There are bourbons you drink, and there are bourbons that stop you mid-conversation. William Larue Weller 2006, bottled in 2018 after twelve years in barrel, is firmly in the second camp. This is part of Buffalo Trace's Antique Collection — the annual release that sends bourbon hunters into a frenzy — and the Weller line specifically represents one of the few wheated bourbon traditions left in Kentucky. Where most bourbons use rye as the secondary grain in the mashbill, Weller swaps it for wheat, and at cask strength, that decision echoes through every sip.
Let me be direct about the elephant in the room: £2,250 is serious money. You're paying for scarcity, for the Antique Collection badge, and for twelve years of evaporation in a Kentucky rickhouse. Whether that's worth it depends entirely on what you're after. If you want a trophy bottle that also happens to be genuinely excellent whiskey, this delivers. If you're looking for value per pound, look elsewhere — there's no shame in that.
At 62.85% ABV, this is uncut and unfiltered bourbon as it came out of the barrel. That proof tells you something important: after twelve years of maturation, the alcohol concentration actually increased beyond its likely barrel entry proof, which means the warehouse conditions favoured water evaporation over alcohol evaporation. In American whiskey ageing, higher floors in the rickhouse run hotter, driving more intense wood interaction and higher finishing proofs. The result is a bourbon with serious density and concentration.
The wheated mashbill is the backbone of the Weller character. Without rye's spicy sharpness, wheat allows the corn sweetness and barrel influence to take centre stage. At twelve years old with this kind of proof, you can expect deep caramel, baked fruit, and substantial oak presence. The wheat softens what could otherwise be an aggressive, tannic experience at this strength — it's what makes Weller Weller, and it's why the line has developed such a devoted following.
The Verdict
I'm giving this an 8.2 out of 10. It's a genuinely impressive bourbon — powerful, complex, and carrying its age and proof with real composure. The wheated profile at cask strength is a combination that very few distilleries can offer, and twelve years is a sweet spot where the oak has had its say without overwhelming the grain. I've docked points for accessibility: the price puts it beyond a casual purchase, and at nearly 63% ABV, it demands patience and attention. You need to sit with this one. Add water gradually — a few drops at a time — and let it open up over twenty minutes. It rewards that effort handsomely. For collectors and serious bourbon enthusiasts, this is a bottle that justifies its reputation. It's not just hype; there's real substance in the glass.
Best Served
Neat, in a Glencairn or wide-bowled glass, with a pipette of water nearby. Start with a small pour — no more than 25ml — and add water in stages. At 62.85%, the undiluted spirit will numb your palate before you can appreciate what's happening. Bring it down gradually to around 50-55% and you'll unlock the full range. If you're feeling bold and don't mind mixing a bottle at this price point, a William Larue Weller Old Fashioned is an extraordinary thing: half an ounce of bourbon, a barspoon of rich demerara syrup, two dashes of Angostura, and an expressed orange peel. The wheat sweetness pairs beautifully with the demerara, and the barrel proof means the bourbon holds its own against the dilution from the ice. But honestly — pour it neat first. You owe yourself that.
