Kurt, I don't really think it's Buffalo Trace's fault that 75% of their products are allocated. The bourbon community has created this monster . The bourbon community has chosen Buffalo Trace as their unicorn bourbons. There are SO many good bourbons out there and people still look for the Buffalo Trace products as their sought-after bourbons. Really enjoying your channel and I'm glad that Trenton has finally come out from behind the camera. He has some really good insight in the bourbon world. You guys are both doing a great job with this channel. Cheers from a fellow Hoosier
@@MK4vDubbin The birthday bourbon is real? I Thought it was a myth lol. Being in the good ol state of NC to find a bottle of regular Buffalo trace in an abc is already almost impossible to find let alone a bottle of OF like that.
We visited the Kentucky bourbon trail, and of all the distilleries we visited Buffalo Trace was the most disappointing. Love their products, but their inability to supply stores like the other big brands is crazy.
I worked at Old Fitzgerald in the 70s. They bottled Cabin Still, Rebel Yell, Old Fitz, WL Weller, & 1849. You could walk into any store and buy any in the line up at list price.They all had age statements. Cabin Still was 4 and the rest were one year older in sequence. There was only one mash bill and they were all wheated. WL Weller was my favorite at 7 years. There was no Buffalo Trace and no Pappy label, just the legend of the man. Times change and so do we, but I miss those days.
My local small town shop got all the Buffalo Trace allocated Bourbons in on a Monday morning, and had them all out on the end cap shelf. It was a beautiful sight. Two days later, most all gone. Blanton, Stagg, antique 107, Weller special reserve, Eagle rare, etc. now you had to buy other bottles with it, and limit one per customer, but still. I got a blantons, but should have got the Antique 107. Oh well. Great channel 👍👍
Love the run down on the BT series. In my area N. Dakota I have never seen an E.H. Taylor, Elmer T. Lee, Eagle Rare, Stagg, etc. etc. But about 3 months ago I went into a local store and asked if they had any allocated bourbons and the gal said yes they just got a bottle in and would I like to see it. Sure I said. Well low and behold she comes out with a Weller full proof. I jumped on it immediately. Paid about $56 w/tax. Not bad as I've seen it at $500 on the seconday market. Haven't opened it yet but look forward to the day when I do. Enjoy your channel immensely. Keep up the good work.
I really appreciated this series. You guys have done an excellent job show casing several different distilleries. A few years ago when I started my own journey into bourbon I have to admit I jumped on the buffalo trace hype/bandwagon. But it's so allocated here in NC I jumped off very quickly and realized there's so much more out there for reasonable prices that I don't bother with BT at all anymore. If I happen across a bottle of eagle rare or weller I might get it. I honestly would rather support a company that consistently delivers though. Thankyou guys all the same for a great series.
once you've tried them all and done so side by side with other producers' quality offerings, you realize there's so much awesome stuff that actually sits on the shelf and tastes better than these bottles. the buffalo trace stuff is all delicious, but i view it as a gateway bourbon because their offerings are very approachable and will please most anyone who is even remotely into whiskey. once you get past the hyped stuff, you start to find absolute gems that are easily obtainable for retail prices. that's when you truly enjoy bourbon drinking.
I appreciate this Buffalo Trace series, and I share your perspective in that I'm frustrated with the limited availability of most of their products. I've never had any from the Weller line, and I've been hoping to grab an Eagle Rare for ages, but I'm always a day late and a dollar short. It seems like they purposefully hype their products by making them so difficult to acquire. I'm becoming tired of it when I can get an Early Times, Heaven Hill, or Old Forester with little effort. Still, it's fun to enjoy them vicariously through your channel!
You are not missing anything. I have Stagg Jr, EH Taylor, Weller, Eagle Rare, ect. They are not any better than Knob Creek, Rare Breed, Old Forester, ect. Its 100% hype.
the first time I had Weller 12 year it was my favorite. I spent around $150 for a bottle on the secondary to take on my honeymoon. However as my tastes have changed and palate expanded I have moved into liking the spice of Wild Turkey more. I have the Sr, 12 year and 107 right now and will buy again if I can get them for retail or close to it. However I think WT 101 and the Rare Breed are just as good or even better. Maybe I have just become a proof hound.
I just bought a Weller SR for $22.50+:tax . If I get to my store on stocking day, I run about a 50/50 chance. The 107 is $49.50+ tax and my chances are 25/75. BUT I hardly see BT. 7 years ago I could get BT, Eagle and Blantons almost anytime, but not now. After 47 years of drinking Bourbon, Now it's popular.
I don't have a single bottle of Weller and don't miss it. I understand it's good stuff but there are so many other bottles out there available from other producers that are just as enjoyable that aren't marked up.
Thanks for doing this series... I sip the Weller SR regularly (it's about all I can ever find). I have a 107 and 12 and love them, but like you on your full proof (which I have never seen), I sip conservatively.
This has been a great series and I, personally, appreciate your honest reviews, authenticity, and opinions on the Buffalo line. In the midwest (Kansas City) region we hardly see anything more that BT and WSR and rely on entering into lotteries in order to obtain anything beyond those bottles. Again appreciate all of the videos you put out and looking forward to the next one!
Really enjoyed your deep-dive into Buffalo Trace! Bravo! You two are my faves, and I really enjoy that you're a father/son team - so cool! Keep up the great work!
In South KY you can get OWA easily, just runs north of $100. W12 is hard to find but it’s north of $200 and hard to find. WBP is same range. I once found the WSR for $19.99 a bottle at a Walmart in MO. Bought every bottle in the store. I love the Weller line. Probably my favorite line. Love the show!!!
special reserve is picked from barrels that are 6-9 years old, as is 107. CYPB are all 8 years old, full proof is "at least 9 years", non-chill filtered, and single barrel is over 7 years, and Weller 12 is 12 years plus. also, all Weller and pappy use the same wheated mash bill and yeast that do not contain rye. just came back from a tasting of all Wellers at the trace. Also, Full Proof was a new product in fall 2019, with store picks starting in Spring 2020. Lastly, much of Buffalo trace is in short sully because of the age of what is popular. EH Taylor is aged at least 4 years, but typically closer to 6 years, Blanton's is from 6-8 years, regular Buffalo Trace is 5+ years, while all Wellers are at least 6 years. Buffalo Trace also started expanding their lines EH Taylor used to be one product, is now 3, Weller used to be three (12, Reserve, and 107), and now is 7 (W.L. Weller, Single Barrel, CYPB, and Full Proof). Blanton's expanded from one to six (4 sold exclusively in foreign markets). Blanton's is available as single barrel 93 proof, barrel proof, 100 proof, 80 proof, 10 years, and house pick (best of the best). all of these things has limited availability. BT had expanded from their 5 millionth barrel in 2014, and will barrel their 8 millionth barrel by year end. they will be filling a million barrels every 16 months with the new upgrades.
I just took a trip from Missouri to Washington state. I found five of the six Wellers, if your ever in Washington, Idaho area look at the smaller stores in smaller towns, Even the grocery stores..even if they have it in the back...they sold it to me. Even the C.Y.P.B. was under 90. The rest were msrp...all in all I count it as an awesome trip
I really enjoyed all of the Buffalo Trace videos that you and Trent have done . I was at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in 2018 which was at the very beginning of my bourbon journey and wished I had bought some of these bottles but just did not know enough about them, I have learned so much since I started watching SLB, thanks for what you do
In my area (Pennsy/New Jersey), all the Wellers simply don't exist. A couple of years ago I found a bottle of Koster Wheat Recipe, which has a bit more proof than the Special Reserve and a 7-year age statement. I can't say I've ever been all that impressed by the Wellers, and I satisfy my wheater sweet tooth with Old Elk Wheat Whiskey, which is superb.
I'm in NJ as well and to get Weller you need to go upstate NY or Maryland. You can find Weller in NJ but for insane prices. Weller Sr just isn't worth $70. At that price old elk blows it out the water and for cheaper both wilderness trail and makers full proof are both way better as well.
12 is the best. Easy sipper and so much flavor. Special reserve and regular BT (store pics on occasion) I see almost every week here in Central TX. No FP, SiB or CYPB.
Great closing point! I feel like the limited availability is by design by BT. I think that BT is expanding its capacity, but the main offerings like ER, the Wellers, etc should be readily available. Maybe the BTAC line up should be the ones most difficult to find.
