This whiskey draws its character entirely from the distillery's prized wheated mash profile, substituting standard rye grains for soft winter wheat to construct an inherently sweeter distillate molecule. The specific barrels chosen for this 133.6 proof vintage were distilled in the spring of 2011 and rested for over a decade within Warehouses C, L, M, and N. Bottled completely free of post-barrel water or modern chill-filtration setups, it retains its natural oils intact.

Every bottle handled by Midnight Whiskey is procured strictly through authorized, verified allocation channels and passes rigorous physical seal and label inspection points before being logged into inventory. Shipments are handled via specialized, glass-rated container packaging and absolute age-verification checks; an adult signature (21+) is strictly mandatory upon delivery. Review our protocols via our editorial and authentication standards.

Why is the 2023 William Larue Weller proof so high?

The 2023 release reached 133.6 proof (66.8% ABV), the highest strength in the brand's history at release, surpassing the 2022 bottling's 124.7 proof. It is bottled uncut and unfiltered, so the figure reflects how the wheated bourbon matured rather than any added strength; it entered the barrel at 114 proof. The 2023 was distilled in the spring of 2011 and aged about 12.5 years.

What is a wheated bourbon, and how does Weller use it?

A wheated bourbon uses wheat instead of rye as the secondary grain alongside corn and malted barley, which tends to give a softer, rounder profile. William Larue Weller is the uncut, unfiltered, barrel-strength version of Buffalo Trace's wheated recipe, the same mash family behind the Weller and Pappy Van Winkle lines. Sazerac Company does not publish the exact grain percentages.