Blanton's Single Barrel vs Weller Antique 107: Bourbon Comparison

Last Updated on: 8th April 2024, 05:49 pm

J Highland

J Highland is a certified sommelier with 30 years in the liquor industry, owning a pub, a liquor store, and moonlighting as a spirits distiller.

Uncover distinctions between Blanton’s Single Barrel and Weller Antique 107 in this direct matchup, and choose your next favorite Bourbon!

Quick Note: Running a pub and liquor store provides me ample access to various spirits, in addition, I moonlight as a spirits distiller. I assess them using customer feedback, expert opinions and online research.

Written by: J Highland

Blanton’s Single Barrel vs Weller Antique 107: Comparison

Blanton’s Single Barrel: Rich and complex with notes of vanilla, caramel, and old leather. The palate is creamy with honey and baking spices, finishing long with honey and caramel. A high rye content gives it a distinct edge, enjoyed best with a touch of water. Celebrated for its smoothness and balance.

Weller Antique 107: Sweet and full-bodied with caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon on the nose. The palate combines caramel, vanilla, and oak, leading to a long finish with baking spice. As a wheated bourbon, it offers a smoother, sweeter profile, enhanced by a splash of water for complexity.

Differences: Blanton’s stands out for its rich texture and rye spice, while Weller Antique 107 offers a smoother, sweeter taste due to its wheated mash bill.

Similarities: Both produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery, they share a reputation for quality but differ in mash bill and flavor profile, catering to different preferences in bourbon enthusiasts.

Verdict: Blanton’s is ideal for those seeking a spicy, complex bourbon, whereas Weller Antique 107 suits those looking for sweetness and depth from the high-proof. Each offers a unique tasting experience, highlighting the diversity within Buffalo Trace’s lineup, states whiskey expert Neil Coleman.

Blanton’s Single Barrel: A Rich and Balanced Bourbon Experience

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, oak, old leather
Palate: Creamy vanilla, honeyed, baking spice, oak
Finish: Long, honey, brown sugar, caramel
Alcohol content: 93 proof (46.5% ABV)
How to drink: Add water
Similar to: Eagle Rare

Crafting: Blanton’s utilizes a high rye content mash bill compared to its Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare siblings, contributing to its distinct flavor profile. Additionally, aging occurs in warehouse H, a specific location deemed ideal for bourbon maturation by Colonel Blanton himself.

Aroma: The nose greets you with a rich aroma of honey and caramel, alongside hints of aged leather and oak, offering a promising first impression.

Taste: The palate experience delivers classic bourbon flavors like butterscotch and vanilla, complemented by a moderate rye spice. However, Blanton’s sets itself apart with a creamier and richer texture compared to many other bourbons.

Finish: The finish is long, sweet, and pleasantly warm, with a subtle medicinal note emerging towards the end.

Overall: Blanton’s lives up to its reputation as a well-crafted and balanced bourbon. It offers a rewarding sipping experience with its impressive smoothness, perfect balance, and creamy body. This bourbon is best enjoyed neat, without the addition of water or ice.

Blanton’s Single Barrel Facts:

Mash Bill: Undisclosed, but around 15% rye grain.
Age: No official statement, but typically aged 6-8 years.
Accolades:
- Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2012.
- Nicknamed “liquid gold” in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

Weller Antique 107: A Characterful Bourbon with Depth

Nose: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon
Palate: Caramel, vanilla, tobacco, cinnamon, oak
Finish: Long, oak, baking spice
Alcohol content: 107 proof (53.5% ABV)
How to drink: Add water
Similar to: Weller Special Reserve

Aroma: Unveiling the glass, Weller Antique 107 offers a delightful nose with enticing notes of butterscotch, vanilla, and a touch of cinnamon.

Taste: The palate experience is defined by a creamy texture, akin to butter, and a sweet, bready flavor profile. Caramel, vanilla, tobacco, and cinnamon mingle with hints of oak, creating a complex and satisfying taste.

Finish: The finish is lingering, offering a satisfying warmth and a touch of peppery bite.

Overall: While not the smoothest bourbon, Antique 107 delivers depth and character, avoiding harshness. Adding a touch of water can help unlock its full potential, revealing subtle fruity notes of apple and cherry while tempering the initial heat. This technique allows for a more nuanced and enjoyable sipping experience.

Compared to: Compared to the Special Reserve, the 107 presents a clear upgrade, boasting a richer, fuller-bodied profile with greater complexity.

Weller Antique 107 Facts:

Aged: Around 7 years (no official age statement)
Mash Bill: “Wheated bourbon,” using wheat instead of rye, contributing the distinctive bready note.

Additional Notes:

This review provides a balanced and informative perspective on Weller Antique 107.
While offering enjoyable complexity, this bourbon might require some adaptation for those seeking a smoother experience.

What´s the difference between Blanton’s and Weller?

Blanton’s uses a mash higher in rye than the Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare but is still entirely restrained compared to bourbons like Bulleit.

Weller substitutes rye with wheat making it a wheated bourbon; this type is generally smoother and sweeter.

What do Blanton’s and Weller have in common?

Both bourbons are made at the Buffalo Trace Distillery along Pappy van Winkle, E.H. Taylor, Blanton’s, George Stagg, Buffalo Trace, and Sazerac Rye, among others.