W.L. Weller Special Reserve | 90 Proof | Old Label | Bottled October 25, 2016 | Buffalo Trace Distillery Before Weller became one of the most allocated names in American bourbon, this was simply a great whiskey that sat quietly on shelves. This bottle — filled on October 25, 2016 — carries the old label: cursive script, green capsule, "Original Hand-Made Sour Mash." The redesign came shortly after. This is the version collectors specifically seek out. The story behind the liquid is what makes Weller special. William Larue Weller pioneered wheat as the secondary grain in bourbon, replacing rye for a softer, rounder profile. That same wheated mashbill — distilled at Buffalo Trace — is the direct ancestor of Pappy Van Winkle. Same distillery, same recipe, same DNA. At 90 proof it's elegant rather than aggressive. Caramel and orange blossom honey on the nose, with a gentle oak backbone. The palate delivers honey, butterscotch, and vanilla in a soft, almost creamy texture — the wheat doing exactly what it's supposed to. The finish is smooth and sweet, fading slowly with honeysuckle and light spice. Old label Weller is what the hype is actually about — before the scarcity, before the queues, before the flipping. This is the real thing, precisely dated. 90 Proof | Wheated Bourbon | Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky | Bottled October 25, 2016