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Four Roses Bourbon vs W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Four Roses Bourbon and W.L. Weller Special Reserve sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus an old-guard, wheat-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Four Roses Bourbon | W.L. Weller Special Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Wheated Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) | 90 proof (45% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$22 – $28 ~$20 less | ~$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 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Four Roses Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Four Roses Bourbon W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/2 spice: Four Roses Bourbon 5 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10
oak 3/4 oak: Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10
fruit 6/5 fruit: Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10
heat 2/3 heat: Four Roses Bourbon 2 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10, W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- Four Roses Bourbon: The yellow label entry point, blending all ten Four Roses recipes at a gentle 80 proof. Light and fruity to a fault, but the house floral character is already recognisable and it mixes beautifully.
- 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 Four Roses Bourbon if you want the Four Roses fruit-and-floral signature at its lightest and cheapest without hunting for it.
- Go with W.L. Weller Special Reserve if you want the softest, sweetest, most approachable wheated pour of the group with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball, rocks (Four Roses Bourbon); neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve).