If you like a certain bourbon and want exactly the same taste every time you buy a new bottle, skip the single-barrel bourbon. What we do at Hard to Find Whisky. The following tips can help you to find a great bottle of bourbon every single time. To get your hands on the most precious bottles, you need to find the right places. To oversimplify, Weller Special Reserve is desirable enough that its either very difficult to find or heavily marked up in most parts of the country, while Makers Mark is everywhere. We also know that it Distillery: Buffalo Trace. Many believe bourbon is a spirit best sipped on its own, but Rabbit Hole has a different vision. These older bottles were private labeling that Stiltzer-Weller, and Makers Mark were doing primarily for bars and as corporate gifts, says Wilson. To get your hands on the most precious bottles, you need to find the right places. The juxtaposition between the two is what is giving me pause. Buffalo Trace Distillery Investing $1.2 Billion to Increase Output. Where the Spirit Leads YouFor more than 200 years, Kentucky's legendary distilleries have crafted the world's finest Bourbons, using secret recipes and a time-honored process passed down from generation to generation.Now you can explore the rich tradition and proud history of "America's Official Native Spirit" on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail(R) tour, featuring 9 signature distilleries Kaveh Zamanian was inspired by the essence of Louisville to become part of the upstart bourbon culture. It flies off shelves due to the notoriety of the Weller name, not due to the actual whiskey inside the bottle. Finding details about how this bourbon is made is very difficult. 3. Very conveniently located downtown. Once upon a time, you could stroll into a liquor store and ask the attendant for a bottle of his rarest bourbon. It is worth a visit if the Bourbon Trail takes you through Louisville. Both W.L. Firstly, this is very obviously a wheated bourbon; its right in the name. The following tips can help you to find a great bottle of bourbon every single time. Julian Pappy Van Winkle sold whiskey for W. L. Weller starting in 1893, eventually becoming president of I managed to squeeze in their Stitzel-Weller Experience Tour, and although I had spent the day touring distilleries, I was not disappointed in this experience. The tale of Weller 12 in the past decade is a melancholy one for bourbon drinkers a story of beautiful flavors, secondary hype and a tragedy of price increase, says Blake Riber, founder of the blog Bourbonr and the whiskey service Seelbachs. Probably after Pappy, Weller 12s the hardest one to get. Best barrel proof: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. I managed to squeeze in their Stitzel-Weller Experience Tour, and although I had spent the day touring distilleries, I was not disappointed in this experience. The proverbial "Little Timmy" will find it hard to believe that food isn't manufactured like electronics but grown like an animal. Rumor: Weller 12 Bourbon is going away. Weller Special Reserve is the green-labeled, entry-level bourbon of the W.L. Curiously, Weller Sp. Youll find it for at least $500 on most websites, but this is a good wheated bourbon if you are looking to splurge a bit. Very conveniently located downtown. 16. Although Blantons is a NAS (No Age Statement) whiskey- it is aged from 68 years. Rare Bourbon For Sale. The fall 2021 release was an 11-year-old bourbon that comes in an intricate decanter, and like most previous releases became a coveted whiskey almost immediately. Related: The Best Bourbons to Drink And believe me, they are reaping the reward of their betrayal of the Bourbon cause. Of all the bourbon brands Buffalo Trace releases, ones such as Elmer T. Lee, Rock Hill Farms, Van Winkle and the Antique Collection (George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, Sazerac 18, Thomas H. Handy, and Eagle Rare 17) fall into the allocation category. Age: 6-8 years. 2. Where the Spirit Leads YouFor more than 200 years, Kentucky's legendary distilleries have crafted the world's finest Bourbons, using secret recipes and a time-honored process passed down from generation to generation.Now you can explore the rich tradition and proud history of "America's Official Native Spirit" on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail(R) tour, featuring 9 signature distilleries Score: 6/10. Liquor Head Can Have Buffalo Trace Bourbon Delivered To Your Door. A wheated bourbon with a full-bodied flavor and a balanced palate. A lot of stores periodically get a limited allocation of rare bottles and keep them in the back. 2. At $24 MSRP it remains underpriced, plain and simple. Only 9420 bottles were releas Campbeltown. Bourbon