{"product_id":"william-larue-weller-2016","title":"William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2016 Antique Collection)","description":"\u003cstyle\u003e\n.mw-master-container{\n  --mw-accent: #dfbdb0;   \/* metallic foil  *\/\n  --mw-glow:   #6c1420;     \/* power color    *\/\n  --mw-bg:     #42120c;       \/* deep lowlight  *\/\n  --mw-text:#e0e0e0; --mw-muted:#b8b8b8; --mw-hair:#222;\n  font-family: inherit; background:var(--mw-bg); color:var(--mw-text);\n  line-height:1.7; padding:24px; margin-bottom:60px;\n}\n\/* scoped resets: neutralize theme heading styles inside the block *\/\n.mw-master-container h2, .mw-master-container h3{\n  margin:0; padding:0; font-family:inherit; line-height:inherit; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-h3{ color:var(--mw-accent); font-weight:bold; text-transform:uppercase;\n  font-size:0.9rem; letter-spacing:2px; margin-top:40px; display:block;\n  border-bottom:1px solid var(--mw-glow); padding-bottom:8px; margin-bottom:20px; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-accent{ color:var(--mw-accent); font-weight:bold; text-decoration:none; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-accent:hover{ color:#fff; text-decoration:underline; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-info-box{ background:linear-gradient(90deg, var(--mw-bg) 0%, var(--mw-glow) 100%);\n  padding:25px; margin:25px 0; border-radius:0 4px 4px 0; border:1px solid var(--mw-hair);\n  border-left:4px solid var(--mw-accent); }\n.mw-master-container .mw-list{ margin:0; padding-left:20px; font-size:0.95rem; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-grid{ display:grid; grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr; gap:30px; margin:30px 0; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-card{ background:rgba(255,255,255,0.02); padding:25px;\n  border:1px solid var(--mw-glow); border-radius:4px; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-card-label{ color:var(--mw-accent); font-weight:bold; font-size:0.75rem;\n  text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1px; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-card-body{ margin-top:20px; font-size:0.9rem; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-card-body p + p{ margin-top:10px; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-table{ width:100%; border-collapse:collapse; margin-top:15px; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-table td{ padding:14px 0; border-bottom:1px solid var(--mw-hair);\n  color:#ccc; font-size:0.95rem; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-table td:first-child{ font-weight:bold; width:38%; color:var(--mw-accent);\n  text-transform:uppercase; font-size:0.75rem; letter-spacing:1px; }\n.mw-master-container details{ background:rgba(255,255,255,0.03); border:1px solid var(--mw-hair);\n  border-radius:4px; margin-bottom:15px; }\n.mw-master-container summary{ padding:18px; color:var(--mw-accent); font-weight:bold; cursor:pointer;\n  outline:none; list-style:none; display:flex; justify-content:space-between; align-items:center;\n  text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:1px; font-size:0.85rem; }\n.mw-master-container summary::after{ content:'+'; font-size:1.2rem; }\n.mw-master-container details[open]{ border:1px solid var(--mw-accent); }\n.mw-master-container details[open] summary::after{ content:'-'; }\n.mw-master-container .details-content{ padding:0 20px 20px 20px; font-size:0.95rem; }\n.mw-master-container .mw-q{ font-size:0.95rem; font-weight:bold; color:var(--mw-text); margin-top:14px; }\n.mw-master-container .details-content .mw-q:first-child{ margin-top:0; }\n@media (max-width:768px){ .mw-master-container .mw-grid{ grid-template-columns:1fr; } }\n\u003c\/style\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-master-container\"\u003e\n\n  \u003c!-- TL;DR (speakable, GEO) --\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"speakable\"\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eWilliam Larue Weller from the 2016 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is the year the wheater carried the set. Reviewers called a weak 2016 collection exactly that — and then named this the standout. Twelve years and seven months old, uncut and unfiltered at 135.4 proof, one of the stronger Wellers on record.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003c!-- ELEMENTAL DISTINCTION --\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"mw-h3\"\u003eThe Elemental Distinction\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"mw-info-box\"\u003e\n    \u003cul class=\"mw-list\"\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eThe standout of a hard year. Reviewers marked most of the 2016 collection down against recent vintages and then singled this bottle out as the exception.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003e135.4 proof — one of the stronger Weller releases, and, like every one, a measurement rather than a target: uncut, unfiltered, whatever the barrels gave.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eTwelve years and seven months, from a spring 2003 fill, matured on the third and sixth floors of warehouses D, K and L.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eThe only wheated bourbon in the Antique Collection: North Dakota wheat in place of rye, the same recipe behind the W.L. Weller line and Pappy Van Winkle.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eOne hundred and forty-five hand-selected barrels, with 65.4% of the fill lost to evaporation over those twelve years.\u003c\/li\u003e\n      \u003cli\u003eBuffalo Trace's own note: plum, figs, vanilla. Released at a $90 suggested retail.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003c!-- SENSORY + STRATEGIC GRID --\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"mw-grid\"\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"mw-card\"\u003e\n      \u003ch3 class=\"mw-card-label\"\u003eSensory Profile\u003c\/h3\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"mw-card-body speakable\"\u003e\n        \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe distillery's note on this release:\u003c\/strong\u003e plum, figs and vanilla — a darker, more fruit-driven reading than the toffee-and-leather register this bottling usually gets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n        \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReviewers that autumn\u003c\/strong\u003e made it the standout of the collection in a year they judged weak overall. Presented as a reading, not a producer note.