The Hands-Down Best W.L. Weller Bourbon On Liquor Store Shelves

Getting your hands on certain labels can feel like a major win, and that is even before the first sip reaches your lips. One of our writers tried and ranked 6 W.L. Weller bourbons, and one of the most challenging bottles to find rose to the top of the list. Buffalo Trace, the name behind the wheated bourbon, has established something special with its W.L. Weller Full Proof. Since 2019, the annual release of the blue-label has provided an award-winning 114-proof bottle that won't overpower the palate but instead delights the senses with a pleasantly sweet experience. 

Our writer noted this is the kind of bourbon you want to sip slowly and savor and recommended that those who prefer adding water to their bourbon use a few drops to mellow out the finish. Common bourbon tasting notes are present, like vanilla and caramel, and the nose is sweet with an experience that has reminded some samplers of crème brûlée. Other drinkers have described the expression as their favorite under the W.L. Weller umbrella. "If I had to give it a rating, it would look something like this: Rating: 12/10," quipped a fan on Facebook.

W.L. Weller Full Proof is non-chill-filtered, which means that the wheated bourbon skips chill filtration to preserve natural residual oils and flavors that develop during distillation. The drink is bottled at the exact same proof as the spirit placed into barrels for maturing. Just like the original recipe created by William Larue Weller, which was made with wheat instead of rye, this sipper is sure to please many who enjoy wheated, high-proof bourbon. "Full Proof is the one Weller I actually chase," wrote a fan on Instagram.

Not every connoisseur of the best bourbon brands has fallen in love with Full Proof, however. "It's really good but not the life-changing unicorn a few would make it out to be," wrote one drinker on Reddit. Others on the same thread reported feeling "underwhelmed" by the drink considering the reputation and the price. As a 750 ml bottle can cost around $200, one drinker on a separate thread on Reddit quipped, "There's plenty of good whiskey on the market that doesn't require me hunting for overpriced bottles."

Of course, while W.L. Weller Full Proof is the kind of drink that is meant to be enjoyed straight, there are plenty of ways to enjoy bourbon, just as there are many roads leading to Rome. Should the palate not suit your preferences, try whipping up a sparkling boulevardier or pickle juice whiskey sour and enjoy sipping a cocktail made with ingredients that not everyone is able to track down.