W.L. Weller Special Reserve, the bourbon many drinkers know simply as “Weller Green,” is the easygoing entry point into the celebrated Weller family, and it has a permanent spot on the shelf at Camp West, our cabin-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant in the West Seattle Junction. Made by Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, Special Reserve delivers the soft, approachable charm of a wheated bourbon at a pour price that makes it an easy yes. It is the kind of smooth, no-fuss bourbon we love handing to someone exploring wheaters for the first time.
About the Distillery
Buffalo Trace is among the most awarded distilleries in American whiskey, and the Weller line carries the legacy of wheated-bourbon pioneer William Larue Weller. Special Reserve is the foundation of that family, recognizable by its green label, and it shares the same wheated approach that runs through Buffalo Trace’s most prized bottlings.
Style & Mash Bill
Special Reserve is a wheated bourbon bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV). Its mash bill uses wheat in place of rye as the secondary grain, which is the source of its gentle, rounded sweetness. It is aged in new American oak to build its mellow, easy-drinking character.
Tasting Notes
Buffalo Trace describes a sweet nose with caramel, a palate of honey, butterscotch, and soft woodiness, and a smooth finish with a honeysuckle flair. In practice it is gentle and calm, with classic honey, caramel, and vanilla sweetness and very little bite, a hallmark of the wheated mash bill at this proof.
How to Enjoy It at Camp West
We pour Weller Special Reserve at $13. Its smooth, sweet profile is lovely neat or over a single large rock, and because it is so balanced it also makes an excellent Old Fashioned, where its honeyed sweetness needs little help. Tell your bartender how you like it and they will set you up.
FAQ
Why is it called “Weller Green”?
Because of its distinctive green label, which sets the entry-level Special Reserve apart from the rest of the Weller lineup.
What proof is Weller Special Reserve?
It is bottled at 90 proof, or 45% ABV.
Ready for a pour? Book a table, browse our full whiskey list, or see the complete beverage menu.