\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"mw-card\"\u003e\n      \u003ch3 class=\"mw-card-label\"\u003eStrategic Position\u003c\/h3\u003e\n      \u003cdiv class=\"mw-card-body\"\u003e\n        \u003cp\u003eAmong \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/buffalo-trace\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003eour wheated Antique Collection bourbons\u003c\/a\u003e the 2016 is the one that won its year outright. Its foil that autumn is \u003ca href=\"\/products\/george-t-stagg-2016\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003ethe 144.1-proof 2016 Stagg\u003c\/a\u003e — nine proof points higher, three years older, and the vintage reviewers found harder going. Forward, \u003ca href=\"\/products\/william-larue-weller-2017\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003ethe 128.2-proof 2017 Weller\u003c\/a\u003e steps down in strength; the two together show how much of this bottling's character rides on the number.\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003c\/div\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003c!-- TECHNICAL SPECS --\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"mw-h3\"\u003eTechnical Specifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003ctable class=\"mw-table\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDistillery\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBuffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eClass\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (wheated, uncut, unfiltered)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCollection\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBuffalo Trace Antique Collection, 2016 release\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProof \/ ABV\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e135.4 proof (67.7% ABV)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAge statement\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12 years 7 months at bottling\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDistilled\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSpring 2003\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecipe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWheated — Kentucky corn, North Dakota wheat, North Dakota malted barley\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaturation\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWarehouses D, K and L; floors 3 and 6\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFiltration\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNone\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFormat\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e750 mL (US release)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n    \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRegion\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKentucky, USA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n  \u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n  \u003c!-- COLLECTOR NOTE --\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"mw-h3\"\u003eCollector Note\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eBarrel proof makes a Weller vertical legible: same recipe every year, different strength, so the number on the label is the vintage's fingerprint. The 2016 sits high in the run at 135.4 — this bottling has ranged from the high 117s to the mid-136s — and it has the rarer distinction of being the bottle that carried a weak year. That combination is what a collector is actually buying. Practically: 65.4% of the fill evaporated before selection, the label art does not change between vintages, and the printed proof is the only reliable identifier.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003c!-- RECOMMENDED SERVING --\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"mw-h3\"\u003eRecommended Serving\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eNeat, tulip, first pour dry — a wheated bourbon carries 135.4 more quietly than a rye mash would, and the plum and fig the distillery names are there without help. Then a few drops in the second glass and the fruit opens further. Beside the same year's Stagg, nine proof points higher on a rye mash, the difference is the clearest lesson the 2016 collection offers about what wheat does.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003c!-- ACCORDION DEEP-DIVES --\u003e\n  \u003cdetails\u003e\n    \u003csummary\u003eProduction Methodology\u003c\/summary\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"details-content\"\u003e\n      \u003cp\u003eWilliam Larue Weller is distilled at Buffalo Trace from the wheated recipe — Kentucky corn in distillers grades one and two, North Dakota wheat, North Dakota malted barley — sour mashed, double distilled off the still at 130 proof, and entered into new #4-char white oak at 114 proof. That low entry proof matters: less water is added before the barrel, and the whiskey concentrates upward from a gentler start. The 2016 filled in spring 2003 and matured twelve years and seven months on the third and sixth floors of warehouses D, K and L. One hundred and forty-five barrels were selected, uncut and unfiltered, at 135.4 proof; 65.4% of the original fill had gone to evaporation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/details\u003e\n  \u003cdetails\u003e\n    \u003csummary\u003eAuthentication \u0026amp; Vault Preservation\u003c\/summary\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"details-content\"\u003e\n      \u003cp\u003eEvery bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authentic, sealed product and inspected before it ships. Orders are packed with padded, glass-rated handling and require an adult signature (21+) on delivery; we do not ship to anyone unable to verify legal drinking age. For our full sourcing and handling protocols, see \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/authentication-standards\" class=\"mw-accent\"\u003eour editorial and authentication standards\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/details\u003e\n  \u003cdetails\u003e\n    \u003csummary\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/summary\u003e\n    \u003cdiv class=\"details-content\"\u003e\n      \u003ch3 class=\"mw-q\"\u003eWhat proof is the 2016 William Larue Weller?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n      \u003cp\u003e135.4 proof, or 67.7% ABV — one of the stronger releases this bottling has produced. Every William Larue Weller is uncut and unfiltered, so the figure is the natural strength of that year's barrel selection rather than a house number, and it changes every vintage. Across its history the label has run from the high 117s to the mid-136s, putting the 2016 near the top.\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003ch3 class=\"mw-q\"\u003eHow old is the 2016 William Larue Weller?