Weller Antique 107 Review
The Weller brand name is synonymous with excellence in the bourbon industry, thanks to its rich history and highly sought-after bourbon offerings. What makes Weller Antique 107 stand out from most other bourbons is that it is a “Wheater” or wheated bourbon. This, along with its 107 proof which brings more character and arguably more flavor, than your standard lower-proof bourbons, makes it a sought-after bottle. Let’s have a pour and write a Weller Antique 107 review.
The brand’s namesake is ascribed to William Larue Weller who some say is also credited as being the first to use wheat as the secondary dominant grain in bourbon instead of rye. This recipe change tends to yield a softer, fruitier, more creamy-tasting experience than bourbons made with rye as the second grain. Bourbons with this mashbill recipe are known as “wheaters” or “wheated bourbons”.
Weller Antique 107 goes by several other names including Old Weller Antique, Antique 107, Weller Red Label, or even simply abbreviated as OWA. Prior to 2018, it was one of three bottles released on an ongoing basis throughout the year, along with W.L. Weller Special Reserve and W.L. Weller 12 Year. At that time the fourth Weller product was William Larue Weller, which is part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection and is released annually each year.
The three ongoing releases underwent a label redesign in 2016. In 2018 Weller C.Y.P.B. (short for Craft Your Perfect Bourbon) was added to the brand lineup, and W.L. Weller Full Proof was added in 2019. Most recently, W.L. Weller Single Barrel was first released in June of 2020, expanding the brand to 7 different labels.
Weller Antique 107 is essentially the same juice as their entry-level Weller Special Reserve except that it is bottled at 107 proof instead of the Reserve’s 90 proof. Both of these bourbons used to have an age statement on the label but the company dropped the age statement around 2009. However, they are still believed to be between 6-7 years old.
Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Age: nas – rumored to be 6 – 7 years
Proof: 107
Filtered Status: Chill Filtered
Mash bill: Unspecified Buffalo Trace wheated mash: Rumored to be 70% corn, 16% wheat and 14% malted barley
Distillery: Buffalo Trace
Company: Sazerac Company, Inc.
Bottled By: Buffalo Trace
Distilled/Aging Location: Frankfort, Kentucky
Release Date: On going
MSRP: $50 (2023)
After Market: $100+
Availability: Low/Rare
Weller Antique 107 Review
My tasting reviews are unique in that I include the notes of several well-known whiskey critics. The hope is that this format will help me and others to explore and expand their tasting experience. After you have taken your own tasting notes, read the reviews and see if there is a flavor note that others discerned that now you can detect as well.
Nose
Caramel, vanilla, fruity notes, fresh apple, creme caramel, maraschino cherry, apple pie, creme soda.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Breaking Bourbon: Aromas of lush dark fruit burst forth from the glass and combine with vanilla and caramel. There’s a healthy dose of seasoned oak which provides dimension. Finally, it’s punctuated with a pop of cinnamon bark spice and traces of black licorice. It’s balanced, complex, and well-developed.
The Whiskey Shelf: A moderate mix of caramel, wood, vanilla, honey, and alcohol. The dark caramel and cocoa smell mixed with wheat and corn also remind me of peanut brittle or fudge. Light to moderate notes of apricot, green apple, wood, and cinnamon are also mixed in, creating a subdued smell of baked apple chips with cinnamon and honey.
Bourbon by Proxy: There’s a little ethanol heat on the nose followed by Oak, Raisins, Caramel, Vanilla, & Cinnamon. There’s a Mustiness that comes forward that I typically only find with higher-aged drams.
Palate
Brown sugar, spicy oak, caramel, orange peel, currants, cinnamon, anise, white pepper (heat), hint of leather.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Breaking Bourbon: The first thing I notice is how full-bodied and oily the bourbon feels rolling around in my mouth. Cinnamon spice grips the taste buds, followed by cherries, dark fruits, raw sugar, and aged oak. The proof is quite manageable, and arguably a bit understated as the flavors really take charge versus any sign of heat. This combination of a rich, heavy mouthfeel and cinnamon against dark fruit and oak is as pleasing as it is delicious.
The Whiskey Shelf: First sip is hot and spicy, but not pepper or pumpernickel spice from rye. It’s moderate sweet caramel and kettle corn mixed with slightly stronger Red Hot candy-like cinnamon and moderate alcohol. After that, vanilla, wood, nutmeg, and almond flavors appear. Swishing it (aka the “Kentucky chew”) releases more alcohol as well as an oily and sticky mouthfeel from the wood tannins and a light malty bread taste.
Bourbon by Proxy: Vanilla Custard out of the gate followed by Cinnamon Spice, Warm Oak, Butterscotch, Plum, and Apple.
Finish
Medium-long, caramel, mild vanilla, cinnamon.
Other Reviewer’s Perceptions
Breaking Bourbon: A crescendo of cinnamon spice introduces the finish. Sweeter notes of caramel and vanilla follow. A flavor akin to tobacco hints in the background though it’s subtle and hard to pinpoint. An undercurrent of cinnamon remains throughout and then lingers.
The Whiskey Shelf: The oiliness and stickiness in the taste carry over into the aftertaste and leave my mouth very dry. Light corn and vanilla frosting sweetness, mixed with a gentle nuttiness, intermingle with the dryness.
Bourbon by Proxy: Everything rounds out nicely. The Cinnamon spice melds very well with the sweet Caramel and Vanilla Notes. There’s a decent level of complexity with Tobacco, Oak, & Leather that give an extended hug.
The Burn
4 out of 5. This means that the burn from the alcohol is a bit lower (5% to 9%) than what I would expect it to be. I would guess this to be around 100 proof, not 107 proof.
Rating
For the Weller Antique 107 review, the higher the score below the better, more available, or closer to MSRP the whiskey should be.
| Score Type | Score | Examples |
| Likability Score | 8.8 | 1.0 – 10.0 |
| Availability Score | 2 | 1-Rare, 2-Hard to Find, 3-A Little Hunting, 4-Easy to Find |
| After Market $ Score | 2-3 | 1-Pappy Van Winkle, 2-Stagg Jr, 3-Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, 4-Always at MSRP |
My Tasting Notes
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Notes and History
In 1848, W.L. Weller and his brother opened a whiskey trading and bottling company called William Larue Weller & Brother. This was a whiskey wholesaler store, not a distillery. By 1870 the company had become William Larue Weller & Sons. In 1893 Weller hired a sales representative named Julian Van Winkle, who of course eventually became known as “Pappy” Van Winkle.
W.L. Weller passed away in 1899 and in 1908 Julian Van Winkle and business partner Alex Farnsley purchased the wholesale company, W.L. Weller & Sons from the Weller sons. They partnered with the A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery during Prohibition, operating under a medicinal license. And in 1935 the two companies merged to become the Stitzel-Weller Distilling Company, which is now based at the renowned Buffalo Trace Distillery.
The first known bottling of Weller that I can find a reference to was in 1936. Today the brand is represented with 7 labels including William Larue Weller, Weller 12 Year, Weller Special Reserve, Weller Antique 107, Weller Full Proof, Weller C.Y.P.B., and Weller Single Barrel.
Poor Man’s Pappy
It is rumored that Weller Antique 107 has a very similar (if not the same) mashbill used in Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year, with the only difference being the age and barrel selection – otherwise, it is the same mashbill, distilled and aged in the same manner and location, and cut to the same 107 proof at bottling. Because of this, many people try to create a “Poor Man’s Pappy” using a 2:3 blend of Weller 12 Year and Weller Antique 107 to mimic the proofs, and hopefully the flavor profiles, of the Pappy brand.
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This was one of the first “unicorns” I ever had the opportunity to buy. I just recently got a bottle of Weller 12 and plan on making a small batch of poor man’s.
I always need a bottle of 107 on the shelf! I know people prefer different ones, but of the Weller family, the Antique 107 is my personal favorite.
First time visitor here. I like the format you’ve built with a variety of factors & perspectives built in. This is the only Weller I’ve tried & I’d snatch up a reasonably priced bottle in a heartbeat. Wish I could remember my tasting notes better, but I was gifted a notebook just for that this Christmas so I am getting better about it.
The 107 is my favorite of the Weller lineup, with the possible exception of CYPB if it is a good year. I’m lucky enough to have scored a backup for a good price!