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W.L. Weller Special Reserve vs Bulleit Bourbon
W.L. Weller Special Reserve and Bulleit Bourbon sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus a blender-built, rye-forward bottling.
Key Specifications
| Feature | W.L. Weller Special Reserve | Bulleit Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $60 | ~$25 – $32 ~$17 less |
| Availability | Allocated | Widely available easier to find |
- 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
W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller Special Reserve Bulleit Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/7 spice: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10
sweetness 7/5 sweetness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
heat 3/4 heat: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The gap between these two is mostly about spice.
- 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.
- Bulleit Bourbon: The bottle that put high-rye bourbon in every cocktail bar in the country. Peppery and dry with the familiar MGP dill note, and it earns its place behind the bar more than in a glass on its own.
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 Bulleit Bourbon if you want a dry, peppery, high-rye bourbon built for cocktails and available absolutely everywhere at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve); old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon).