Weller 18 Year Old Straight Wheat Whiskey (200th Birthday Release)

Name: Weller 18 Year Old Straight Wheat Whiskey (200th Birthday Release)
Brand: Buffalo Trace
SKU: 88004072414
Price: 2899.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Price

$2,899.95

/

✔ Authenticated by the house — seal, fill level, and label inspected before release
✔ Documented provenance on every bottle
✔ Climate-safe, collector-grade packaging

Age: 18 Years | Region: Kentucky | Proof: 90

Secure payments

Vault-to-door shipping

Adult signature (21+) at delivery

90

Proof

45%

ABV

700 mL

Format

18 Yrs

Age Statement

Wheat

Majority Grain

Kentucky

Region

Weller 18 Year Old is a straight wheat whiskey rather than a bourbon — wheat is the dominant grain, not the secondary one, which is what separates it from every other bottling carrying the Weller name. Buffalo Trace announced it on 25 July 2025, the 200th birthday of William Larue Weller, and it holds the oldest age statement in the brand's history. It is bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV) in a 700 mL handcrafted crystal decanter with a stopper etched with Weller's "W", and it launched exclusively through global travel retail.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

01

Not a bourbon. Straight wheat whiskey is its own federal category, requiring wheat as the majority grain — where the Weller bourbons use wheat only in place of rye alongside a corn base.

02

Eighteen years, the oldest age statement Buffalo Trace has released under the Weller name.

03

Announced 25 July 2025, timed to the 200th birthday of William Larue Weller, alongside the 99-proof Weller Millennium No. 2.

04

90 proof (45% ABV) — the strength Harlen Wheatley has described as the classic register for the brand, against the 107 and 114 of the higher-proof bottlings.

05

A 700 mL handcrafted crystal decanter with a crystal stopper etched with the Weller "W". No display case, unlike the Millennium release.

06

Launched through global travel retail rather than domestic shelves — duty-free at airports including LAX, JFK and London Heathrow.

Nº 02

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Weller Heritage

Bicentennial Straight Wheat Milestone

Distilled at the historic Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, W.L. Weller honors William Larue Weller, pioneer of wheated whiskey. Released to commemorate Weller's 200th birthday, this 18-year expression inverts traditional bourbon composition by using wheat as the primary grain, creating a historic milestone in American whiskey distilling.

Nº 03

Craftsmanship & Cask Architecture

18-Year Oak Aging & Crystal Presentation

Wheat-Dominant Recipe

Majority Wheat Grain

Distilled from a recipe where wheat serves as the majority grain, imparting a soft, ethereal texture distinct from corn-heavy bourbons.

18-Year Oak Maturation

Oldest Weller Age Statement

Matured for eighteen full years in new charred American oak in Buffalo Trace rickhouses, preserving elegance without dry wood tannins.

90 Proof Bottling

Classic Brand Register

Bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV), delivering refined honeyed softness and delicate pear and baking spice complexity.

Handcrafted Crystal Decanter

Etched W Stopper

Housed in a bespoke 700 mL crystal decanter topped with a heavy crystal stopper deeply etched with the signature Weller "W".

Nº 04

Sensory Profile & Strategy

Distillery Tasting Notes

I

Sensory Profile

Nose: Delicately aged fruit, with tobacco behind it.
Palate: Warm baking spice over crisp green pear.
Finish: Long, with the oak carrying through.

† Buffalo Trace's published note for this release, paraphrased.

II

Strategic Position

Eighteen years is a long time for a wheat-dominant mash, and that is the whole experiment: wheat is the grain most people assume cannot take extended oak, and this is Buffalo Trace testing the assumption at the top of its own wheated range. Wheatley has framed the result as the softness evolving into something richer rather than thinning out. Set it against the 107-proof wheated bourbon in the range and the difference is the mash bill rather than the age — corn base with wheat in support, against wheat leading. Browse the Weller range in the vault, or step out into our wider whiskey shelf.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault Provenance

→

Bicentennial Commemorative Landmark

Commemorates William Larue Weller's 200th birthday as the oldest age-stated release in brand history.

→

Whiskey Vault Context

Catalogued within the primary Whiskey Collection and The Vault at Midnight Whiskey.

Evaluated strictly on verified liquid specifications, physical inspects, and primary distillery disclosures.

Collector IndexWELLER 18 WHEAT

Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Series Position: 200th Birthday Commemorative Release
Category: Straight Wheat Whiskey (Not Bourbon)
Proof / ABV: 90 Proof (45.0% ABV)
Age Statement: 18 Years
Format: 700 mL Crystal Decanter

Explore the complete Whiskey collection in Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 06

Technical Specifications

PRODUCER / DISTILLERY	Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky
BRAND	W.L. Weller
CATEGORY	Straight Wheat Whiskey (Not a Bourbon)
GRAIN	Wheat-dominant mash bill (>51% wheat; proportions undisclosed)
AGE STATEMENT	18 Years (Oldest in Weller history)
PROOF / ABV	90 Proof / 45.0% ABV
RELEASE DATE	Announced July 25, 2025 (Weller 200th Birthday)
DISTRIBUTION	Global Travel Retail Exclusive (LAX, JFK, LHR Duty Free)
REGION	Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
FORMAT	700 mL Handcrafted Crystal Decanter
SKU	WLW-18Y-700

† Specifications and details verified directly from physical bottle inspects and producer disclosures.

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Production Methodology

Straight wheat whiskey is a distinct federal category from bourbon: it requires wheat as the majority grain in the mash, where bourbon requires corn. Every other Weller bottling is a wheated bourbon — a corn-based mash with wheat standing in for rye as the secondary grain. This one inverts that, and Buffalo Trace does not publish the recipe beyond the category requirement. The whiskey spent eighteen years in new charred oak and was bottled at 90 proof, the strength Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley describes as the brand's classic register. Buffalo Trace announced it on 25 July 2025, timed to the 200th birthday of William Larue Weller, who from 1847 built his reputation on putting wheat where his contemporaries used rye. Wheatley has described the outcome as the softness of the wheat evolving into something rich and expressive rather than fading, which is the open question a wheat-dominant mash at this age was always going to answer one way or the other.

Authentication & Vault Preservation

Every 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 our editorial and authentication standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Weller 18 a bourbon?

No. Weller 18 Year Old is a straight wheat whiskey, which is a separate federal category requiring wheat as the majority grain. Every other Weller bottling is a wheated bourbon — a corn-based mash with wheat replacing rye as the secondary grain. This one reverses that relationship, which is what makes it a departure rather than an older version of the same whiskey.

What proof is Weller 18 Year Old?

90 proof, or 45% ABV, in a 700 mL crystal decanter. That is the same strength as Weller Special Reserve and Weller 12, and well below the 107 of Antique 107 or the 114 of Full Proof. Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley has described 90 proof as the classic register for the brand.

Where was Weller 18 Year Old sold?

It launched exclusively through global travel retail — duty-free shops at airports including LAX, JFK and London Heathrow — rather than through domestic distribution. Buffalo Trace announced it on 25 July 2025 alongside Weller Millennium No. 2, timed to the 200th birthday of William Larue Weller.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Buffalo Trace Distillery · Weller 18 Year Old Straight Wheat Whiskey

Shipping information

Adult Signature Required: Federal law requires an adult (21+) with a valid government ID to sign for all deliveries. Carriers cannot leave alcohol unattended.

Processing Time: Most orders process within 1–8 business days. You will receive a tracking number via email as soon as your bottle ships.

Insured Shipping: We strongly recommend electing Shipping Protection at checkout. Midnight Whiskey is not liable for loss or damage once in the carrier's possession unless insurance is purchased.

Restrictions: We ship only within the permitted U.S. states and cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes or U.S. Territories.

All Sales Final: Due to alcohol regulations, we cannot accept returns for change of mind.

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Weller 18 Year Old

The Elemental Distinction

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Weller Heritage