Yes, they are expanding their capacity. BUT.....it's geared more or less for their overseas markets because the overseas markets bring more revenue for the distillery. remember, Blantons was originally made specifically for the overseas market
Those FP SP are amazing. So much better than the regular ones. Great content guys.. I'm in MA and anything Weller is way over priced. The SR ive seen up to 140 collecting dust.
I find SR disappointing, but the bottle I recently picked up is getting better after being open a month or so. I am a HUGE fan of Full Proof, and was fortunate enough to get 3 more bottles recently. I haven't had 12 year since before Weller blew up (back when you could reliably find it on shelves for $30-ish) and I liked it a lot back then. I have only been able to get one bottle of Antique, and I like it a lot, but Full Proof is still my favorite. FWIW, I will only pay MSRP or maybe up to +20%. I paid $69.99 for the 3 Full Proofs (all store picks) I just got. THat said, None of them show up on the shelves - I am only able to reliably get them due to relationships I've built over a few years with stores where I've bought plenty of stuff and proven a good, reliable customer.
In Western Massachusetts, all Weller products are allocated. If you find one, you can only buy ONE. I haven't found one in years. Pricing even a couple of years ago was $75 minimum, with some going for $150+. My guess is that some are going for MORE now. I have never tried the full proof. I still have several SR, 12yr, and 107 in the old squat bottles. They were great buys at $21, $40, and $23 respectively. They taste great, but are difficult to justify huge money for them. I'd like to see a BLIND taste test of these and other stuff, to see if people can pick the Weller products out as being a cut above...
Thank You for this series, it was really cool to see you both break down the different "tiers" of the BT line. As you alluded to, the sad part is I will get to try so few of these due to their super allocated nature, which in my "Bourbon jail" state of PA are even restricted further. Even the standard Buffalo Trace bourbon and things like ER10 are only hitting PA FWGS stores a couple times a year and in miniscule quantities. Have never seen Benchmark, have never seen Weller, have only seen EHT once, that's just how it is here. When I get to neighboring states, I try to hunt a little while there, but it's tough finding BT products.
I'm in PA as well. Been lucky on ER and got some Weller SR and 12 online but I was very lucky. They don't sell Benchmark at all in PA. I get it pretty easily in MD though. Try State Line Liquors just over the DE/MD line off I-95 for Benchmark and Ancient Age too. Great store with excellent prices.
Same here in VA, except we do get standard Benchmark 8 in some ABC locations. I see all four of these Wellers in DC, but marked up to absolutely laughable prices.
Yes, you can use the full proof Weller in creme brûlée. It would be done in a sous vide method. The oven method would be a higher risk of of popping open the oven door from the residue alcohol vapor.
I went back and decided to start my own collection. I hope that I chose well; McKenna 10yr, Russell's 10, Rare Breed, 4 Roses Small BATCH Select, Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare.
In Tennessee we rarely get any of these. But by far the most common two are Special Reserve and 107. I’d love to find another bottle of 12 year! By far 107 is my favorite of these!
Excellent and informative comparison! I do not have much Weller experience as I never see it in WI. I recently had a pour of Weller 12 after having an Eagle Rare. I was surprised by the lack of flavor compared to ER. Weller was muted. This follows your tasting notes. I would love to revisit it sometime soon. Great video!
My wife and I love your channel, we watch the bourbon junkies as well, great content! We are from S.W. Michigan and our kids live in Chicago, so we are able to get our hands on some decent bottles between Indiana and Chicago, it is also not that far of a drive to Kentucky and we will make an occasional trip there as well. We both loved eagle rare before it was allocated and stocked up on it when we saw it coming. We have both only had the Weller special reserve and agree at the $29 price point is great, would like to try the others and maybe will some day. That being said the one thing I can appreciate about B.T. is that when you go visit their place if you get there early you can almost always get an allocated bottle there(Eagle R,Blantons, E.H, or Weller) What grinds my gears is why do all the distilleries not do this? I mean some people come from a long ways out and why would I visit a distillery to only be able to get a bottle that is available at any of my local stores. I just think that all distilleries should have a bottle that makes it worth your while for making the trip to see them, make sense? and at a fair price, Lux Row charges more at their distillery than you can buy it at the local Kroger for. Thanks for the content Randy from Michigan
I have to agree with that. Something I didn’t think of. Last time we visited BT Blantons was out and marked up at a fair price. I have also seen other distilleries like you with elevated prices.
Here in the Savannah Ga area I see Eagle Rare and Buffalo Trace from time to time but that's about it. Never any Weller product or EH Taylor just "on the shelf" ! Definitely no Blantons etc. Thanks for all your hard work making these enjoyable videos.
Weller is one of my favorites! We are not finding much of any Weller here. The 12 year is averaging $300 a bottle or more. The full proof is you can find it is about 1 $100. Antique is so rare haven’t found in a few years, but usually around $80-100 a bottle. Wish this stuff was more accessible! Single barrel is hardest to find and secondary market $1200. I have a bottle of 12 and single barrel but saving for special occasions!
Bourbon is under aged in general, compared to the age and complexity of scotch whisky it’s a spirit that rarely is allowed to age enough to reach its potential and is sold at an increasing premium for what’s in the bottle considering we don’t have to pay import taxes and tariffs. Such a shame.
I think Special Reserve is a good entry bourbon for a lot of people. Very mild and smooth (no rye in a wheater I think is why). I lucked into a bottle of 107 at msrp and really have enjoyed it. I have done a few blind tastings with friends and bourbon novices always pick the SR and experienced drinkers tend to go with the 107.
In South Texas and never seen EH Taylor. .. Luckily I've seen Eagle Rare twice for $34 and was able to pick them up both times. Only seen Blanton's once ans picked up 3 at retail. Weller SR I can get without issue, but never seen any other Weller before. I was able to pick up 3 bottles at retail of store pick single barrel Buffalo Trace. It's fantastic! I think Texas isn't as bad compared to other states regarding BT's allocation, but it's still not great.
@@Andrew-fr3bp Nice finds! I really want to find a store pick Buffalo Trace one day. If you're even in the Austin area, I'm happy to trade away an EH Taylor (: I agree that TX is far from the worst place to get BT. I went to NY for the first time for work a couple weeks ago, and was surprised to see Blantons and Eagle Rare in most every store. Even saw some BTAC. However, you have to pay a fortune to do more than look at any of it. In TX, we never see stuff like that, /but if you do/, at least there's a chance of a good price.
@@austininatx I'm in Corpus Christi and would definitely consider trading a single barrel BT for one of your EH Taylor's. It might be awhile next time I'm up in Austin, but will be up in Kerrville area in October though...
FYSA - In Virginia (where I am from), Weller 107 and Weller Full Proof are $50, the Special Reserve is $27, and the 12-year is $38 - if you can find them. I agree 100% that Buffalo Trace has a problem with their EXTREMELY low production runs that make this spirit nearly impossible to find. You mentioned Old Forester (i.e. 1920), which I can find almost anywhere. This really irritates me, too. kes
Buffalo Trace has no issues allocating capacity to the new Benchmark line. That is millions of bottles of EH Taylor, Eagle Rare, and Stagg that will not be made or sold, instead we get another $10-20 bourbon of which there is no shortage.
New subscriber! Really enjoy the conversation and content! I love the Weller 12 but it’s a unicorn for me! I can never find it and when I do its $250+ a bottle! A working man with 4 kids makes it hard to enjoy the bourbons you love!
Man it truly is a struggle here in the DFW area to find Buffalo Trace products. And if you do find any of the Weller brand stuff (minus the green label) it’s all well over 200 dollars. Hopefully in a few years things will settle down. Awesome video keep it up!
It’s 2025 as of this posting…Antique 107 is $200/bottle here in Austin, if you can find it. I know of one bottle at that price that is available at my local LS. I suppose the price is why it’s still there.
For Augusta, GA: Weller SR- Available daily Weller 12- Available(ish) at $90-$199 each Weller OWA- Never see it Weller Full Proof- Maybe once or twice a year
In Ohio WSR is $22.50 and decently available, Antique is a little harder to find and $50 but I've been able to get a handful. Unfortunately, 12 year is lottery only and I've never even seen one in person. :( I believe WSR age is between 6-8 years. For $22.50 and anyone who likes wheated bourbon, WSR is incredibly hard to beat in value for what you're getting.
