The bourbon industry continues to grow, and Buffalo Trace, one of the largest distilleries in the country, has announced a new experimental line of wheated bourbons.
Daniel Weller is a new experimental line that explores the impact of different strains of wheat on bourbon, and the name was inspired by the trailblazer of the famous Weller family.
Daniel was the grandfather of William Larue Weller (W.L.), who is widely known as one of the first people to sell a wheated bourbon in Kentucky.
Buffalo Trace's brands include W.L. Weller, Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton's and more.
“We began this experiment to see how one of the original, long-forgotten wheat strains would taste in our wheated bourbon,” says Harlen Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Master Distiller. “We’ve found it offers just a slightly – yet delightfully – different taste that brings us into a new bourbon territory. It will taste like Weller, but with distinct, unique notes that make it stand apart from the other Weller whiskies we’ve released to date.”
According to Buffalo Trace, Daniel fought in the Revolutionary War and then settled in Kentucky in 1794 where he began producing whiskey.
Buffalo Trace said the plan is to release a limited expression every other year when deemed ready for bottling by Wheatley.
The first release is made with Emmer wheat, which is an ancient Egyptian grain usually used to make beer and bread.
The distillery said it was also distilled in the E.H. Taylor, Jr. Microstill, which Wheatley custom-designed over two years.
It was aged for nearly 12 years and is bottled at 94 proof. Buffalo Trace said the nose is fresh and nutty with notes of orange zest, hazelnut, cinnamon and caramel.
The bourbon will roll out in limited quantities throughout the country and has a suggested retail price of $499.99, and it is the latest to join the Weller lineup.
