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W.L. Weller Special Reserve vs New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
W.L. Weller Special Reserve and New Riff Bottled-in-Bond sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, wheat-forward classic versus a new-wave, rye-forward craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | W.L. Weller Special Reserve | New Riff Bottled-in-Bond |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Wheated Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 65% corn, 30% rye, 5% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 4 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$30 – $60 | ~$38 – $45 |
| 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.
New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
W.L. Weller Special Reserve New Riff Bottled-in-Bond
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 2/9 spice: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 2 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 9 out of 10
sweetness 7/4 sweetness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 7 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 4 out of 10
heat 3/6 heat: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10
oak 4/5 oak: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 4 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 5 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: W.L. Weller Special Reserve 3 out of 10, New Riff Bottled-in-Bond 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.
- New Riff Bottled-in-Bond: At 30% rye this is about as spice-forward as bourbon gets before becoming rye whiskey. Peppery and herbal with mint and dill, non-chill-filtered for texture, and noticeably dry rather than sweet.
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 New Riff Bottled-in-Bond if you want aggressive rye spice and a dry, herbal profile from a modern craft distillery with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, highball (W.L. Weller Special Reserve); neat, old-fashioned, cocktails (New Riff Bottled-in-Bond).