W.L. Weller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon – 70cl

Swap the rye in a bourbon mash bill for wheat and you get something softer, rounder and far less peppery — and W.L. Weller Special Reserve is the everyday case for exactly that. This is Kentucky straight wheated bourbon from the Sazerac stable, bottled at 45%, and it has spent years being quietly hunted down by drinkers who can't stretch to Pappy Van Winkle.

Weller and Pappy share the same wheated recipe and the same home: Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, Kentucky. William Larue Weller was the 19th-century whiskey man credited with substituting wheat for rye as the secondary grain, and the Special Reserve is the entry point to the range that still carries his name. There's no age statement here — the wheat does the heavy lifting.

The nose is sweet and easy: caramel, a little floral lift, soft oak. The palate is where the wheat shows itself — honey and butterscotch, savoury toasted nuts, mild orchard fruit and just a touch of baking spice, all in a rounded, gentle frame rather than a spicy one. The finish is smooth and unhurried, vanilla and soft oak fading out on a honeysuckle sweetness. A few drops of water open the caramel further, and it takes a cube comfortably too.

This is a weeknight bourbon in the best sense — approachable enough to pour without ceremony, characterful enough to reward attention, and the backbone of a genuinely excellent Old Fashioned.

How to Serve

Neat in a Glencairn, or over a single large cube. A few drops of water lift the caramel. Also a fine base for an Old Fashioned.

Where to Drink It

Dukes Bar, St James's — old-school and made for brown spirits. Boisdale of Belgravia — a serious bourbon list and a cigar terrace. Black Rock, Shoreditch — whisky specialists who take American grain seriously.

Food Pairings

Smoked brisket or pulled pork. Aged Cheddar with toasted pecans. Honey-glazed ham or barbecue ribs.