Compare
W.L. Weller Special Reserve vs 1792 Small Batch
W.L. Weller Special Reserve and 1792 Small Batch sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | W.L. Weller Special Reserve | 1792 Small Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 93.7 proof (46.9% ABV) +4 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $60 | ~$26 – $34 ~$15 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve and 1792 Small Batch do not publish an official mash bill.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
W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
1792 Small Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller Special Reserve 1792 Small Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/7 spice: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10, 1792 Small Batch 7 out of 10
oak 4/6 oak: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10, 1792 Small Batch 6 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, 1792 Small Batch 5 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10, 1792 Small Batch 6 out of 10
nuttiness 3/4 nuttiness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, 1792 Small Batch 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10, 1792 Small Batch 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- 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.
- 1792 Small Batch: Barton's flagship and one of the most under-discussed bottles at its price. A high-rye character with cocoa and orange peel, and considerably more going on than the shelf position suggests.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with W.L. Weller Special Reserve if you want the softest, sweetest, most approachable wheated pour of the group.
- Go with 1792 Small Batch if you want an overlooked, spice-forward Kentucky bourbon that punches above its price without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve); neat, rocks, old-fashioned (1792 Small Batch).