I was able to get a bottle of special reserve and for $25 it is worth it. Easy to drink. Carmel cinnamon spicy and sweet. I wish it had more oak. But it’s very good and I’m happy with the purchase. This is the only option my local store offers on a regular basis but they can only get one case a month. They keep it under the counter and you have to ask if it’s stock. The rest of the buffalo trace products are raffled in December for A CHANCE TO BUY. That is crazy to me but I can guarantee you I’ll enter in the raffle this year.
GET THIS!!! There’s a store by me that has a bunch of Weller in stock….but there’s a catch, their prices. Weller Special Reserve - $70 Weller 12 Year - $300 Weller 107 - $140 Weller C.Y.P.B - $1,150
I've been able to get Weller 12 and an Eagle Rare in a loyalty program, and I'm hopeful in a few years the increase production from BT will result in actually being able to get a bottle of something that truly deserves to be allocated. For now though, I'm okay just spending my money on easily available bottles of old forester 100 and up.
Great review as always, and I appreciate your candid thoughts and agree on love for the product but have "some" suspicion.. The ones I've had (SR and 107) are indeed good juice. I'll never forget, many years ago, a gentleman in front of me was hmming and hawing over which 1.75L bottle he should purchase of the last two available. One was SR, the other 107. After some time, he chose the SR and I got the 107. I was a happy man that day.
Weller Special Reserve is my general go-to Bourbon but I sip the EH Taylor Small Batch when I can find it. Have yet to find the Weller 12, Antique 107 or Full Proof.
I haven’t seen a Weller out in the wild for maybe 10 years, when I used to pretty easily find the Antique 107 in the old bottle style that had the red plastic screw top.
I honestly don't care for Weller myself. Apparently people like it because I had the full range including cypb and single barrel and sold them at auction for a very nice profit along with the pappy 15 I had for years.Paid retail for all of them. Before anybody asks I'm not a bottle hunter either. I just had them for quite a while knowing I'm not a fan I sold them to buy stuff I actually like.
Another great video. I’ve only been able to get Special Reserve and 12 down here in FL. I did have the chance to get a 107 but ended up choosing the 12 instead. Never seen FP but this is the one I’m hoping to come across.
Great series guys. I'm with you on being "bothered" by the scarcity of BT products. I'm convinced that the "shortage" of BT products is a contrived situation; a marketing scheme designed to hype demand by allocating products (everything in their line, it would seem). It virtually guarantees that their products will fly off the shelf, irrespective of quality. Hey, it's hard to get, so it has to be good, right? As your tastings showed, that's simply not true; a lot of their stuff is ordinary, at best. So, I don't buy them. According to Chuck Cowdery, BT has the fourth largest distillery capacity among American whiskey producers; larger than Brown-Forman, Wild Turkey, Four Roses, Makers and several others. And yet none of these other producers allocates all of their products, not to mention making a big deal of announcing this fact every year. Instead, their products are actually on the shelf. I see BT's practices as exploitation of their customers, which I believe will someday will catch up to them.
@@slbdrinks They also spread themselves pretty this with a incredible variety of products that they produce. and even though they are a large operation, its still a lot of whisky to produce to meet demand nationwide. they currently produce the Benchmark lineup, Ancient Age, Eagle Rare, Weller x6 versions, BTAC x5, Sazerac Rye, Blantons, Stagg jr, Rock Hill Farms, Elmer T Lee, EH Taylor x4, and Pappy x5 .. all along with their Flagship BT label so i just think the bourbon world has grown to large for them to adequately produce enough of everything nationally.
I got the reserve about 5 years ago for 28 bucks a bottle. I bought 4 of them at the time and after the first bottle I used the rest to make old fashioned drinks. I thought it tasted really young I guess. Not worth the hype or the jacked up price at all!
@@russb8291 Yes, I will be curious to see what this distribution change does. It will be especially interesting to see if supply improves here in the control state of Oregon, where Sazerac will run their own brokerage operation.
Here in Connecticut I see the Special Reserve the most, followed by the Antique. Very rarely see the 12 or the Single Barrel. I personally most enjoy the Special Reserve. Beyond the good price, I like green label the best because I prefer the lower proof in my bourbon. Give me higher proof in my rye!
The special reserve is approx 7 years old, sometimes there’s older barrels on the blend, same with the antique (which was once age stated at 10 years).
ps, flame the bourbon if you wanna cook with it to reduce the alcohol. there is a gradient with how long you flame it, and do it somewhere you won't catch on fire (at home, go outside not under a roof)
Great series! I can’t find Weller SR (green) for less than $60-$70 in Kentucky, and it’s a “gotta know someone” and/or be a big spender at Binny’s in IL in order to have them agree to bring one out from the back room. Haven’t seen 12 or Full Proof ever. Great show guys!!
@@slbdrinks born and raised in lousiville KY, you couldn’t be further from the truth - - sure, you’ll SEE jsut about every bottle. KY is bourbon Mecca - that means everyone who lives or travels here knows what to look for and recognizes these bottles plus there is no state run liquor distribution - therefore what you get is super high prices for just about any allocated bottle. We all know what it is, and it is here for you to purchase, but for prices 3x you mention (and again thats usual if you know someone or spend up in your local store)
I only have a few of the Buffalo Trace line of bourbons as they are very hard to find here also. That does suck. Lol I have the Wellers Special Reserve and Antique 107. That 12 year sounds awesome!
About three MAYBE four years ago before I realized how nuts it is to find some things I walked into a store in downtown Des Moines and plucked an EH Taylor off the shelf like it was a bottom shelf vodka - even brought it a neighbors party. Nowadays I would be throwing elbows to get that bottle, ha! I will say I’m spending some time in Tulsa Oklahoma with my wife and Weller Special Reserve is everywhere! I have not seen 107, 12 yr, or full proof anywhere ever. All in all, agree with your opinion and I’d have to say Elijah Craig barrel proof is my go-to mid-level price wise that is just amazing.
In Michigan Weller is unobtainium. If you do see it it’s 3x msrp. I have a bottle of Special Reserve I picked up in Ohio for under $30, other than that I’ve not tried any other Weller products because I won’t pay a premium for it
I purchased a bottle of Weller 107 at my local Southern California liquor superstore almost two years ago, in late 2020. I paid $32. A week later, I opened it and sampled the juice. It was great. I went back to the store to buy as much as I could, and they were out of stock. Since then, Weller 107, as well as all the entire Weller line, has been out of stock in my area ever since.
My dad would always talk about wellers and how it’s been his favorite bourbon for for years and years. He said they used to sell spring water with it and his favorite drink is burbon and water one day while we were in tucson visiting family my brother and I came across a bottle of special reserve for probably 25$ like 5 or 6 years ago he’s only found one other bottle since then
Special Reserve is a three year. Also thank you for your thoughts. I just started adding Weller to our bourbon collection and truly loved watching your channel.
Thanks for this video. Where I'm at, the 107 is actually about half price of the 12 yr, when you can find it. This is including the BT premium and the current market we're in. Seems pretty clear the value is in the 107 for the price.
@@slbdrinks I've been lucky to buy 107, FP and 12 yr from Kenwood Liquors, Binny's and, believe it or not, Jewel! SR is relatively easy to get at Binny's.
I agree with you Kurt. There are so many excellent bottles out there and readily available. There is no need to hunt down a Weller. To each his own obviously, but it’s not something I would spend time and money hunting Weller. Life is too short to obsess over a unicorn bourbon.
For me personally, the SR is entirely over hyped,... I see nothing special about it whatsoever. The 12 is okay, the 108 is pretty good,.. and I've never had the Full Proof, but I am pretty confident that it would probably be my favorite. I used to drink the 12 fairly regularly years ago, but don't really care for wheated bourbons much nowadays.
Great video! We routinely get the "special reserve and antique " . I've never seen "12 or full proof" here in Central Ohio. The special reserve is a great daily sipper! Heck of a series gentlemen!
I am usually able to find Special Reserve and Antique regularly at a good price in Ohio. Just tried the Benchmark 8 after your show. I will always have a bottle on my shelf.
A bottle of Weller is like a unicorn here in Rhode Island. I stumbled upon a bottle of SR at my store and paid $70. I knew I was overpaying but wanted a bottle for the collection. It's an enjoyable pour though and I'm glad I have it.
What's your local RI store? I've had good luck with finding interesting sips at Town Wine in East Providence and Nikki's in Providence. Bin 312 is my local favorite with their great staff and weekly (wine) tastings.
