William Larue Weller 2014 140.2 Proof

William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (2014 Antique Collection)

Price

$2,999.95

✔ 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 3 Months (2014 Release) | Region: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA | Proof: 140.2

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Vault-to-door shipping

Adult signature (21+) at delivery

140.2

Proof

70.1%

ABV

750 mL

Format

12Y 3M

Age Statement

62.3%

Loss

Kentucky

Region

The 2014 William Larue Weller is the strongest bottling Buffalo Trace has released under this label. It was distilled in the spring of 2002, matured twelve years and three months on the second, third, fourth and sixth floors of Warehouses D, K and L, and bottled uncut and unfiltered at 140.2 proof (70.1% ABV). Buffalo Trace called it the strongest Weller release ever when it announced the collection, and no release since has gone higher.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

140.2 Proof (70.1% ABV): The high-water mark of the label since its 2005 barrel-proof debut. The next two are the 2013 at 136.2 and the 2016 at 135.4.

Out-Proofed George T. Stagg: Surpassed its 2014 Stagg companion (138.1 proof). In most years Stagg is the strongest bottle; in 2014 Weller was.

Spring 2002 Distillation: Matured 12 years and 3 months across four floors of three warehouses—the widest floor spread recorded for this bourbon that decade.

62.3% Evaporation Loss: Surrendered across 39 hand-selected barrels, concentrating the remaining liquid to a series-record 140.2 proof.

Wheated Recipe Platform: Wheat stands in for rye as the secondary grain beside Kentucky corn and malted barley.

Nº 02

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Wheated Heritage

Frankfort Series Record Peak

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 2014 release represents the absolute peak strength in the label's history.

Nº 03

Craftsmanship & Cask Architecture

Spring 2002 Distillation & Warehouses D, K & L

Wheated Mash Platform

Soft Red Winter Wheat Core

Distilled in spring 2002 from Kentucky corn, soft red winter wheat, and malted barley double distilled to 130 proof.

Warehouses D, K & L

12Y 3M Oak Maturation

Aged 12 years and 3 months on floors 2, 3, 4, and 6, yielding a 62.3% evaporation loss across 39 barrels.

140.2 Barrel Proof

Uncut & Unfiltered

Bottled straight from the cask at 140.2 proof (70.1% ABV) without chill filtration or dilution, preserving all natural oak oils.

Independent Stave Oak

Heavy Char Cooperage

Entered new 53-gallon American white oak barrels (#4 char, 55-second char) at 114 proof in spring 2002.

Nº 04

Sensory Profile & Strategy

Distillery Tasting Notes

Sensory Profile

Nose: Rich wood smoke and deep, dark molasses.
Palate: Sweet orchard plums, buttery toffee, and dark chocolate.
Finish: Long, warm, and bold; closing out with elegant wood, spice, and heavy oak char.

Strategic Position

Weller is the wheated bourbon of the Antique Collection, and 2014 is the year it ran hottest. At 140.2 proof it out-stripped the 16-year 2014 Stagg, which came in at 138.1. Compare it directly with the 136.2-proof 2013 release below it and the 134.6-proof 2015 Weller in Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault Provenance

→

Series High-Water Mark

The 2014 bottling stands as the undisputed highest-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 2014 RELEASE

Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Series Position: 2014 BTAC Allocation (Series Record Proof)
Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Proof / ABV: 140.2 Proof (70.1% ABV)
Age Statement: 12 Years 3 Months (Distilled Spring 2002)
Format: 750 mL

Explore the bourbon collection this William Larue Weller 2014 belongs to.

Nº 06

Technical Specifications

Specification	Detail
PRODUCER / DISTILLERY	Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky (Sazerac Company)
COLLECTION	2014 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)
CATEGORY	Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Cask Strength Wheated)
AGE AT BOTTLING	12 Years 3 Months (Distilled Spring 2002; Bottled Fall 2014)
PROOF / ABV	140.2 Proof / 70.1% ABV (Uncut & Unfiltered)
BARREL ENTRY PROOF	114 Proof
BARREL COUNT	39 Hand-Selected Barrels
GRAIN RECIPE	Kentucky Corn, Soft Red Winter Wheat, Distiller's Malted Barley
WAREHOUSE / FLOORS	Warehouses D, K & L (Floors 2, 3, 4 & 6; 62.3% Evaporation Loss)
REGION	Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
FORMAT	750 mL
SKU	088004025953-14

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Production Methodology

William Larue Weller is made from Buffalo Trace's wheated recipe, in which wheat rather than rye sits alongside corn and malted barley as the secondary grain. The 2014 release was distilled in the spring of 2002 and matured for 12 years and 3 months on the second, third, fourth and sixth floors of Warehouses D, K and L. Barrels drawn from higher floors sit in the hottest, driest part of a rickhouse, and this batch lost 62.3% of its original volume to evaporation over that time — the concentration that produced a 140.2-proof bourbon. Thirty-nine barrels were selected and bottled uncut and unfiltered. Buffalo Trace's flavour note for the release is dark molasses, plums and toffee.

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 2014 William Larue Weller?

The 2014 William Larue Weller is bottled at 140.2 proof, or 70.1% alcohol by volume. It is the wheated bourbon of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, bottled uncut and unfiltered at its natural barrel strength, so that figure is fixed for the whole release rather than varying bottle to bottle.

Is the 2014 William Larue Weller the highest-proof release in the series?

Yes. At 140.2 proof the 2014 William Larue Weller is the strongest bottling Buffalo Trace has released under that label since the barrel-proof series began in 2005, and nothing between 2015 and 2025 has come near it. The next highest is the 2013 release at 136.2 proof. Buffalo Trace called it the strongest Weller release ever when it announced the 2014 Antique Collection.

How much of the 2014 William Larue Weller was lost to evaporation?

The 2014 William Larue Weller lost 62.3% of its original whiskey to evaporation over 12 years and 3 months in Warehouses D, K and L. That loss is what concentrated the remaining liquid to 140.2 proof, the highest strength in the William Larue Weller series.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Buffalo Trace Distillery · William Larue Weller (2014 Release)

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William Larue Weller

The Elemental Distinction

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Wheated Heritage