William Larue Weller 2006 129.9 Proof 15 Year

129.9 proof. 15 years. Uncut. Unfiltered. William Larue Weller 2006 — the oldest age-statement WLW in the Wooden Cork BTAC collection, and the most historically significant wheated BTAC expression in the current inventory.

The 2006 vintage is significant for two reasons: its 15-year age statement and its position as an early BTAC WLW from the program's formative era. Most BTAC WLW releases carry a 10–14-year age statement; the 2006's 15 years makes it the oldest age-statement WLW commercially released in the series' first decade. At 15 years, the wheated mashbill has achieved a depth of dried fruit, caramel, and oak integration that the 10–12-year expressions approach but cannot fully realize.

The 2006 is now nearly two decades from its original fall BTAC allocation — the era before Pappy Van Winkle's cultural explosion transformed the wheated Buffalo Trace program into one of the most allocated categories in American spirits. This is the Weller wheated recipe from before the modern scarcity era, in a BTAC expression that fewer and fewer specialty retailers can source.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Rich caramel, dried fruit, and vanilla at 15-year maturity and 129.9 proof — the wheated character at its most developed.
• Palate: Silky and concentrated — the wheat mashbill's natural softness at 15-year depth producing extraordinary dried fruit, caramel, and warm spice.
• Finish: Extraordinarily long — the oldest WLW in this collection through a multi-stage close.

Specs

• Distillery: Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, Kentucky
• Style: Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: 15 years
• Proof: 129.9 (64.95% ABV)
• Bottling: Uncut, unfiltered
• Release: 2006 BTAC Annual Release
• Size: 750ml

Explore the full William Larue Weller collection or browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is a 15-year WLW significant? Most BTAC WLW releases carry 10–14-year age statements. The 2006's 15 years is the oldest age-statement WLW in the current Wooden Cork collection — a depth of maturation that produces dried fruit concentration and oak integration beyond the 10–12-year expressions.
• How does the 2006 compare to the early 2000s BTAC era? The BTAC program was established in 2000. The 2006 is a sixth-year release from when the program was still building its reputation. Nearly two decades later, these early vintages are extraordinarily scarce.