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Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond vs W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond and W.L. Weller Special Reserve sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a new-wave, rye-forward craft style versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond | W.L. Weller Special Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | 6 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$45 – $50 | ~$30 – $60 |
| Availability | Widely available easier to find | Allocated |
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-10; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 8/2 spice: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 8 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10
fruit 7/5 fruit: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10
heat 5/3 heat: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10
oak 5/4 oak: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10
nuttiness 2/3 nuttiness: Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond 2 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond: Bardstown's own high-rye recipe, distilled on site rather than sourced. More than a third rye gives it a bright, minty, fruit-and-pepper profile over caramel and light oak.
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve: The entry point to the Weller line and an easy introduction to wheated bourbon. Soft honey and vanilla with almost no rye bite, a bread-dough body, and a short, sweet finish that asks nothing of you.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond if you want a spicy, fruit-forward high-rye bourbon with the guarantees of a bonded label with more proof behind it.
- Go with W.L. Weller Special Reserve if you want the softest, sweetest, most approachable wheated pour of the group.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Rye Bottled-in-Bond); neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve).