Weller Reserve 2004 Tasting | Is This Vintage Worth The Hype?

Is modern Weller just a shadow of its former self? Join us on this episode of Your Bourbon Journey as we step back in time to taste a piece of whiskey history: a 2004 W.L. Weller Special Reserve "Stubby" bottle. Found at Revival Vintage Spirits in Covington, KY, this bottle dates back to the very early years of Buffalo Trace's ownership of the Weller line (purchased in 1999). We put this 22-year-old time capsule head-to-head against a modern bottle to see how grain changes, barrel maturity, and production shifts have impacted the legendary wheated bourbon profile. From "dusty funk" and lemon curd notes to a surprising lack of ethanol, this 2004 vintage proved that some things truly do get better with time—or perhaps, they just don't make them like they used to. In this video, we discuss: * How to identify a 2004 Weller using the laser code. * The transition from the "Stubby" bottle to the modern tall design. * The sensory differences: Lemon Danish vs. Wheat Bread. * Why 20-year-old grains, water, and wood create a superior viscosity. Revival Vintage Spirits https://revivalky.com/  Subscribe to Your Bourbon Journey for more Sipping on History! 🥃 **Become a Patron & Get Exclusive Content:** https://www.patreon.com/cw/YourBourbonJourney 🌐 **Visit Our Website:** https://yourbourbonjourney.com/ 🔔 **SUBSCRIBE HERE:** https://www.youtube.com/@YourBourbonJourney?sub_confirmation=1 📸 **Instagram:** https://www.instagram.com/yourbourbonjourney/ 👍 **Facebook:** https://www.facebook.com/YourBourbonJourney ❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌ ✴️ W.L. Weller Special Reserve Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Wheated) Company: Sazerac Company Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery (Frankfort, KY) Mash Bill: Buffalo Trace "Wheated" Recipe Age: NAS (No Age Statement) — Typical production estimates for this era were 4–7 years. Proof: 90 Proof (45% ABV) MSRP: ~$12.00–$15.00 (Historical estimate for 2004) Released: Bottled in 2004 (Laser code: 04  5444 01) Purchased: 04/30/26 for $225 at Revival Vintage Spirits ❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌ 🎥VIDEO CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Happy Friday - We’re Sipping on History! 0:15 - The Birthday Hunt at Revival Vintage 0:55 - Identifying the 2004 "Stubby" Weller Bottle 1:34 - Historical Context: The Stitzel-Weller to Buffalo Trace Shift 2:22 - Bottle Design: Stubby vs. Modern Slender 3:40 - Nosing the 2004 Vintage: Funk and Citrus 4:54 - Tasting the 2004 Vintage: Lemon Danish & Dusty Funk 7:22 - Tasting the Modern Weller: Lighter, Less Distinct 8:18 - Comparison & Profile Shift 10:16 - Why It Tastes Different: Grains, Barrels, and Automation 12:08 - Cheers to Revival Vintage Spirits! 🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨 ❓Questions❓ YourBourbonJourney@gmail.com NOTE: The spirit in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly. #WellerSpecialReserve #BuffaloTrace #DustyBourbon #WhiskeyHistory #YourBourbonJourney #WheatedBourbon #BourbonReview #WellerBourbon #WhiskeyTasting #RevivalVintageSpirits #SippingOnHistory #BourbonCollector #StitzelWeller #VintageWhiskey #BuffaloTraceDistillery