William Larue Weller vs. Weller 12 & Weller Full Proof

The Weller name covers a whole family of wheated bourbons, from easy everyday sippers to some of the most coveted bottles in America. Three of them come up in conversation more than any others:

• William Larue Weller, the barrel-proof legend from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.
• Weller 12 Year, the beloved age-stated bottle.
• Weller Full Proof, the bold, non-chill-filtered middle child.

They share a recipe and a distillery, but they deliver very different pours. Here's how they compare and which one is right for you.

The three Wellers at a glance

The common thread: wheat

All three are wheated bourbons, which means wheat replaces rye as the secondary grain. That gives Weller its trademark soft, sweet and round character, with less spicy bite than a traditional bourbon.

The recipe has a famous pedigree. William Larue Weller, a 19th-century Kentucky whiskey man, is widely credited with popularizing wheated bourbon. Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle Sr. started his career selling Weller whiskey, and today Buffalo Trace makes both Weller and Pappy Van Winkle with a similar wheated recipe. That's where Weller's nickname, "the poor man's Pappy," comes from. For the full Van Winkle story, see our Complete Pappy Van Winkle Guide.

William Larue Weller: the crown jewel

Proof: Barrel proof, varies by year · Age: About 12 to 14 years

William Larue Weller is the wheated bourbon in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, released once a year in the fall. It's aged for over a decade and bottled uncut and unfiltered, straight from the barrel. Proof changes every year, but it's always high.

Tasting notes: Caramel, honey, baked apple, dark cherry, cinnamon, vanilla and toasted oak, with a long, warm, buttery finish.

What makes it special is balance. Many barrel-proof bourbons are all heat; William Larue Weller is intense but plush, because the wheat keeps everything soft and sweet. It's frequently named the best bottle in the entire Antique Collection, and some fans would put it up against Pappy.

Explore releases: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2018.

Choose William Larue Weller if: you want the most complex, collectible Weller there is, or you're building a BTAC collection.

Weller 12 Year: the smooth classic

Proof: 90 · Age: 12 years

Weller 12 Year is the only age-stated bottle in the core Weller lineup, and it has a devoted following. Twelve years in the barrel give it depth and polish, while the 90 proof keeps it gentle and easy to sip neat.

Tasting notes: Honey, vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, light baking spice and soft oak, with a smooth, medium finish.

Weller 12 is the bottle that gets compared most often to Pappy Van Winkle's Lot B 12 Year. Both are 12-year wheated bourbons from Buffalo Trace, which makes Weller 12 one of the best ways to taste the Van Winkle style without chasing a Van Winkle bottle.

Choose Weller 12 if: you want an elegant, easy-sipping wheater, or a great introduction to aged bourbon.

Weller Full Proof: the bold middle ground

Proof: 114 · Age: No age statement

Weller Full Proof is bottled at 114 proof, the same proof at which the whiskey entered the barrel, and it's non-chill filtered, which keeps more of the oils and texture in the bottle.

Tasting notes: Caramel, toffee, vanilla, cherry, cinnamon and a creamy, mouth-coating texture, with a long, warming finish.

Full Proof sits right between the other two. It has far more power and richness than Weller 12, but it's more approachable than William Larue Weller's barrel proof. Many fans call it the best value in the Weller line, and it's a favorite for store barrel picks.

Choose Weller Full Proof if: you want a bold, full-flavored Weller without going all the way to barrel proof.

Head-to-head

Proof

William Larue Weller is the strongest, at barrel proof. Full Proof is in the middle at 114. Weller 12 is the gentlest at 90.

Age

William Larue Weller and Weller 12 both carry over a decade of aging. Full Proof doesn't carry an age statement and drinks younger and brighter.

Flavor

Weller 12 is smooth and honeyed. Full Proof is rich and creamy. William Larue Weller is the deepest and most complex, with layers that keep unfolding in the glass.

Rarity

All three are allocated, but William Larue Weller is in a different league: it's released once a year as part of BTAC, in very small quantities.

Which should you buy?

• For easy, elegant sipping: Weller 12 Year.
• For bold flavor without barrel-proof heat: Weller Full Proof.
• For the ultimate Weller experience or a collection centerpiece: William Larue Weller.
• For a first look at the whole family: the Weller Special Reserve, 12 Year & Antique 107 Bundle or the Weller Complete Family Vertical Bundle.

Beyond these three

The Weller family runs deeper still. Weller Special Reserve and Old Weller Antique 107 are the everyday entry points. Weller C.Y.P.B. and Weller Single Barrel are limited releases with their own fan bases. And at the very top sit ultra-rare bottles like Weller Millennium and the Daniel Weller Emmer Wheat.

Explore every bottle in our W.L. Weller collection.

How to drink them

Weller 12 shines neat in a Glencairn glass. Full Proof is great neat or with a single large ice cube, and it makes an outstanding Old Fashioned. William Larue Weller deserves a slow pour: start neat, then add water a few drops at a time to open up its fruit and caramel.

For more serving tips, see our How to Drink Pappy Van Winkle guide; every tip applies to Weller too.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between William Larue Weller and Weller 12? William Larue Weller is a barrel-proof, unfiltered bourbon from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, released once a year. Weller 12 is a 12-year-old wheated bourbon bottled at 90 proof. William Larue Weller is far stronger, richer and rarer.

Is Weller Full Proof the same as William Larue Weller? No. Full Proof is bottled at 114 proof with no age statement and is non-chill filtered. William Larue Weller is bottled at barrel proof, aged over a decade and released only as part of BTAC.

Which Weller is closest to Pappy Van Winkle? Weller 12 is most often compared to Van Winkle's Lot B 12 Year. Both are 12-year wheated bourbons from Buffalo Trace.

Are all Weller bourbons wheated? Yes. Every Weller bourbon uses wheat as its secondary grain.

Why is William Larue Weller so expensive? It's aged for over a decade, bottled at barrel proof, released once a year in small quantities, and consistently ranked among the best bourbons in the world.

What does "Full Proof" mean? It means the whiskey is bottled at the same proof it entered the barrel, 114, rather than being diluted further.