Dear Weller,

It’s not me…it’s you.

When we first met, you were wearing red. You had a bit of a bottom to you and I kinda liked the way you looked back then. I’ve been told that women, pot stills and Weller bottles should all have curves (apologies to Alan Bishop for misquoting him). For some reason you had some work done and are a lot sleeker than you used to be. Regardless of your shape, your wheated mash bill and 107-proof had me hooked.

Back then, sometimes you’d dress down in green or occasionally you’d dress yourself up in black. Whatever you were wearing, it was easy to know who you were. But…something changed.

First, in 2018 you dressed yourself up in white and turned your proof up just a bit from the 90-proof you have when you’re in green. You even had the conceit to call yourself “perfect”. This wasn’t like you at all. And for what people were paying for you on the secondary market? Let’s just say you should never be wearing white.

Then last year, you draped yourself in blue added seven points of proof to what you were in the good “old” days…the “antique”, days. You went by the name of Full Proof. People would hunt high and low for you. They would fight over you on social media. In the end, I still preferred you in red.

So, we have another year and we have another you. This year, you’re calling yourself “single” and dressed all in brown. As most singles, you’ll probably end up on a dating meat market site (or secondary market site). I’m sure everybody will be “swiping right” on your profile, but it will likely be a precious few that will ever get to go out with you.

Weller, I’m not chasing you anymore. I haven’t in awhile, really. Bourbon life is too short. I’m sure there will be times when our paths will cross down the road. We’ll drink (well,…I’ll drink) and think about the good times we shared not so long ago. Until then, cheers.

Weller Single Barrel Announced

Buffalo Trace announced today that they will be releasing a single barrel variety this year. It will be at 97 proof and have a retail price of about $50. Unless you are willing to stand in line for hours or have a great relationship with your local store, you won’t see this Bourbon at $50, if you see it at all. Truth be told, Weller already was in single barrel form for both the Full Proof and Old Weller Antique expressions. This new single barrel will likely limit the already small pool of private barrel picks available for “blue” and “red”. If I had my way, Weller would suspend the Full Proof, CYPB and Single Barrel varieties and funnel more of that stock to wider availability of store picks, 12 year and Old Weller Antique (my personal favorite, if you couldn’t tell). If you love something, set it free. If it doesn’t come back to you, then some tater hired a bunch of mules to stand in line at Liquor Barn and buy up the entire release.