is a type of whiskey that is aged in new charred oak barrels and made with at least 51% corn. In a flash, $25 bottles of Weller Special Reserve or $30 bottles of Henry McKenna Bottled in Bond vanished overnight. The tour doesnt have quite the same charm and history as some of the older brands in the more rural areas of Kentucky, but the whiskey is terrific and they have one of the best bourbon bottles out there. Unlike many drinks and whisky retailers worldwide, Hard to Find Whisky set out to be unique, offering connoisseurs the very best in rare and vintage whisky. Best single barrel: Four Roses Single Barrel. It's a12-year-old bourbon that's friendly. Kaveh Zamanian was inspired by the essence of Louisville to become part of the upstart bourbon culture. The tour doesnt have quite the same charm and history as some of the older brands in the more rural areas of Kentucky, but the whiskey is terrific and they have one of the best bourbon bottles out there. These older bottles were private labeling that Stiltzer-Weller, and Makers Mark were doing primarily for bars and as corporate gifts, says Wilson. Distillery: Buffalo Trace. The higher the alcohol content, the stronger the taste. 21. Weller Special Reserve is not bad and not great, it just fine. Tasting Notes: Cinnamon, cherry, oak. Best small batch: Elijah Craig 12. W.L. This whisky spent six years of its maturation in refill bourbon casks and the other six in fresh Calvados casks. Weller 12 was the reason bourbon was so popular you could get something that was so delicious for so cheap. It was an incredible bourbon, and it was loved in the bourbon community before Pappy was Pappy. The story of what happened to Weller 12 is a great example of the bourbon ecosystem we have now, says Riber. It started as a bourbon buy-back business. While this may seem purposefully abstract on its own, this mantra more or less pertains to the ability to get your hands on highly sought-after and rare products in this world. At the end of the tour, you are given 4 bourbons to taste: Bulleit Bourbon Skip the boxed brownie mix and make The BEST Cocoa Fudge Brownies instead! The only people who have complained about this are the one-stop shoppers and flippers that I refuse to sell to. Wald says Pappy's following is an example of the aforementioned issue with press coverage. You will be hard-pressed to find a more modern bourbon than Rabbit Hole. The scarcity of the weller whiskies make them so hard to find. Best from a small craft distillery: Kings County Distillery Barrel Proof. 5. Febus unpacks the shipment and places the rare and hard to find items, mostly whiskey and bourbon, behind the counter. Weller Special Reserve and Markers Mark are both sub $30 wheated bourbons (based on MSRP) from well-known Kentucky distilleries, but the bourbon world treats them very differently. Its supply and demand, plain and simple. Many believe bourbon is a spirit best sipped on its own, but Rabbit Hole has a different vision. This recipe calls for everyday ingredients like butter, oil, eggs, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, all purpose flour, and salt. Weller Special Reserve is a solid bourbon, but certainly not one to overpay for. Buying bourbon is a little easier than rye whiskey as there are strict regulations and processes that have to be completed to call a liquor a bourbon. Best barrel proof: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. I heard about Weller Wheated Bourbon the 12 year and I have looked all over to find it. This whisky spent six years of its maturation in refill bourbon casks and the other six in fresh Calvados casks. The higher the alcohol content, the stronger the taste. And like most of the Weller line, it isn't especially easy to find these days. Once upon a time, you could stroll into a liquor store and ask the attendant for a bottle of his rarest bourbon. The differences in the way bourbon tastes comes from two primary factors. Enter: the secondary market. Weller 12 year is a cousin to Pappy, Price said. Because its bourbon, it has at least 51% corn; because its Weller, the secondary grain is wheat. For me, snitching is an employee getting first crack at hard-to-find stuff. This is a really unique pour that has some cinnamon heat initially that dissipates quickly during the finish. Appreciation of bourbon is great until the greed has completely taken over and you cant find anything that should be readily available. So here is what we do know. Its hard to miss that orange label, tilted just slightly as it curves around the lower half of the bottle. It was an incredible bourbon, and it was loved in the bourbon community before Pappy was Pappy. The story of what happened to Weller 12 is a great example of the bourbon ecosystem we have now, says Riber. Right now, the William Larue Weller and the George T. Stagg are probably the hardest to find bottles in the BTAC due to both of them continually topping best whiskey/bourbon ratings and awards every year. Best for beginner / first timer: Buffalo Trace. 