I get a bottle of Weller special reserve every now and again at my bar.. like it, don't love it. To me it's Blanton's, well marketed and overhyped. I'll take all the Russels reserve, and New Riffs over most of the Wellers. But bear in mind I've not tried the Weller Proof.. Just found the Russells 13 year yesterday for 100!! Great find. Gents I LOVE what you do.. keep it up
I’d be happy to try bt, but will only have interest when I see it on a shelf. E.G. I’m loving Doc Swinson’s blenders cut, which is $47, extremely available, and delicious.
Regular Buffalo Trace is not always available. Therefore when the distillery allocates production they also have to have Rickhouse space etc. My thoughts are that bourbon has gotten popular and Buffalo Trace very popular. Thus the distillery is at full production. I am just happy they are still making all the limited production batches.
In Chicagoland...just finding a Buffalo Trace is an accomplishment. Have yet to see Blanton's or Eagle Rare in the wild. Weller...EH Taylor...Stagg...also missing from the shelfs out here. Crazy. BTW: Buffalo Trace is changing their distributors...so hopefully that will open up the market a bit more...but it may take a couple of years for the production lines to catch up with the demand. Thanks for the tasting notes.
Weller! Weller! Weller! The old green label special reserve was labeled as a 7 year. I just always assumed the NAS was similar in age. Special reserve and 107 antique are available in my area fairly frequently (3-4x per year). The 12 I’ve seen but was told I can’t purchase (usually restaurants claim them), but usually 1-2x per year. Weller full proof is very elusive. MSRP was $50 last year. I’ll trade you a 107 for a 12 if you can spare. Happy to send sample too!
I do agree with your comment about Buffalo Trace's low supply but lets not forget that us the consumer drive the demand and as long as people are willing to pay exorbitant prices for BT products the prices will remain high.
Just paid $80 for Special Reserve in Forsyth, Illinois at a Friar Tucks on 12-16-22. Have an unopened bottle from the same store given to me as a gift over 5 years ago. The bottle/label is different and they said they paid around $30 for it then.
In Ohio (control state), WSR is $23 (handles are $50) and Antique is $50. We get both somewhat regularly, but not weekly like we used to. It's more like bi-weekly for WSR and monthly for Antique. The 12 Year ($40), Full Proof , Single Barrel and CYPB (all three are $50) are lottery only, so secondary prices are just as nuts in Ohio as elsewhere. Even Antique sells for 80-90 on secondary here even though it's not that rare. Mainly guys buy it to trade out of state, I think. It was delivery day at my local liquor store today and they had 8 cases of WSR and 4 cases of Antique; the Antique was probably gone within a couple of hours. I've always heard Antique is around 7 years old; I think it even used to have an age statement. BTW, E.H. Taylor Small Batch and the other E.H. Taylor expressions were only introduced in 2013; before that there was only Old Taylor. Curious what state you live in where W12 is easier to find than Antique. Texas, I assume, based on your logo? Last time I saw a Weller 12 on the shelf was probably the mid-2000s and that was in Kentucky.
Near me, Special Reserve ($23) is common, Antique ($50) usually in stock a couple times a year. Full Proof and 12 is a state lottery to buy at retail. I won this 2 years ago and purchased a full proof for $50.
In OKC, Special Reserve is around more often than not (BT is starting to become like this of late, as it used to be unavailable…and those two tend to be it from the BT family), I think I’ve seen 12 at one allocation sale, 107 (and Blanton’s) tend to be a bottle you walk with away from a couple of allocation sales a year when you don’t get what you really wanted, I got a FP from a ticket in line at a sale….I see folks stumble into it (and picks) more often than 12. Not really my jam, so I can live with it…honestly, give me a Wilderness Trail yellow label pick for a wheater.
The only one I have seen here in BC is Weller SR, there has been the occasional sighting of Weller 12 but so far I have not seen any of them other than the SR. Weller SR is $42.49CDN at government stores.
I was just down in Kentucky and got my first ever bottle of Weller Special Reserve. It cost me $22. Even if it doesn't live up to the hype, I can't complain at that price.
I live in upstate NY Hugh tax but I was told the Weller 12 yr was $256.00 I’m a vet the store owner is a vet he gave it to me for $153.00 and today 5/19/23 I bought Weller Antique and paid $174.53 🙄 I was told the Antique is between 6 & 8 years
Here in Tulsa OK we see Weller on the regular. I own a liquor store and I got 2 bottles of Full, 6 of 12 and probably 20 or more 107 in 2022. Im not a huge store either. Green label or the special reserve is not allocated here we pretty much always have it. The MSRP you guys stated are not the case here. We have a 2 teir system so I have to buy from a distributor and I don't price gouge, max 30% mark up. The prices at my store this year based on my cost was 120 for full proof, 99 for 12yr, 69 for the 107 and that is a 750ml bottle. That is pretty much the going price around this area I have never seen a 12yr or full proof for 30 bucks. That would be great but have not seen anything close to that. I just wanted to post because those prices are a reasonable range to find a bottle in. If it's over that you are paying a secondary market price.
Hello Kurt and Trent! I’ve just discovered you guys today and am working on watching all your videos. In my location, Special Reserve seems to be somewhat plentiful followed by 107. However I have never seen any of the other Weller products anywhere near me. A fellow bourbon lover did send me a small sample of the 12 year. I have to say it is my favorite of the three I’ve had. Love your videos! Keep up the good work!
Kurt, I don't really think it's Buffalo Trace's fault that 75% of their products are allocated. The bourbon community has created this monster . The bourbon community has chosen Buffalo Trace as their unicorn bourbons. There are SO many good bourbons out there and people still look for the Buffalo Trace products as their sought-after bourbons. Really enjoying your channel and I'm glad that Trenton has finally come out from behind the camera. He has some really good insight in the bourbon world. You guys are both doing a great job with this channel. Cheers from a fellow Hoosier
Thanks Jeff! Not certain who deserves any blame it’s just very frustrating to have such a great lineup of whiskey but can never find them.
I’d dump every Buffalo trace product straight down the drain with a smile on my face for a bottle of OF Birthday Bourbon
The Facebook secondary (black) market ruined it for people who want to get the Buffalo trace Bourbons at a decent price.
@@MK4vDubbin The birthday bourbon is real? I Thought it was a myth lol. Being in the good ol state of NC to find a bottle of regular Buffalo trace in an abc is already almost impossible to find let alone a bottle of OF like that.
@@JBrass98 I’ve only come across it a few times in the wild and the mark up made me second guess how much I already drank that day.
2:15 weller special reserve
4:30 weller 12 year
6:36 weller 107
10:00 weller full proof
Thank you!
We visited the Kentucky bourbon trail, and of all the distilleries we visited Buffalo Trace was the most disappointing. Love their products, but their inability to supply stores like the other big brands is crazy.
I worked at Old Fitzgerald in the 70s. They bottled Cabin Still, Rebel Yell, Old Fitz, WL Weller, & 1849. You could walk into any store and buy any in the line up at list price.They all had age statements. Cabin Still was 4 and the rest were one year older in sequence. There was only one mash bill and they were all wheated. WL Weller was my favorite at 7 years. There was no Buffalo Trace and no Pappy label, just the legend of the man. Times change and so do we, but I miss those days.
I bet you do! Wish I was into it at an earlier age as well!
My local small town shop got all the Buffalo Trace allocated Bourbons in on a Monday morning, and had them all out on the end cap shelf. It was a beautiful sight. Two days later, most all gone. Blanton, Stagg, antique 107, Weller special reserve, Eagle rare, etc. now you had to buy other bottles with it, and limit one per customer, but still. I got a blantons, but should have got the Antique 107. Oh well. Great channel 👍👍
Love the run down on the BT series. In my area N. Dakota I have never seen an E.H. Taylor, Elmer T. Lee, Eagle Rare, Stagg, etc. etc. But about 3 months ago I went into a local store and asked if they had any allocated bourbons and the gal said yes they just got a bottle in and would I like to see it. Sure I said. Well low and behold she comes out with a Weller full proof. I jumped on it immediately. Paid about $56 w/tax. Not bad as I've seen it at $500 on the seconday market. Haven't opened it yet but look forward to the day when I do.
Enjoy your channel immensely. Keep up the good work.
Great story and great price!
