The Weller Rainbow

It’s Wednesday afternoon. Usually I would have this column written by now, and be proofreading and editing it. Yes, I do actually do that.

However, I just returned from a long vacation late last night and am behind this week. I thought about skipping another week, but I know that the three to seven of you out there who like these columns are missing me, so I’m plodding ahead.

My vacation was to beautiful Colorado. This is important because Colorado is a Weller state. The stuff is everywhere. It was on the shelves of every bar and liquor store we visited (we visited quite a few). In other states, like Indiana (of course), it is very difficult to obtain and can be quite expensive. This is pertinent because the abundance of Weller there allowed me to purchase the two remaining bottles that were needed to complete my collection – a collection that I’ve been working on for years.

For those who may not be aware, Weller bourbon is considered to be the “original wheated bourbon.” The makers replace the usual rye in bourbons with wheat. Wheated bourbons have become the backbone of the Buffalo Trace empire* with the flagship being Pappy Van Winkle. Many bourbon enthusiasts refer to the Weller line of whiskeys as “the poor man’s Pappy.” In reality, all of Buffalo Trace’s bourbons come from the same mash-bill. This is an oversimplification, but I like to think of it like Duff Beer from The Simpsons. That’s not really a fair statement, but I’m going to go with it.

Weller comes in six different iterations, each with a different color label. They are: Special Reserve (green label, 90 proof), Antique 107 (red label, 107 proof), Full Proof (blue label, 114 proof), Single Barrel (orange label, 97 proof), 12 Year (black label, 90 proof) and C.Y.P.B (“Create Your perfect Bourbon. White label, 95 proof). Hence, “The Weller Rainbow.”

I’m going to say something now that might be controversial. I also know that at the very beginning of these columns I stated that I would not be negative. However, I have to be honest. None of these Wellers are worth the hype or the price.

There. I said it.

Again, as always, taste is subjective. They are good, solid, bourbons, but $300 to $1,000 a bottle? No. Luckily, I was able to procure most of my collection at MSRP.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the best is Weller Antique 107 – deep, rich, and sweet with notes of vanilla, butterscotch, and caramel, and with a long, cinnamon-y, 107-proof finish. A great sipper, it makes a wonderful cocktail as well. The green label Special Reserve? Absolutely horrible! I’d rather drink Old Crow. It has a very bitter taste and finish to me. I even tried it as a mixer … nope. What one has to remember is that Weller used to be a bottom-shelf bourbon before craziness took over the bourbon world – craziness that seems to be here to stay.

I’ve tried all of the others, except for the Single Barrel, and as stated above, good, but not extraordinary. So, why did I jump on the bandwagon and strive for the “Rainbow” collection? Easy: I’m part of the craziness. In the bourbon world, it seems to be the thing to do. Once one gets a couple of these “rare” bottles it just gets into your blood to finish the search. It’s the same reason people climb mountains: because they are there.

Now that I’ve achieved The Rainbow, what do I do with it? Well, drink them, of course. I can see a Weller tasting party sometime in the future. Or, for now, save them and see what life brings. Dunno. We’ll have to see.

If you’ve caught “rainbow fever,” more power to you. It’s addictive trying to achieve a full collection of anything. Bourbon is no different. I hope my honest review doesn’t dissuade you. Despite the mixed review, it is rewarding looking at “my precious” bottles of Weller. Until next time – cheers!

*The topic of Buffalo Trace is huge. It seems to be the Mecca of Bourbon. I’m going to cover it in depth, eventually. Today, just sticking with Weller.

Jon Smyrnis is a lifelong Indianapolis area resident. He enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, kayaking, dining out, and, of course, fine cocktails and great bourbons.