6. The first and biggest section the one that most of us know best is made up of the easy (and reasonably easy) to find bottles of scotch, bourbon, rye, At the end of the tour, you are given 4 bourbons to taste: Bulleit Bourbon As I mentioned before, many will complain that even the Special Reserve is impossible to find in their local area. KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY. What we do at Hard to Find Whisky. Weller Special Reserve shows me why this continues to be one of the best values for an entry-level wheated bourbon. So, Pappymania has made Weller scarce. These super fudgy brownies are best served with a cold glass of milk! Weller Antique 107. W.L. The Weller Single Barrel is ten proof points lower, and that lack of ethanol shows in both the nose and the finish. Even Eagle Rare, Wellers (both WL and Special Reserve) and even Henry McKenna are getting harder to find. Develop relationships with local liquor store owners. Since bottles of the venerable Pappy Van Winkle bourbons (and rye) are so impossibly hard to find in most areas, the cachet afforded these bottles has bled over into other products bearing any kind of resemblance.Since Pappy Van Winkle bourbons were originally distilled at the now-defunct "I think there's something morally wrong for big spirits publications to say that Pappy 23 is the best whiskey of the year when the bottle was given for review," he adds. Weller 12. Weller Special Reserve and Full Proof come from the middle floors of Buffalo Traces warehouses. W.L. 16. William Larue Weller (0) W. Woodford Reserve (4) 1792 (1) By Bottling Spec. Res. Maybe not as hard as Pappy, but still damn difficult. Its a wheaty blend that contributes to the expense of producing the label. These days, the shelves have barely-aged artisan products in fancy bottles, and getting that unique bottle seems like a fantasy. That said, several expressions go under the Weller name and they are in general distribution. Maybe not as hard as Pappy, but still damn difficult. W.L. Weller is a brand of wheated bourbon that is currently owned by the Sazerac Company (one of the largest distilling companies in the U.S.) and produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Because its bourbon, it has at least 51% corn; because its Weller, the secondary grain is wheat. The more rounded profile of the Weller Antique 107 delivers a more balanced finish and carries itself very nicely. Line 2 cupcake tins with paper liners; set aside. Weller 12. Whatever your whisky or spirit preferences, here at Hard to Find Whisky we will have the right blend for you. r/bourbon - What's The Deal With All The Weller 12 in Texas These days, the shelves have barely-aged artisan products in fancy bottles, and getting that unique bottle seems like a fantasy. Best for beginner / first timer: Buffalo Trace. Skip the boxed brownie mix and make The BEST Cocoa Fudge Brownies instead! If you like a certain bourbon and want exactly the same taste every time you buy a new bottle, skip the single-barrel bourbon. Best from a small craft distillery: Kings County Distillery Barrel Proof. Weller is a brand of wheated bourbon that is currently owned by the Sazerac Company (one of the largest distilling companies in the U.S.) and produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. William Larue Weller (0) W. Woodford Reserve (4) 1792 (1) By Bottling Spec. The finding and hoarding of underpriced excellent whiskeys is a reverberation of the Bourbon Boom the bottles that are hunted down after the initial unicorns were made extinct. Weller line. "Weller 12 is something I always carry in a flask and always have around the house. 21. Best small batch: Elijah Craig 12. The reality is that it has just gotten more popular, leading to the brand becoming more difficult to find. And if you go back to the 50s and 60s, it was sometimes hard to find what these I have gone to 4 diff total wines because I was told anything Buffalo Trace is a lottery for them and you just have to be lucky to find it. 3. While Buffalo Trace may be making more Blantons it will take years for the increased volume to hit the shelves. One of the best ways to find rare bourbons is by getting to know a few liquor store owners in your area. Allocated bourbon products are highly sought bourbons, whiskies and other small-batch spirit offerings such as Henry McKenna Single Barrel or W.L. Age These U.S. produced liquors offer a unique high-quality flavor and are the perfect way to unwind after a long day. If you can find it Fudge Brownies Recently a reader (Hi, Linda!) Way too many of these allocated bourbons never get to bourbon drinkers at the retail price, he says. Eagle Rare is a low-rye, low-proof bourbon made at Buffalo Trace's Frankfort, Kentucky distillery. Bourbon has one of the most famous recipes in the world: It must be made with at least 51 percent corn in its mash. Beyond this, bourbon distillers often use rye and malted barley to finish the grist. William Larue Weller did things a little differently. Where many other bourbons use rye, W.L. Weller uses wheat. Only 9420 bottles were releas Campbeltown. The 101 in the name points to Wild Turkeys proof, which means this bourbon has 50.5% ABV. I have looked all over online and the only ones I can find are going for like $200. It's aged for 10 years before bottling, and belongs to the Mashbill #1 family of bourbons at Buffalo Trace; which includes the likes of E.H. Taylor Small Batch, Stagg Jr., the distillery's namesake bourbon and others. In 2013, Buffalo Trace Distillery looked at its Bourbon inventory, current sales, and 20 year sales projections and determined it had a problem: fans were drinking more Bourbon than the company had predicted. Proof: 107. When they do eventually return to the shelf, theyre now allocated and for sale at double (or more!) 4. It can be hard to find, too. In addition to vintage whiskeys, will be hard to find new bottles like Weller 12 Year at Justins House of Bourbon. Here in Maryland, Weller is already fairly impossible to find. It started as a bourbon buy-back business. Weller 12 was the reason bourbon was so popular you could get something that was so delicious for so cheap. The problem has spread to several of the distillers better brands: Taylor, Lee, Blantons, Eagle Rare and Sazerac Rye. Price: ~$100. It contains 125.3 proof and is aged more than 12 years, making it a whiskey with high age, high alcohol content, and barreled proof. This recipe calls for everyday ingredients like butter, oil, eggs, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, all purpose flour, and salt. Best value budget bourbon: Eagle Rare 10. 8 Rare Bourbons Worth The Wait. 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter, vanilla extract, lemon extract, sugar, and lemon zest on medium-speed until light and fluffy, about 2 Best value budget bourbon: Eagle Rare 10. Best single barrel: Four Roses Single Barrel. Wellers original wheated bourbon, and perhaps the brands most notable expression, is Weller Special Reserve. W. L. Weller (W. L. Weller Bourbon), whose grandfather, Daniel, had owned a distillery in 1800, formed a wholesale whiskey business in 1849, using the slogan Honest whiskey at an honest price. David Beam (Jim Beam Bourbon) was working at the Old Tub Distillery in 1850, and his son, David M. Beam became distiller there in 1853. 4. Unlike many drinks and whisky retailers worldwide, Hard to Find Whisky set out to be unique, offering connoisseurs the very best in rare and vintage whisky. Meaning that after the corn used in the mash bill, or grain recipe, wheat is Wherever you are in the United States. The problem is they are hunted to death. These super fudgy brownies are best served with a cold glass of milk! To start, its a wheated bourbon, he explained. 6. Line 2 cupcake tins with paper liners; set aside. Alcohol by Volume (ABV) The legal minimum ABV of bottled bourbon is 40 percent ABV, but there are many that are 50 percent and higher. W. L. Weller (W. L. Weller Bourbon), whose grandfather, Daniel, had owned a distillery in 1800, formed a wholesale whiskey business in 1849, using the slogan Honest whiskey at an honest price. David Beam (Jim Beam Bourbon) was working at the Old Tub Distillery in 1850, and his son, David M. Beam became distiller there in 1853. Before it became hard to find, it was among the first bourbons I reached for to share with guests, and being such a crowd pleaser with its very sweet and agreeable flavor profile, everyone liked it. The names of the brands are household names for Bourbon fans: Eagle Rare, Blanton's, Weller's, Pappy Van Winkle the level of saturation is impressive. Buffalo Trace points out that a 12-year lag between barrelling and bottling makes it hard to respond to demand. You will be hard-pressed to find a more modern bourbon than Rabbit Hole. It is worth a visit if the Bourbon Trail takes you through Louisville. Tasting Notes: Cinnamon, cherry, oak. The original price point for a bottle of this whiskey is around $99. But the high alcohol content is perfectly incorporated into the drink, so you shouldnt think twice about enjoying a glass or two. At least not in my neck of the woods. In short, the company was facing a Bourbon shortage. Fudge Brownies Recently a reader (Hi, Linda!) 