I really appreciated this series. You guys have done an excellent job show casing several different distilleries. A few years ago when I started my own journey into bourbon I have to admit I jumped on the buffalo trace hype/bandwagon. But it's so allocated here in NC I jumped off very quickly and realized there's so much more out there for reasonable prices that I don't bother with BT at all anymore. If I happen across a bottle of eagle rare or weller I might get it. I honestly would rather support a company that consistently delivers though. Thankyou guys all the same for a great series.
Great attitude! About how I feel as well.
once you've tried them all and done so side by side with other producers' quality offerings, you realize there's so much awesome stuff that actually sits on the shelf and tastes better than these bottles. the buffalo trace stuff is all delicious, but i view it as a gateway bourbon because their offerings are very approachable and will please most anyone who is even remotely into whiskey. once you get past the hyped stuff, you start to find absolute gems that are easily obtainable for retail prices. that's when you truly enjoy bourbon drinking.
I appreciate this Buffalo Trace series, and I share your perspective in that I'm frustrated with the limited availability of most of their products. I've never had any from the Weller line, and I've been hoping to grab an Eagle Rare for ages, but I'm always a day late and a dollar short. It seems like they purposefully hype their products by making them so difficult to acquire. I'm becoming tired of it when I can get an Early Times, Heaven Hill, or Old Forester with little effort. Still, it's fun to enjoy them vicariously through your channel!
You are not missing anything. I have Stagg Jr, EH Taylor, Weller, Eagle Rare, ect. They are not any better than Knob Creek, Rare Breed, Old Forester, ect. Its 100% hype.
the first time I had Weller 12 year it was my favorite. I spent around $150 for a bottle on the secondary to take on my honeymoon. However as my tastes have changed and palate expanded I have moved into liking the spice of Wild Turkey more. I have the Sr, 12 year and 107 right now and will buy again if I can get them for retail or close to it. However I think WT 101 and the Rare Breed are just as good or even better. Maybe I have just become a proof hound.
@@daviddegeorgia7955 I enjoy Rare Breed very much as well. Always an easy find and a very satisfying pour.
I wish they would make less versions so they were more available
I just bought a Weller SR for $22.50+:tax . If I get to my store on stocking day, I run about a 50/50 chance. The 107 is $49.50+ tax and my chances are 25/75. BUT I hardly see BT. 7 years ago I could get BT, Eagle and Blantons almost anytime, but not now. After 47 years of drinking Bourbon, Now it's popular.
I don't have a single bottle of Weller and don't miss it. I understand it's good stuff but there are so many other bottles out there available from other producers that are just as enjoyable that aren't marked up.
Agree. Too many good bourbons to chase after the overly priced unicorns.
I can understand why you have that opinion.
If you can find at retail, these are wonderful. 2x to satisfy curiosity, maybe. Full blown secondary, no chance in hell.
Thanks for doing this series... I sip the Weller SR regularly (it's about all I can ever find). I have a 107 and 12 and love them, but like you on your full proof (which I have never seen), I sip conservatively.
Love to see a video or series on "Seasonal Sippers". Favorite fall sippers, favorite Winter, and so on. LOVE the channel!
Thanks for the recommendation!
This has been a great series and I, personally, appreciate your honest reviews, authenticity, and opinions on the Buffalo line. In the midwest (Kansas City) region we hardly see anything more that BT and WSR and rely on entering into lotteries in order to obtain anything beyond those bottles. Again appreciate all of the videos you put out and looking forward to the next one!
Thank you!
Really enjoyed your deep-dive into Buffalo Trace! Bravo! You two are my faves, and I really enjoy that you're a father/son team - so cool! Keep up the great work!
Thanks so much!
In South KY you can get OWA easily, just runs north of $100. W12 is hard to find but it’s north of $200 and hard to find. WBP is same range. I once found the WSR for $19.99 a bottle at a Walmart in MO. Bought every bottle in the store. I love the Weller line. Probably my favorite line. Love the show!!!
We go to Buffalo Trace sometimes twice a year. We get in line right before they open and usually purchase what is on sale special for that day.
special reserve is picked from barrels that are 6-9 years old, as is 107. CYPB are all 8 years old, full proof is "at least 9 years", non-chill filtered, and single barrel is over 7 years, and Weller 12 is 12 years plus.
also, all Weller and pappy use the same wheated mash bill and yeast that do not contain rye.
just came back from a tasting of all Wellers at the trace.
Also, Full Proof was a new product in fall 2019, with store picks starting in Spring 2020.
Lastly, much of Buffalo trace is in short sully because of the age of what is popular. EH Taylor is aged at least 4 years, but typically closer to 6 years, Blanton's is from 6-8 years, regular Buffalo Trace is 5+ years, while all Wellers are at least 6 years. Buffalo Trace also started expanding their lines EH Taylor used to be one product, is now 3, Weller used to be three (12, Reserve, and 107), and now is 7 (W.L. Weller, Single Barrel, CYPB, and Full Proof). Blanton's expanded from one to six (4 sold exclusively in foreign markets). Blanton's is available as single barrel 93 proof, barrel proof, 100 proof, 80 proof, 10 years, and house pick (best of the best).
all of these things has limited availability. BT had expanded from their 5 millionth barrel in 2014, and will barrel their 8 millionth barrel by year end. they will be filling a million barrels every 16 months with the new upgrades.
As always you supply fantastic info! Thank you buddy!
I just took a trip from Missouri to Washington state. I found five of the six Wellers, if your ever in Washington, Idaho area look at the smaller stores in smaller towns, Even the grocery stores..even if they have it in the back...they sold it to me. Even the C.Y.P.B. was under 90. The rest were msrp...all in all I count it as an awesome trip
Where did you go in WA State to find these? I'm in the Tacoma area and having a tough time finding them at MSRP.
I really enjoyed all of the Buffalo Trace videos that you and Trent have done . I was at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in 2018 which was at the very beginning of my bourbon journey and wished I had bought some of these bottles but just did not know enough about them, I have learned so much since I started watching SLB, thanks for what you do
Appreciate you joining us!
In my area (Pennsy/New Jersey), all the Wellers simply don't exist. A couple of years ago I found a bottle of Koster Wheat Recipe, which has a bit more proof than the Special Reserve and a 7-year age statement. I can't say I've ever been all that impressed by the Wellers, and I satisfy my wheater sweet tooth with Old Elk Wheat Whiskey, which is superb.
Weller is showing up in NJ but good luck getting even the special reserve for less than $100
OE wheated is a spectacular replacement!
I'm in NJ as well and to get Weller you need to go upstate NY or Maryland. You can find Weller in NJ but for insane prices. Weller Sr just isn't worth $70. At that price old elk blows it out the water and for cheaper both wilderness trail and makers full proof are both way better as well.
12 is the best. Easy sipper and so much flavor. Special reserve and regular BT (store pics on occasion) I see almost every week here in Central TX. No FP, SiB or CYPB.
Great closing point! I feel like the limited availability is by design by BT. I think that BT is expanding its capacity, but the main offerings like ER, the Wellers, etc should be readily available. Maybe the BTAC line up should be the ones most difficult to find.
Can’t agree more!
Yes, they are expanding their capacity. BUT.....it's geared more or less for their overseas markets because the overseas markets bring more revenue for the distillery. remember, Blantons was originally made specifically for the overseas market
Those FP SP are amazing. So much better than the regular ones. Great content guys.. I'm in MA and anything Weller is way over priced. The SR ive seen up to 140 collecting dust.
Cheers 🍻
I see prices like that in DC and laugh. SR isn't worth more than MSRP, to my tastes.
I find SR disappointing, but the bottle I recently picked up is getting better after being open a month or so. I am a HUGE fan of Full Proof, and was fortunate enough to get 3 more bottles recently. I haven't had 12 year since before Weller blew up (back when you could reliably find it on shelves for $30-ish) and I liked it a lot back then. I have only been able to get one bottle of Antique, and I like it a lot, but Full Proof is still my favorite.
FWIW, I will only pay MSRP or maybe up to +20%. I paid $69.99 for the 3 Full Proofs (all store picks) I just got.
THat said, None of them show up on the shelves - I am only able to reliably get them due to relationships I've built over a few years with stores where I've bought plenty of stuff and proven a good, reliable customer.
