William Larue Weller

William Larue Weller is the only wheated bourbon in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) — released once annually each fall, uncut and unfiltered at natural cask strength. Where the other four BTAC expressions use high-rye or rye mashbills, William Larue Weller is distilled from the same wheated recipe that produces W.L. Weller and Pappy Van Winkle, producing the signature soft, rich character at extreme barrel proof with no water addition and no chill filtration.

Proof varies significantly by vintage — each release is bottled at the exact natural proof of that year’s barrel selection. Historically ranging from 117.9 proof (2007, the lowest) to 136.2 proof (2013, the highest), with most vintages falling between 125 and 135 proof. Aging ranges from approximately 10 to 15 years depending on vintage. Notable releases: 2006 (129.9 proof, 15 years — widely regarded as one of the most complex given its extended age statement), 2013 (136.2 proof, highest concentration), 2016 (135.4 proof). Wooden Cork carries one of the most complete WLW vintage selections online — spanning back to the 2005 release and always stocking the current annual bottling. Browse all bourbon, W.L. Weller, and rare and allocated bottles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is William Larue Weller bourbon?

William Larue Weller is the only wheated bourbon in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection — released once annually, uncut and unfiltered at natural cask strength. It uses the same wheated mashbill as W.L. Weller and Pappy Van Winkle, but is aged longer and bottled at full barrel proof without dilution or filtration.

What proof is William Larue Weller?

Proof varies by vintage — each release is bottled at the exact natural proof of that year’s barrel selection. Historically ranging from 117.9 proof (2007) to 136.2 proof (2013), with most vintages between 125 and 135 proof. The specific proof is printed on each bottle’s label.

How does William Larue Weller differ from W.L. Weller?

Both use the same wheated Buffalo Trace mashbill, but William Larue Weller is aged significantly longer — typically 10–15 years — and bottled uncut and unfiltered at full cask strength (125–136 proof). W.L. Weller expressions are proofed down before bottling and range from 90 to 114 proof. William Larue Weller is also released in far smaller quantities through the annual BTAC program.

What is the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection?

The BTAC is an annual limited release of five expressions from Buffalo Trace Distillery, released each fall: William Larue Weller (wheated bourbon, cask strength), George T. Stagg (high-rye bourbon, cask strength), Eagle Rare 17 Year (single barrel, 90 proof), Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (unfiltered rye, cask strength), and Sazerac 18 Year Rye (aged rye, 90 proof). All five are among the most allocated and highest-rated bourbons and ryes produced in the United States.

Is William Larue Weller the same mashbill as Pappy Van Winkle?

Yes — William Larue Weller, W.L. Weller, and Pappy Van Winkle all use the same wheated bourbon mashbill from Buffalo Trace Distillery. The differences are aging, proof, and allocation tier: Pappy expressions are aged 10–23 years and released in very limited quantities; William Larue Weller is aged 10–15 years and bottled at full cask strength; W.L. Weller expressions are proofed down and receive broader distribution.