Updated March 2026.
Weller Special Reserve and Buffalo Trace are both 90-proof Kentucky straight bourbon from the same Frankfort distillery. The Weller page calls Special Reserve “the Original Wheated Bourbon” and prints 90 proof (45% ABV). The Buffalo Trace page prints the same 90 / 45% and Mash Bill #1 — rye as the flavoring grain, not wheat. A 1.5-ounce pour of either is 1.13 NIAAA drinks. This is not a 2023 winner.
Same proof does not mean the same juice. Wheat vs Mash Bill #1 is the legal-class keep. Related: who makes Weller, wheated bourbon, Buffalo Trace.
Same proof, different mash story
| Bottle | Mash on the brand page | Proof | 1.5 oz drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| W.L. Weller Special Reserve | Wheated mash (wheat instead of rye) | 90 / 45% | 1.13 |
| Buffalo Trace | Mash Bill #1 | 90 / 45% | 1.13 |
| Weller Antique 107 / Full Proof | Same wheated family | Read the neck | From labeled ABV |
| Mash-bill % | Not published | — | — |
A 750 mL 45% bottle is about 19 drinks. Four 90-proof pours are about 4.5 drinks. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Suggested retail and street prices move — we will not invent a 2026 MSRP. Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- W.L. Weller Special Reserve: Proof 90 (45%); Wheated Mash. buffalotracedistillery.com.
- Buffalo Trace Bourbon: Proof 90 (45%); Mash Bill #1.
- TTB 27 CFR 5.143. NIAAA December 2025. No mash percentages invented.