In Western Massachusetts, all Weller products are allocated. If you find one, you can only buy ONE. I haven't found one in years. Pricing even a couple of years ago was $75 minimum, with some going for $150+. My guess is that some are going for MORE now. I have never tried the full proof. I still have several SR, 12yr, and 107 in the old squat bottles. They were great buys at $21, $40, and $23 respectively. They taste great, but are difficult to justify huge money for them. I'd like to see a BLIND taste test of these and other stuff, to see if people can pick the Weller products out as being a cut above...
Thank You for this series, it was really cool to see you both break down the different "tiers" of the BT line. As you alluded to, the sad part is I will get to try so few of these due to their super allocated nature, which in my "Bourbon jail" state of PA are even restricted further. Even the standard Buffalo Trace bourbon and things like ER10 are only hitting PA FWGS stores a couple times a year and in miniscule quantities. Have never seen Benchmark, have never seen Weller, have only seen EHT once, that's just how it is here. When I get to neighboring states, I try to hunt a little while there, but it's tough finding BT products.
I'm in PA as well. Been lucky on ER and got some Weller SR and 12 online but I was very lucky. They don't sell Benchmark at all in PA. I get it pretty easily in MD though. Try State Line Liquors just over the DE/MD line off I-95 for Benchmark and Ancient Age too. Great store with excellent prices.
Wow that is bourbon jail!
Same here in VA, except we do get standard Benchmark 8 in some ABC locations. I see all four of these Wellers in DC, but marked up to absolutely laughable prices.
Yes, you can use the full proof Weller in creme brûlée.
It would be done in a sous vide method. The oven method would be a higher risk of of popping open the oven door from the residue alcohol vapor.
Nice! I was invited once for steaks where the meat was first partially cooked sous vide than finished off on the grill. Tender and delicious!
I went back and decided to start my own collection. I hope that I chose well; McKenna 10yr, Russell's 10, Rare Breed, 4 Roses Small BATCH Select, Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare.
Solid picks, one and all. Cheers!
I would splurge a couple more bucks on the four roses single barrel. Great starting lineup regardless!
@@samuelstephens9921 I actually have the Single Barrel and also a single barrel store pick OESV. I'm now looking for an OESO
In Tennessee we rarely get any of these. But by far the most common two are Special Reserve and 107. I’d love to find another bottle of 12 year! By far 107 is my favorite of these!
Excellent and informative comparison! I do not have much Weller experience as I never see it in WI. I recently had a pour of Weller 12 after having an Eagle Rare. I was surprised by the lack of flavor compared to ER. Weller was muted. This follows your tasting notes. I would love to revisit it sometime soon. Great video!
My wife and I love your channel, we watch the bourbon junkies as well, great content! We are from S.W. Michigan and our kids live in Chicago, so we are able to get our hands on some decent bottles between Indiana and Chicago, it is also not that far of a drive to Kentucky and we will make an occasional trip there as well. We both loved eagle rare before it was allocated and stocked up on it when we saw it coming. We have both only had the Weller special reserve and agree at the $29 price point is great, would like to try the others and maybe will some day. That being said the one thing I can appreciate about B.T. is that when you go visit their place if you get there early you can almost always get an allocated bottle there(Eagle R,Blantons, E.H, or Weller) What grinds my gears is why do all the distilleries not do this? I mean some people come from a long ways out and why would I visit a distillery to only be able to get a bottle that is available at any of my local stores. I just think that all distilleries should have a bottle that makes it worth your while for making the trip to see them, make sense? and at a fair price, Lux Row charges more at their distillery than you can buy it at the local Kroger for.
Thanks for the content
Randy from Michigan
I have to agree with that. Something I didn’t think of. Last time we visited BT Blantons was out and marked up at a fair price. I have also seen other distilleries like you with elevated prices.
Just getting started with Bourbon and the Weller SR was my first bottle. Paid over $70 locally here in Mid-Missouri. Never have seen the others.
I live outside NY City. In one of the more expensive counties, and I paid roughly the same.
That’s not an outrageous price especially for your first bottle!
Here in the Savannah Ga area I see Eagle Rare and Buffalo Trace from time to time but that's about it. Never any Weller product or EH Taylor just "on the shelf" ! Definitely no Blantons etc. Thanks for all your hard work making these enjoyable videos.
Weller is one of my favorites! We are not finding much of any Weller here. The 12 year is averaging $300 a bottle or more. The full proof is you can find it is about 1
$100. Antique is so rare haven’t found in a few years, but usually around $80-100 a bottle. Wish this stuff was more accessible! Single barrel is hardest to find and secondary market $1200. I have a bottle of 12 and single barrel but saving for special occasions!
Bourbon is under aged in general, compared to the age and complexity of scotch whisky it’s a spirit that rarely is allowed to age enough to reach its potential and is sold at an increasing premium for what’s in the bottle considering we don’t have to pay import taxes and tariffs. Such a shame.
I think Special Reserve is a good entry bourbon for a lot of people. Very mild and smooth (no rye in a wheater I think is why). I lucked into a bottle of 107 at msrp and really have enjoyed it. I have done a few blind tastings with friends and bourbon novices always pick the SR and experienced drinkers tend to go with the 107.
That makes sense. The sr is sweet without any sharp or strong barrel type flavors.
I'm in TX and can usually find Special Reserve for
I’m in central TX and see them often minus the FP. They have dropped but not a high end customer to get that call
In South Texas and never seen EH Taylor. .. Luckily I've seen Eagle Rare twice for $34 and was able to pick them up both times. Only seen Blanton's once ans picked up 3 at retail. Weller SR I can get without issue, but never seen any other Weller before. I was able to pick up 3 bottles at retail of store pick single barrel Buffalo Trace. It's fantastic! I think Texas isn't as bad compared to other states regarding BT's allocation, but it's still not great.
@@Andrew-fr3bp Nice finds! I really want to find a store pick Buffalo Trace one day. If you're even in the Austin area, I'm happy to trade away an EH Taylor (:
I agree that TX is far from the worst place to get BT. I went to NY for the first time for work a couple weeks ago, and was surprised to see Blantons and Eagle Rare in most every store. Even saw some BTAC. However, you have to pay a fortune to do more than look at any of it. In TX, we never see stuff like that, /but if you do/, at least there's a chance of a good price.
@@austininatx I will look for one. I’m originally from Austin and have family there so I go frequently.
@@austininatx I'm in Corpus Christi and would definitely consider trading a single barrel BT for one of your EH Taylor's. It might be awhile next time I'm up in Austin, but will be up in Kerrville area in October though...
Thanks for all the great info! I live in the north
..
west and am lucky to find all those Wellers
FYSA - In Virginia (where I am from), Weller 107 and Weller Full Proof are $50, the Special Reserve is $27, and the 12-year is $38 - if you can find them. I agree 100% that Buffalo Trace has a problem with their EXTREMELY low production runs that make this spirit nearly impossible to find. You mentioned Old Forester (i.e. 1920), which I can find almost anywhere. This really irritates me, too.
kes
Buffalo Trace has no issues allocating capacity to the new Benchmark line. That is millions of bottles of EH Taylor, Eagle Rare, and Stagg that will not be made or sold, instead we get another $10-20 bourbon of which there is no shortage.
Good prices!
New subscriber! Really enjoy the conversation and content! I love the Weller 12 but it’s a unicorn for me! I can never find it and when I do its $250+ a bottle! A working man with 4 kids makes it hard to enjoy the bourbons you love!
Thanks for joining us! Enjoy the journey my friend!
Man it truly is a struggle here in the DFW area to find Buffalo Trace products. And if you do find any of the Weller brand stuff (minus the green label) it’s all well over 200 dollars. Hopefully in a few years things will settle down. Awesome video keep it up!
In Florida I’ve never seen a bottle of Weller, green or any color.
You are 💯 correct Scott! I’m in DFW and have trouble finding BT! When I do it’s so marked up! I found regular BT and it was $80… should be $30
It’s 2025 as of this posting…Antique 107 is $200/bottle here in Austin, if you can find it. I know of one bottle at that price that is available at my local LS. I suppose the price is why it’s still there.
For Augusta, GA:
Weller SR- Available daily
Weller 12- Available(ish) at $90-$199 each
Weller OWA- Never see it
Weller Full Proof- Maybe once or twice a year
Great show guys!! I totally agree with all your comments. Have I ever over paid....yes I have. Will I again...nope. Yes it is all delicious pours👍
Love this channel! Thanks for the honest reviews! I want to see a weller crème brûlée review now!