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n      \u003cp\u003eTwelve years and seven months at bottling. The whiskey was distilled in spring 2003 and matured on the third and sixth floors of warehouses D, K and L at Buffalo Trace, entering the barrel at 114 proof. Over those twelve years, 65.4% of the original fill was lost to evaporation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n      \u003ch3 class=\"mw-q\"\u003eWhat does the 2016 William Larue Weller taste like?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n      \u003cp\u003eBuffalo Trace's own note for this release is plum, figs and vanilla — a darker, more fruit-driven description than the toffee and leather this bottling usually draws. Reviewers that autumn judged the 2016 collection weaker than recent years overall and then named this bottle its standout, which is the reputation the vintage still carries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c\/details\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@graph\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Product\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/william-larue-weller-2016#product\",\n      \"name\": \"William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2016 Antique Collection)\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/william-larue-weller-2016\",\n      \"mainEntityOfPage\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/william-larue-weller-2016\",\n      \"image\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/cdn\/shop\/files\/william-larue-weller-2016.jpg\",\n      \"description\": \"William Larue Weller from the 2016 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is an uncut, unfiltered wheated Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 135.4 proof (67.7% ABV) — twelve years and seven months old, distilled in spring 2003 and matured in warehouses D, K and L.\",\n      \"sku\": \"[PLACEHOLDER_SKU]\",\n      \"mpn\": \"[PLACEHOLDER_MPN]\",\n      \"gtin13\": \"[PLACEHOLDER_GTIN]\",\n      \"brand\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n        \"name\": \"William Larue Weller\"\n      },\n      \"manufacturer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n        \"name\": \"Buffalo Trace Distillery\"\n      },\n      \"releaseDate\": \"2016\",\n      \"category\": \"Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey\",\n      \"additionalProperty\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n          \"name\": \"Proof\",\n          \"value\": \"135.4 proof (67.7% ABV)\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n          \"name\": \"ABV\",\n          \"value\": \"67.7% ABV\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n          \"name\": \"Age statement\",\n          \"value\": \"12 years 7 months\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n          \"name\": \"Recipe\",\n          \"value\": \"Wheated — Kentucky corn, North Dakota wheat, North Dakota malted barley\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n          \"name\": \"Collection\",\n          \"value\": \"Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, 2016 release\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n          \"name\": \"Region\",\n          \"value\": \"Kentucky, USA\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n          \"name\": \"Format\",\n          \"value\": \"750 mL (US release)\"\n        }\n      ],\n      \"offers\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/william-larue-weller-2016#offer\",\n        \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/william-larue-weller-2016\",\n        \"priceCurrency\": \"USD\",\n        \"price\": \"[PLACEHOLDER_PRICE]\",\n        \"availability\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/[PLACEHOLDER_AVAILABILITY]\",\n        \"itemCondition\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/NewCondition\",\n        \"seller\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n          \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/#org\",\n          \"name\": \"Midnight Whiskey\"\n        }\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/william-larue-weller-2016#breadcrumb\",\n      \"itemListElement\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n          \"position\": 1,\n          \"name\": \"Home\",\n          \"item\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n          \"position\": 2,\n          \"name\": \"Buffalo Trace\",\n          \"item\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/collections\/buffalo-trace\"\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n          \"position\": 3,\n          \"name\": \"William Larue Weller 2016\"\n        }\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/william-larue-weller-2016#faq\",\n      \"about\": {\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/william-larue-weller-2016#product\"\n      },\n      \"mainEntity\": [\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"What proof is the 2016 William Larue Weller?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n            \"text\": \"135.4 proof, or 67.7% ABV — one of the stronger releases this bottling has produced. Every William Larue Weller is uncut and unfiltered, so the figure is the natural strength of that year's barrel selection rather than a house number, and it changes every vintage. Across its history the label has run from the high 117s to the mid-136s, putting the 2016 near the top.\"\n          }\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"How old is the 2016 William Larue Weller?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n            \"text\": \"Twelve years and seven months at bottling. The whiskey was distilled in spring 2003 and matured on the third and sixth floors of warehouses D, K and L at Buffalo Trace, entering the barrel at 114 proof. Over those twelve years, 65.4% of the original fill was lost to evaporation.\"\n          }\n        },\n        {\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\n          \"name\": \"What does the 2016 William Larue Weller taste like?\",\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n            \"text\": \"Buffalo Trace's own note for this release is plum, figs and vanilla — a darker, more fruit-driven description than the toffee and leather this bottling usually draws. Reviewers that autumn judged the 2016 collection weaker than recent years overall and then named this bottle its standout, which is the reputation the vintage still carries.\"\n          }\n        }\n      ]\n    }\n  ]\n}\n\u003c\/script\u003e","brand":"Buffalo Trace","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45024652951586,"sku":"088004025953-16","price":2499.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0812\/5566\/1602\/files\/1652189505IMG_0046_e19d5e0e-0dda-4ddb-a638-42bf10f13db7.jpg?v=1782603332","url":"https:\/\/midnightwhiskey.com\/products\/william-larue-weller-2016","provider":"Midnight Whiskey ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}