Launched in 2023, Daniel Weller is an experimental line exploring the impact of different strains of wheat on its storied bourbons, inspired by and named after the trailblazer of the Weller family. This exciting extension of the original wheated bourbon brand demonstrates Buffalo Trace Distillery’s excellence in innovation while honoring a forefather of American whiskey, Daniel Weller – grandfather to William Larue Weller – and the family distilling traditions he passed down to the generations of whiskey pioneers that followed him.

The inaugural release is made with Emmer wheat, an ancient Egyptian grain that’s rarely seen in modern-day stills.

Aged for nearly 12 years and bottled at 94 proof, the nose is fresh and nutty, with notes of orange zest, hazelnut, cinnamon and caramel; the palate a well-rounded blend of bold oak, sweet honey and orchard fruits with a complex oak-forward finish complemented by baking spice and leather notes.

While William Larue (W.L.) Weller’s place in whiskey history is widely known as one of the first to sell a “wheated” bourbon in Kentucky, his grandfather’s story has yet to be shared. After fighting in The Revolutionary War, Daniel Weller embarked on a flatboat voyage down the Ohio River with his wife and children, ultimately settling in Kentucky in 1794. Following in his father Johannes Weller’s footsteps, who distilled rye whiskey used as currency in early American barter economy, he soon began producing whiskey and leased his still to proprietors like Jacob Hirsch to supplement his income.

When Daniel passed away in 1807, he left no will, requiring his son Samuel to purchase his stills and equipment to continue the family legacy, which he would ultimately pass down to his son William Larue, founder of W.L. Weller & Sons.

The Daniel Weller experimental line is inspired by Daniel and his pioneering spirit, with plans to release one limited expression every other year, when each experiment is deemed ready for bottling by Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley.