William Larue Weller 2005 Bourbon

William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2005 Antique Collection)

Price

$3,299.95

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

Age: 12 Years, 2 Months (2005 Release) | Region: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA | Proof: 121.9

Secure payments

Vault-to-door shipping

Adult signature (21+) at delivery

121.9

Proof

60.95%

ABV

750 mL

Format

12Y 2M

Age at Bottling

121.9

First Barrel Proof

Kentucky

Region

The 2005 William Larue Weller is the release that brought Buffalo Trace's wheated Antique Collection bourbon back at full strength: bottled uncut and unfiltered at 121.9 proof, from whiskey distilled in the fall of 1993 and bottled in the fall of 2005. It is the first barrel-proof William Larue Weller. The label's earlier Antique Collection bottlings, beginning in 2000, were 19-year-old whiskey at 90 proof, so every barrel-proof release that followed traces back to this one.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

First barrel-proof release: The origin bottle that established the uncut, unfiltered barrel-strength format for William Larue Weller.

121.9 proof (60.95% ABV): Hand-bottled directly from the barrel with no water dilution or chill filtration.

Fall 1993 Distillation: Matured 12 years and 2 months in new charred white oak before bottling in fall 2005.

Wheated mash bill: Wheat replaces rye as the secondary grain, delivering a soft, rounded mid-palate structure.

41-Barrel Outturn: Drawn from a limited 41-barrel selection in Warehouse Q (Floor 5) with 58.04% evaporation loss.

Nº 02

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Wheated Heritage

Frankfort Cask-Strength Wheated Genesis

Distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, William Larue Weller stands as the ultimate barrel-strength expression of Buffalo Trace's wheated bourbon mash bill. Bottled directly from the wood without dilution or chill filtration, this 2005 release inaugurated the modern barrel-proof era for the Weller brand.

Nº 03

Craftsmanship & Cask Architecture

Fall 1993 Distillation & Warehouse Q Aging

Fall 1993 Distillate

Wheated Mash Platform

Distilled from Kentucky corn, soft red winter wheat, and malted barley double distilled to 130 proof in fall 1993.

Warehouse Q Floor 5

12Y 2M Oak Maturation

Aged 12 years and 2 months on upper rickhouse decks, driving caramel concentration while yielding a 58.04% evaporation loss.

121.9 Barrel Proof

Uncut & Unfiltered

Bottled straight from the cask at 121.9 proof (60.95% ABV) without chill filtration or dilution, preserving all natural oak oils.

Heavy Char Cooperage

#4 Char White Oak

Entered new 53-gallon American white oak barrels (#4 char, 55-second char) at 114 proof in fall 1993.

Nº 04

Sensory Profile & Strategy

Distillery & Reviewer Tasting Notes

Sensory Profile

Nose: Toasted oak, gentle honey, light caramel, and sweet baking spice.
Palate: Creamy wheated entry, soft caramel, gentle oak tannins, and vanilla.
Finish: Long, warm finish with lingering oak spice and subtle wheated sweetness.

Strategic Position

This is the origin bottle of the modern William Larue Weller series. Compare it directly with the 129.9-proof 2006 bottling and the Fall 2005 Stagg in Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault Provenance

→

Modern Barrel Proof Genesis

The 2005 edition holds permanent significance as the first barrel-proof release in William Larue Weller history.

→

Wheated Bourbon Vault Context

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

Collector IndexWLW 2005 RELEASE

Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Series Position: 2005 BTAC Allocation (1st Barrel Proof)
Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Proof / ABV: 121.9 Proof (60.95% ABV)
Age Statement: 12 Years 2 Months (Distilled Fall 1993)
Format: 750 mL

Explore the bourbon collection this William Larue Weller 2005 belongs to.

Nº 06

Technical Specifications

Specification	Detail
PRODUCER / DISTILLERY	Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky (Sazerac Company)
COLLECTION	2005 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)
CATEGORY	Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Cask Strength Wheated)
AGE AT BOTTLING	12 Years 2 Months (Distilled Fall 1993; Bottled Fall 2005)
PROOF / ABV	121.9 Proof / 60.95% ABV (Uncut & Unfiltered)
GRAIN RECIPE	Kentucky Corn, Soft Red Winter Wheat, Distiller's Malted Barley
WAREHOUSE / FLOORS	Warehouse Q, Floor 5 — 58.04% evaporation loss
BARRELS IN BATCH	41
BOTTLES PRODUCED	Approximately 4,602
REGION	Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
FORMAT	750 mL
SKU	088004025953-05

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Production Methodology

William Larue Weller is Buffalo Trace's wheated recipe bourbon: wheat replaces rye as the secondary grain alongside corn and malted barley. The Antique Collection bottling is hand-bottled uncut and unfiltered, so the strength in the bottle is the strength the barrels gave — 121.9 proof for the fall 2005 release, drawn from whiskey distilled in the fall of 1993.

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

What proof is the 2005 William Larue Weller?

The 2005 William Larue Weller was bottled at 121.9 proof, uncut and unfiltered. William Larue Weller is the wheated bourbon in Buffalo Trace's Antique Collection, and each annual release is bottled at whatever strength its barrels reach, so the proof printed on the label identifies the vintage as reliably as the year does.

Was 2005 the first barrel-proof William Larue Weller?

Yes. William Larue Weller entered Buffalo Trace's Antique Collection in 2000 as a 19-year-old bourbon bottled at 90 proof. The 2005 release reintroduced the label as an uncut, unfiltered bourbon hand-bottled at barrel proof, and every William Larue Weller release since has used that format.

When was the 2005 William Larue Weller distilled?

The 2005 William Larue Weller was distilled in the fall of 1993 and bottled in the fall of 2005, the season Buffalo Trace releases the Antique Collection. Both dates are carried on the bottle's own labels.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Buffalo Trace Distillery · William Larue Weller (2005 Release)

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William Larue Weller

The Elemental Distinction

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Wheated Heritage