In Ohio WSR is $22.50 and decently available, Antique is a little harder to find and $50 but I've been able to get a handful. Unfortunately, 12 year is lottery only and I've never even seen one in person. :(
I believe WSR age is between 6-8 years. For $22.50 and anyone who likes wheated bourbon, WSR is incredibly hard to beat in value for what you're getting.
I was able to get a bottle of special reserve and for $25 it is worth it. Easy to drink. Carmel cinnamon spicy and sweet. I wish it had more oak. But it’s very good and I’m happy with the purchase.
This is the only option my local store offers on a regular basis but they can only get one case a month. They keep it under the counter and you have to ask if it’s stock. The rest of the buffalo trace products are raffled in December for A CHANCE TO BUY.
That is crazy to me but I can guarantee you I’ll enter in the raffle this year.
GET THIS!!! There’s a store by me that has a bunch of Weller in stock….but there’s a catch, their prices.
Weller Special Reserve - $70
Weller 12 Year - $300
Weller 107 - $140
Weller C.Y.P.B - $1,150
I've been able to get Weller 12 and an Eagle Rare in a loyalty program, and I'm hopeful in a few years the increase production from BT will result in actually being able to get a bottle of something that truly deserves to be allocated. For now though, I'm okay just spending my money on easily available bottles of old forester 100 and up.
Hoping as well the expansion will help!
Great review as always, and I appreciate your candid thoughts and agree on love for the product but have "some" suspicion.. The ones I've had (SR and 107) are indeed good juice. I'll never forget, many years ago, a gentleman in front of me was hmming and hawing over which 1.75L bottle he should purchase of the last two available. One was SR, the other 107. After some time, he chose the SR and I got the 107. I was a happy man that day.
Good deal!
Weller Special Reserve is my general go-to Bourbon but I sip the EH Taylor Small Batch when I can find it. Have yet to find the Weller 12, Antique 107 or Full Proof.
I haven’t seen a Weller out in the wild for maybe 10 years, when I used to pretty easily find the Antique 107 in the old bottle style that had the red plastic screw top.
I honestly don't care for Weller myself. Apparently people like it because I had the full range including cypb and single barrel and sold them at auction for a very nice profit along with the pappy 15 I had for years.Paid retail for all of them. Before anybody asks I'm not a bottle hunter either. I just had them for quite a while knowing I'm not a fan I sold them to buy stuff I actually like.
Wellers is what I have enjoyed for 25 years but can rarely find it anymore. Loved to see it on this.
Another great video. I’ve only been able to get Special Reserve and 12 down here in FL. I did have the chance to get a 107 but ended up choosing the 12 instead. Never seen FP but this is the one I’m hoping to come across.
That’s a great bottle to have! Hope you can find it!
Great series guys. I'm with you on being "bothered" by the scarcity of BT products. I'm convinced that the "shortage" of BT products is a contrived situation; a marketing scheme designed to hype demand by allocating products (everything in their line, it would seem). It virtually guarantees that their products will fly off the shelf, irrespective of quality. Hey, it's hard to get, so it has to be good, right? As your tastings showed, that's simply not true; a lot of their stuff is ordinary, at best. So, I don't buy them.
According to Chuck Cowdery, BT has the fourth largest distillery capacity among American whiskey producers; larger than Brown-Forman, Wild Turkey, Four Roses, Makers and several others. And yet none of these other producers allocates all of their products, not to mention making a big deal of announcing this fact every year. Instead, their products are actually on the shelf. I see BT's practices as exploitation of their customers, which I believe will someday will catch up to them.
Hard to deny any of your points here. I agree.
@@slbdrinks They also spread themselves pretty this with a incredible variety of products that they produce. and even though they are a large operation, its still a lot of whisky to produce to meet demand nationwide. they currently produce the Benchmark lineup, Ancient Age, Eagle Rare, Weller x6 versions, BTAC x5, Sazerac Rye, Blantons, Stagg jr, Rock Hill Farms, Elmer T Lee, EH Taylor x4, and Pappy x5 .. all along with their Flagship BT label so i just think the bourbon world has grown to large for them to adequately produce enough of everything nationally.
I got the reserve about 5 years ago for 28 bucks a bottle. I bought 4 of them at the time and after the first bottle I used the rest to make old fashioned drinks. I thought it tasted really young I guess. Not worth the hype or the jacked up price at all!
With the new news coming out about BT changing distributors, this may have been driven by their old distributor. Time will tell.
@@russb8291 Yes, I will be curious to see what this distribution change does. It will be especially interesting to see if supply improves here in the control state of Oregon, where Sazerac will run their own brokerage operation.
Another great video guys a great review we have weller in are area northeast and it’s just always way to expensive insanely marked up
Here in Connecticut I see the Special Reserve the most, followed by the Antique. Very rarely see the 12 or the Single Barrel.
I personally most enjoy the Special Reserve. Beyond the good price, I like green label the best because I prefer the lower proof in my bourbon. Give me higher proof in my rye!
Really enjoyed you reviewing the full lineup. Thanks guys!
Weller Single Barrel is one of my favorites, it's a unicorn though and it can't be found. Had a buddy with a bottle and was lucky enough to have some.
The special reserve is approx 7 years old, sometimes there’s older barrels on the blend, same with the antique (which was once age stated at 10 years).
Thank you!
ps, flame the bourbon if you wanna cook with it to reduce the alcohol. there is a gradient with how long you flame it, and do it somewhere you won't catch on fire (at home, go outside not under a roof)
Just received a bottle of 12 year weller you guys we’re right on with this review. I find it to be one of the best bourbon’s I’ve tried.
Great series! I can’t find Weller SR (green) for less than $60-$70 in Kentucky, and it’s a “gotta know someone” and/or be a big spender at Binny’s in IL in order to have them agree to bring one out from the back room. Haven’t seen 12 or Full Proof ever. Great show guys!!
One would think living in Kentucky you would see great bottles now and than. Strange.
I got SR in Cincinnati, OH for approx 25 dollars. Crazy how it changes so much place to place
@@slbdrinks born and raised in lousiville KY, you couldn’t be further from the truth - - sure, you’ll SEE jsut about every bottle. KY is bourbon Mecca - that means everyone who lives or travels here knows what to look for and recognizes these bottles plus there is no state run liquor distribution - therefore what you get is super high prices for just about any allocated bottle. We all know what it is, and it is here for you to purchase, but for prices 3x you mention (and again thats usual if you know someone or spend up in your local store)
Bottles in Ohio are around $25
107 goes for around $50
I only have a few of the Buffalo Trace line of bourbons as they are very hard to find here also. That does suck. Lol
I have the Wellers Special Reserve and Antique 107. That 12 year sounds awesome!
About three MAYBE four years ago before I realized how nuts it is to find some things I walked into a store in downtown Des Moines and plucked an EH Taylor off the shelf like it was a bottom shelf vodka - even brought it a neighbors party. Nowadays I would be throwing elbows to get that bottle, ha! I will say I’m spending some time in Tulsa Oklahoma with my wife and Weller Special Reserve is everywhere! I have not seen 107, 12 yr, or full proof anywhere ever.
All in all, agree with your opinion and I’d have to say Elijah Craig barrel proof is my go-to mid-level price wise that is just amazing.
I’ve also been DYING to find one of those Maker’s FAE bottles - those are incredible! You guys should do a Makers lineup!
In Michigan Weller is unobtainium. If you do see it it’s 3x msrp. I have a bottle of Special Reserve I picked up in Ohio for under $30, other than that I’ve not tried any other Weller products because I won’t pay a premium for it
Love the bottles and glasses layout! Great set design!
I purchased a bottle of Weller 107 at my local Southern California liquor superstore almost two years ago, in late 2020. I paid $32. A week later, I opened it and sampled the juice. It was great. I went back to the store to buy as much as I could, and they were out of stock. Since then, Weller 107, as well as all the entire Weller line, has been out of stock in my area ever since.
That’s crazy.
My dad would always talk about wellers and how it’s been his favorite bourbon for for years and years. He said they used to sell spring water with it and his favorite drink is burbon and water one day while we were in tucson visiting family my brother and I came across a bottle of special reserve for probably 25$ like 5 or 6 years ago he’s only found one other bottle since then
What- no William LaRue Weller? Love 107 but very rare here in Texas. See SR all the time. 12 is allocated as 107 and FP.. great show!
Lol thanks! Think I have only had Handy and Stagg as far as the btac lineup goes.
Here in Charlotte NC we can’t find any weller products.
