongue without wearing out its welcome. (It should be noted that this was the final bourbon I sampled, so my taste buds had been through a bit of workout by the time Full Proof came around. If it comes on too strong, a drop of water should do the trick.)

Clocking in at a hefty 114 on the booze strength scale, it doesn't quite reach the boozy heights of some of its full-proof counterparts, but I'm not complaining — I'll take a deep-tissue massage over a full-on pummeling any day. This was a sip slowly and savor affair, and I relished every last drop of it.

Each Weller bourbon was poured prior to my arrival, and I was unaware of which bourbon was which, with one small caveat. While this was a "blind" taste test, I did observe the contents of each glass and was not oblivious to the fact that the mystery pours varied in hue, which offered some indication of what they might have been. However, I did not allow that insight to cloud my judgment.   

Crackers and water were consumed between each pour to help reboot my palate. After the initial tasting round, I revisited each bourbon (for due diligence, of course).