Buffalo Trace just released a $7,500 ultra-aged whiskey: Weller Millennium

It displays a robust proof of 99.

In a move that sent the whiskey world into near-hysteria, news broke earlier this month that Buffalo Trace, the third oldest distillery in the world with roots dating back to 1773, was planning to launch a new WL Weller whiskey.

Bourbon enthusiasts first learned about it in a request to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau’s website, which sought label approval for a ” direct-mixed whiskey.”

And the detectives were right. The brand, often billed as “Poor Man’s Pappy Van Winkle,” officially announced yesterday at a private event at Blue Hill at Stone Barns that it is set to release an ultra-aged expression called Weller Millennium.

Related: 21 Whiskey Cocktail Recipes for Every Aficionado

At the start of the new millennium, the Buffalo Trace Distillery set aside several barrels of the first whiskeys distilled in the 2000s, all to create something special in this new period of history. Weller Millennium – a blend of vintage straight bourbon and wheat whiskeys distilled in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006 – clocks in at a solid 49.5% ABV and highlights “the impact of wheat on whiskey flavor.” Of course, wheat is an important ingredient for the WL Weller brand, which was the first to use wheat instead of rye in bourbon.

“At Buffalo Trace Distillery, our motto is ‘Honor Tradition, Embrace Change,’” says Harlen Wheatley, Buffalo Trace Master Distiller. “As we constantly seek to produce the finest whiskey in the world, we often hold back small batches of barrels to continue aging beyond our brand’s usual standards, in the hope that this aging experimentation results in a matured and particularly balanced. In this case, we found the whiskey distilled in 2000 to have incredible balance and wondered how the wheat would fare as an ultra-aged spirit. It has proven to be an impeccable backbone of this expression, allowing us to showcase the versatility of wheat and innovate beyond traditional wheat bourbon.

The bottle and packaging are works of art in themselves. The liquid is encased in a crystal decanter with a custom crystal top hand engraved with Weller’s logo. The box set includes a light display with exactly 99 bursts, as a nod to the expression’s high proof.

Related: What is the Difference Between Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey?

This type of ultra-luxury version has become a no-brainer for the Sazerac group, which has recently launched several high-end expressions. In the fall, the distillery announced the arrival of just 200 bottles of Eagle Rare 25 with a suggested retail price of $10,000. He also launched the first Prohibition collection, featuring the five Prohibition brands “that were legally produced and sold at the distillery.” And before that, Daniel Weller, an experimental $499 bottle of whiskey made with Emmer wheat, an ancient grain. Of course, there’s the distillery’s much-loved annual release, the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC), a line of wheat-free bourbons that has become a cult collectible among whiskey enthusiasts.

All that to say, if you can’t wait to get your hands on a bottle, it’s going to be tough. According to the brand, Weller Millennium will ship to retailers, bars and restaurants beginning in June 2024 at a suggested retail price of $7,500 per 750-milliliter bottle. (And it will probably cost a lot more than that on the secondary market.)

But one thing is certain: he is not the poor man’s dad.

For more Food & Wine news, be sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on food and wine.