Review #435 - Weller Antique 107 Single Barrel - Wiseguy Lounge Pick 'Organized Crime'

The Weller bourbons from Buffalo Trace are often hard to find in the first place; then, even less common, there are single barrel variants of each type. Here's a single barrel version of Weller Antique 107, which was selected by the Wiseguy Lounge speakeasy bar; they named the bottle 'Organized Crime,' in line with the bar's usual mobster/gangster theme.

The Antique 107 single barrels are still bottled at the same strength as the standardized version of the wheated bourbon: 53.5% ABV, or 107 proof.

Weller Antique 107 Single Barrel - Wiseguy Lounge Pick 'Organized Crime'

USA - Bourbon

Price: USD 70 (2024, estimated)

Age Statement: NAS

Strength: 53.5% ABV

Details: Barrel #172, bottled 2024

Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 2 times over 1 month; bottles at 40% and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes

Nose: Subtle, sweet dark red fruits: cherry, a bit of grape jam. Oak is the second note, bringing some polished furniture wood and barbecued wood notes; soft pepper adds a spice behind that, and we get nutmeg and cardamom, too. This leans slightly sweet, and it's a bit soft.

Palate: Cherry is stronger now - cherry lozenge, but also strawberry jam, slightly medicinal, like iodine. Stronger flavors than the nose hinted at; oak is stronger, with some tannic sharpness. Vanilla brings a baking side, and this gets more interesting with time: blood orange, cola, and balsamic vinegar pop up. The mouthfeel has a medium thickness.

Finish: A mix of sweet and sharp - drying oak, furniture polish, warming spirit, and soft vanilla. The oak brings a bit of ash, a little prickly; in the aftertaste, subtle fruit flavors of strawberry candy and raspberry sherbet. It's a medium length finish.

Final Note: This bourbon started out a little bit soft and simple, but some time in the glass allowed it a chance to open up and reveal some complexity. The mouthfeel and length of the finish was decent because of that elevated strength, but nothing exceptional; there was a decent oak influence, as well, showing some age.

Value for a bottle would be pretty good. This specific single barrel wasn't available for purchase at the bar, but based on the MSRP for Weller Antique, we would recommend the purchase if you can get it for a fair price.

Our Average Rating: 7.4 / 10

In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.

Value Rating: 7.16

About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.