W.L. Weller Bourbon 12 Year

W.L. Weller 12 Year is a wheated Kentucky straight bourbon aged a minimum of 12 years — far longer than most wheated bourbons — made at Buffalo Trace in homage to the distiller who first used wheat as a secondary grain.

After serving in the Louisville Brigade during the Mexican-American War, William Larue Weller returned to his native Kentucky and joined the family distilling business his grandfather Daniel had established in Nelson County in 1800. With a sharp palate and a keen sense for business, in 1849 Weller introduced the first bourbon to use wheat as its secondary grain in place of rye. Wheated bourbons — a style later followed by Pappy Van Winkle and Larceny — carry a softer, gentler, slightly sweeter profile than rye-based bourbons. Weller's whiskey was so popular in antebellum America that he placed a green thumbprint on his invoices and barrels as a mark of authenticity.

Made in homage to one of bourbon's original aristocrats, W.L. Weller 12 Year continues to be crafted from that wheated recipe and aged a minimum of 12 years. It is heavily wheated, layered, and moderately sweet, with a long, oaky, intensely smooth finish — and it earned a Double Gold Medal at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Lanolin, almond, creamed corn, and toasty vanilla, with caramel and molasses.
• Palate: Heavily wheated, layered, and moderately sweet — candied corn, ripe fruit, cocoa powder, and dried fruit.
• Finish: Long, oaky, and intensely smooth, with hints of mint, fruit, and vanilla.

Specs

• Distillery: Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Kentucky
• Style: Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Age: Minimum 12 years
• ABV: 45% (90 Proof)
• Awards: Double Gold — 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition; Gold — 2019 Whiskies of the World
• Size: 750ml

Browse the full W.L. Weller collection at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What makes Weller 12 Year special? It is a wheated bourbon aged a minimum of 12 years — far longer than most wheated bourbons — giving it depth and an intensely smooth finish.
• Who was W.L. Weller? William Larue Weller, the Kentucky distiller who in 1849 introduced the first bourbon to use wheat instead of rye as the secondary grain.
• How does it relate to Pappy Van Winkle? Both are wheated bourbons made at Buffalo Trace; Weller's recipe is the foundation of the wheated style the Van Winkle bottles are prized for.