By Justin Thompson
Buffalo Trace announced that the packaging for their family of Weller Bourbon brands will get a facelift. The Weller brands have always been a favorite amongst Bourbon drinkers because they are considered an extremely good value for the quality of juice that’s inside the bottle. The Weller 12-Year Bourbon is probably the most well-known brand from the Weller line, and is one of the most sought-after brands in the country. The demand is such that liquor stores have started doubling and sometimes tripling the price of what Buffalo Trace suggest.
The following is a statement from Buffalo Trace:
The well-respected W.L. Weller Bourbon brand will receive a packaging upgrade starting this December. Weller Special Reserve, Weller Antique, and Weller 12-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey will use a brand new bottle design that is taller and more sophisticated, while maintaining the curves of the current Weller bottle.
Each whiskey will have its own distinctly colored face label, which has been enlarged and includes a large cursive “W” on the front. The brand name “Weller” has been enlarged on the front label for stronger and easier consumer brand name recognition, and the newly added back labels include information about William Larue Weller and the whiskey. These back labels share the life story of William Larue Weller, along with tasting notes for each respective expression. Born in 1825, William Larue Weller was one of the early distilling pioneers in Kentucky. After serving with the Louisville Brigade in the 1840s, Weller returned to Louisville to join the family tradition of whiskey distilling. He developed his original Bourbon recipe with wheat, rather than rye in the mash bill. Weller’s original wheated recipe Bourbon became so popular he was forced to put a green thumbprint on barrels to ensure that customers were receiving the real deal. His namesake company eventually went on to merge with Pappy Van Winkle’s A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery to form the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, one of the most iconic and beloved distilleries in Kentucky.
The Weller name is still so famous it is played up in the new label design, bearing “Weller” in a magnificent gold color front and center of the bottle and on the necker, making the brand easily identifiable on shelves and back bars. The gold accents continue throughout the front label to add to the upscale feel. The initials “W.L.” have been removed the front of the label in order to provide the correct amount of space for the newly enlarged brand name. The cap closure for each bottle has been upgraded as well to a high quality aluminum cap.
“The Weller Bourbons have an exceptionally smooth taste, and we wanted to design the new package to fully reflect the quality of the Bourbon inside,” said Kris Comstock, marketing director, Bourbon. “This new look is indicative of our strong commitment and plans for continued growth for the brand in the future.” The production of the Weller recipe has been steadily increasing the past several years at Buffalo Trace Distillery so there are no plans to slow down or stop production. “We are committed to Weller and have no plans to discontinue or change the recipe, proof, or age of any of the Weller whiskeys,” added Comstock.
Over the past few years the Weller brand has won a host of awards, including: a Gold Medal for Weller Antique 107 at the 2016 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition; a Gold Medal at the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Weller 12 Year Old; and a Double Gold for Weller 12 Year Old at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, among others.
Weller Special Reserve and Weller Antique should be available in the new packaging this December, as with the next release of Weller 12 Year Old scheduled for spring of 2017. This new look will affect 750mL, Liters and 1.75L size bottles. There is no price increase planned. Suggested retail price for the 750ml bottles of Weller Special Reserve is $17.99, Weller Antique 107 is $19.99, and Weller 12-Year-Old $24.99 each.