Special Reserve is a three year. Also thank you for your thoughts. I just started adding Weller to our bourbon collection and truly loved watching your channel.
Thanks for this video. Where I'm at, the 107 is actually about half price of the 12 yr, when you can find it. This is including the BT premium and the current market we're in. Seems pretty clear the value is in the 107 for the price.
Last Wednesday, Weller CYPB dropped at several Binny's locations. Unfortunately, like many, I missed out on getting a bottle.
Have never seen it.
@@slbdrinks I've been lucky to buy 107, FP and 12 yr from Kenwood Liquors, Binny's and, believe it or not, Jewel! SR is relatively easy to get at Binny's.
I agree with you Kurt. There are so many excellent bottles out there and readily available. There is no need to hunt down a Weller. To each his own obviously, but it’s not something I would spend time and money hunting Weller. Life is too short to obsess over a unicorn bourbon.
Amen to that!
For me personally, the SR is entirely over hyped,... I see nothing special about it whatsoever.
The 12 is okay, the 108 is pretty good,.. and I've never had the Full Proof, but I am pretty confident that it would probably be my favorite.
I used to drink the 12 fairly regularly years ago, but don't really care for wheated bourbons much nowadays.
Great video! We routinely get the "special reserve and antique " . I've never seen "12 or full proof" here in Central Ohio. The special reserve is a great daily sipper! Heck of a series gentlemen!
Thanks Larry!
I am usually able to find Special Reserve and Antique regularly at a good price in Ohio. Just tried the Benchmark 8 after your show. I will always have a bottle on my shelf.
Glad you liked it!
A bottle of Weller is like a unicorn here in Rhode Island. I stumbled upon a bottle of SR at my store and paid $70. I knew I was overpaying but wanted a bottle for the collection. It's an enjoyable pour though and I'm glad I have it.
What's your local RI store? I've had good luck with finding interesting sips at Town Wine in East Providence and Nikki's in Providence. Bin 312 is my local favorite with their great staff and weekly (wine) tastings.
I get a bottle of Weller special reserve every now and again at my bar.. like it, don't love it. To me it's Blanton's, well marketed and overhyped. I'll take all the Russels reserve, and New Riffs over most of the Wellers. But bear in mind I've not tried the Weller Proof.. Just found the Russells 13 year yesterday for 100!! Great find. Gents I LOVE what you do.. keep it up
I just got the R13 as well! Mighty nice sip!
I’d be happy to try bt, but will only have interest when I see it on a shelf. E.G. I’m loving Doc Swinson’s blenders cut, which is $47, extremely available, and delicious.
Regular Buffalo Trace is not always available. Therefore when the distillery allocates production they also have to have Rickhouse space etc. My thoughts are that bourbon has gotten popular and Buffalo Trace very popular. Thus the distillery is at full production. I am just happy they are still making all the limited production batches.
In Chicagoland...just finding a Buffalo Trace is an accomplishment. Have yet to see Blanton's or Eagle Rare in the wild. Weller...EH Taylor...Stagg...also missing from the shelfs out here. Crazy. BTW: Buffalo Trace is changing their distributors...so hopefully that will open up the market a bit more...but it may take a couple of years for the production lines to catch up with the demand.
Thanks for the tasting notes.
Another very informative video. I’m very new to bourbons and you guys are passing on great information
Weller! Weller! Weller!
The old green label special reserve was labeled as a 7 year. I just always assumed the NAS was similar in age.
Special reserve and 107 antique are available in my area fairly frequently (3-4x per year). The 12 I’ve seen but was told I can’t purchase (usually restaurants claim them), but usually 1-2x per year. Weller full proof is very elusive. MSRP was $50 last year.
I’ll trade you a 107 for a 12 if you can spare. Happy to send sample too!
The wheated bourbon mash bill does not have rye in it.
ruclips.net/video/tMoQdV_GaaE/видео.html
Thank you for your generosity!
Thanks guys; I can find SR in the New Orleans area for $40 and under w/ some effort. Sadly, I’ve never seen any of the offerings.
I do agree with your comment about Buffalo Trace's low supply but lets not forget that us the consumer drive the demand and as long as people are willing to pay exorbitant prices for BT products the prices will remain high.
💯 the truth!
Just paid $80 for Special Reserve in Forsyth, Illinois at a Friar Tucks on 12-16-22. Have an unopened bottle from the same store given to me as a gift over 5 years ago. The bottle/label is different and they said they paid around $30 for it then.
In Ohio (control state), WSR is $23 (handles are $50) and Antique is $50. We get both somewhat regularly, but not weekly like we used to. It's more like bi-weekly for WSR and monthly for Antique. The 12 Year ($40), Full Proof , Single Barrel and CYPB (all three are $50) are lottery only, so secondary prices are just as nuts in Ohio as elsewhere. Even Antique sells for 80-90 on secondary here even though it's not that rare. Mainly guys buy it to trade out of state, I think. It was delivery day at my local liquor store today and they had 8 cases of WSR and 4 cases of Antique; the Antique was probably gone within a couple of hours. I've always heard Antique is around 7 years old; I think it even used to have an age statement. BTW, E.H. Taylor Small Batch and the other E.H. Taylor expressions were only introduced in 2013; before that there was only Old Taylor. Curious what state you live in where W12 is easier to find than Antique. Texas, I assume, based on your logo? Last time I saw a Weller 12 on the shelf was probably the mid-2000s and that was in Kentucky.
We are actually in NW Indiana. Trent was a little outspoken on the 12 yr but we usually do see it a few times a yr but 107 not at all.
I just got the green bottle. Very excited to try it
Near me, Special Reserve ($23) is common, Antique ($50) usually in stock a couple times a year. Full Proof and 12 is a state lottery to buy at retail. I won this 2 years ago and purchased a full proof for $50.
Great buy! Congrats!
In OKC, Special Reserve is around more often than not (BT is starting to become like this of late, as it used to be unavailable…and those two tend to be it from the BT family), I think I’ve seen 12 at one allocation sale, 107 (and Blanton’s) tend to be a bottle you walk with away from a couple of allocation sales a year when you don’t get what you really wanted, I got a FP from a ticket in line at a sale….I see folks stumble into it (and picks) more often than 12. Not really my jam, so I can live with it…honestly, give me a Wilderness Trail yellow label pick for a wheater.
Whole lot easier to find also!
In Pennsylvania I can't find Weller (or much of any Buffalo Trace products) anywhere.
The only one I have seen here in BC is Weller SR, there has been the occasional sighting of Weller 12 but so far I have not seen any of them other than the SR. Weller SR is $42.49CDN at government stores.
Good price!
Can’t get enough of this channel. Love it.
I was just down in Kentucky and got my first ever bottle of Weller Special Reserve. It cost me $22. Even if it doesn't live up to the hype, I can't complain at that price.
Not at all!
I live in upstate NY Hugh tax but I was told the Weller 12 yr was $256.00 I’m a vet the store owner is a vet he gave it to me for $153.00 and today 5/19/23 I bought Weller Antique and paid $174.53 🙄 I was told the Antique is between 6 & 8 years
Here in Tulsa OK we see Weller on the regular. I own a liquor store and I got 2 bottles of Full, 6 of 12 and probably 20 or more 107 in 2022. Im not a huge store either. Green label or the special reserve is not allocated here we pretty much always have it. The MSRP you guys stated are not the case here. We have a 2 teir system so I have to buy from a distributor and I don't price gouge, max 30% mark up. The prices at my store this year based on my cost was 120 for full proof, 99 for 12yr, 69 for the 107 and that is a 750ml bottle. That is pretty much the going price around this area I have never seen a 12yr or full proof for 30 bucks. That would be great but have not seen anything close to that. I just wanted to post because those prices are a reasonable range to find a bottle in. If it's over that you are paying a secondary market price.
I had a bottle of the 107, I didn't care for it. It sat on the shelf for a long time.
Hello Kurt and Trent! I’ve just discovered you guys today and am working on watching all your videos. In my location, Special Reserve seems to be somewhat plentiful followed by 107. However I have never seen any of the other Weller products anywhere near me. A fellow bourbon lover did send me a small sample of the 12 year. I have to say it is my favorite of the three I’ve had. Love your videos! Keep up the good work!
Another great review guys, I’m just discovering Wheat Whiskey/Bourbon and am really enjoying it, Will definitely be looking for a Weller now 👍