Weller Antique 107 The Bottle Shop Store Pick Review

My favorite store pick from any label to date. Everything that's great about Weller Antique, but taken up a notch.

Type: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey

Distillery: Buffalo Trace

Proof: 107 proof

Age: Roughly 7.5 years

Retail: $49

Appearance

Golden amber. Fairly thin in the glass.

Nose

Lots of oak with plenty of tobacco and spice. Vanilla custard rounds out the flavor. It has the profile of something much older, and perhaps much stronger. I did not expect that from a 107 proof, 7.5 year old bourbon.

Palate

There's a decent kick of heat right off the bat. 107 proof is not exactly entry level, but this is punching above its weight class. Beneath the heat, you'll find caramel, allspice, clove and vanilla. For a wheater, this is a very bold and robust pour.

Finish

Long, sweet, dry and even a bit of a nutty element. That sounds like a strange combination, but somehow it works here.

Overall

I realize that Weller Antique is impossible to find these days, and store picks are even more rare. Anybody who is into bourbon at all would never consider passing up a Weller Antique store pick. That's a lot of expectations to live up to, but this bottle absolutely delivers. It's as bold as some of my favorite barrel proof bottles. It's sweet in all the right ways, but isn't lacking for oak and spice. My only regret with this bottle is that I don't have more backups.

Rating

4.25/5

Rating Scale:

This is a general guide of what I consider each score range

4.75 - 5.00: Phenomenal. Hard to imagine anything better. Acquire at any cost.

4.25 - 4.50: Excellent. I'll camp out to get a bottle if necessary.

3.75 - 4.00: Great stuff. I'll buy backups if not too expensive.

3.25 - 3.50: Good stuff. Try to keep one on the bar, but don't spend too much.

2.75 - 3.00: Not bad. I don't regret the purchase, but may not buy another.

2.25 - 2.50: Sub-par. I regret the purchase. Reserved for mixed drinks.

1.75 - 2.00: Bad. I'll struggle to finish the bottle. May not want it in cocktails.

0.00 - 1.50: Drain-pour. Something seems wrong with it. Get it away.