2y. Notes: Worth grabbing but the MSRP is $50 and its hard to find at that price.This is a really unique pour that has some cinnamon heat initially that dissipates quickly during the finish. Reality: False. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter, vanilla extract, lemon extract, sugar, and lemon zest on medium-speed until light and fluffy, about 2 Buying bourbon is a little easier than rye whiskey as there are strict regulations and processes that have to be completed to call a liquor a bourbon. Age: 6-8 years. Its hard to miss that orange label, tilted just slightly as it curves around the lower half of the bottle. While men believe in the infinite some ponds will be thought to be bottomless. June 18, 2018. the cost. Whatever your whisky or spirit preferences, here at Hard to Find Whisky we will have the right blend for you. Its certainly a recognizable member of the Weller label, with its own unique characteristics to compliment the high proof. Thats where people connect outside of the authorized channels like retail and bars to buy and sell with one another. Old Weller Antique is bottled at 107 proof, offering a complex taste and bold finish. Bourbon is not a location-specific product, but to be considered Kentucky bourbon, it must be produced in the state (both distilled and aged). That means it has 51% or more corn and wheat instead of rye in the mash bill. Although Trace will not disclose the secrets of their mash, they do share that this bourbon is made with a lower distillation and entry proof. Weller Antique 107. There are many reasons why Buffalo Trace may be hard to find - including its popularity, limited production, and location. Julian Pappy Van Winkle sold whiskey for W. L. Weller starting in 1893, eventually becoming president of And if you go back to the 50s and 60s, it was sometimes hard to find what these Let's just set expectations: you won't walk into a liquor store and find this sitting on a shelf for its retail price of $80. The proverbial "Little Timmy" will find it hard to believe that food isn't manufactured like electronics but grown like an animal. It is bottled at 90 proof and is a wheated bourbon, meaning that it uses a mash bill of corn, malted barley and wheat. Alcohol by Volume (ABV) The legal minimum ABV of bottled bourbon is 40 percent ABV, but there are many that are 50 percent and higher. To be fair, Weller Special Reserve does drink like the $20-30 wheated bourbon it is, not a more expensive some will might pay. Age Rare bottles often sell on the secondary market for ten times the suggested retail prices, because theyre so hard to find. 1. And believe me, they are reaping the reward of their betrayal of the Bourbon cause. Price: ~$100. Allocated bourbon products are highly sought bourbons, whiskies and other small-batch spirit offerings such as Henry McKenna Single Barrel or W.L. Notes: Worth grabbing but the MSRP is $50 and its hard to find at that price. William Larue Weller. If you spend some time on this sub you'll find that real bourbon enthusiasts tend to stay away from Weller Special Reserve, as it's simply not all that special. While men believe in the infinite some ponds will be thought to be bottomless. Jira will be down for Maintenance on June 6,2022 from 9.00 AM - 2.PM PT, Monday(4.00 PM - 9.00PM UTC, Monday) First released in 2005, this product is the only expression that uses the full name of William Larue Weller. Rare Bourbon For Sale. These U.S. produced liquors offer a unique high-quality flavor and are the perfect way to unwind after a long day. Exclusivity is knowledge, knowledge is passion, passion is dedication. She got him hooked on wheated bourbon years ago when Weller was still easy to find and so when he happened to see a 750mL bottle and two 1.75 liter bottles on the store shelf, he gave her a call, said he was getting the 750 and asked if she wanted any. My wife is a Weller fan and so she said "yes, get me both the handles." Volume this year will remain similar to levels last year. Like Elmer T. Lee, Weller has become more popular over the past few years, and the demand has made it hard to find. Proof: 107. Any Weller brand bourbon is difficult to find now; Pappy van Winkle is mostly made from Buffalo Traces wheated bourbon, and Weller comes from the same stock. 5. Reply. The ingredients used to make Weller 12-Year are premium. Jira will be down for Maintenance on June 6,2022 from 9.00 AM - 2.PM PT, Monday(4.00 PM - 9.00PM UTC, Monday) Wild Turkey is aged in heavily charred oak barrels, which shows in its rich smell and taste. bourbon fans understand that distilleries allocate certain quantities of their brands to various states. The Pappy Craze has had an interesting side-effect.