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W.L. Weller Special Reserve vs Four Roses Bourbon
W.L. Weller Special Reserve and Four Roses Bourbon 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 | Four Roses Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 75% corn, 20% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) +10 proof | 80 proof (40% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $60 | ~$22 – $28 ~$20 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.
Four Roses Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller Special Reserve Four Roses Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/5 spice: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 5 out of 10
sweetness 7/6 sweetness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10
oak 4/3 oak: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 3 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 6 out of 10
heat 3/2 heat: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, Four Roses Bourbon 2 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, Four Roses 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.
- 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.
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 with more proof behind it.
- Go with Four Roses Bourbon if you want the Four Roses fruit-and-floral signature at its lightest and cheapest without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve); cocktails, highball, rocks (Four Roses Bourbon).