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W.L. Weller Special Reserve vs Booker’s
Comparing W.L. Weller Special Reserve and Booker’s reveals a matchup between a traditional, wheated Kentucky staple and an uncut, spice-driven heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | W.L. Weller Special Reserve | Booker’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 7 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +35 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $60 ~$53 less | ~$85 – $110 |
| Availability | Allocated | Limited easier to find |
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve and Booker’s do not publish an official mash bill.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.
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller Special Reserve Booker’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 3/10 heat: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, Booker’s 10 out of 10
spice 2/7 spice: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/8 nuttiness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
oak 4/8 oak: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10, Booker’s 4 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
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 at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table with significantly more proof behind it and without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve); neat (Booker’s).