W.L. Weller Antique 107 Is Named ‘Spirit of the Year’ at the 2025 London Spirits Competition

Results for the 2025 London Spirits Competition (LSC) are in, and a Buffalo Trace bourbon has won the coveted Spirit of the Year award. However, it might not be the one you expect. While some of the Kentucky distillery’s heavy hitters, like William Larue Weller and Weller 12, performed well, a slightly less heralded — and often easier to find — bottle took home the crown.

After the results were published, W.L. Weller Antique 107 garnered 99 points, placing first among all whiskeys and winning Spirit of the Year. This victory marks a significant milestone for the whiskey category. Since 2022, every other overall winner has been a gin or rum, with Eminente Gran Reserva Edition N°1 taking the top spot in 2024.

For 2025, the second-highest-placed American whiskey was Lancaster Ale Cask Rare Bourbon, which also earned 99 points.

The next best placing product from Sazerac-owned Buffalo Trace was Weller 12 Year, which followed closely at 98 points. Thomas H. Handy Rye and Sazerac 18 Year-Old Rye, both from Buffalo Trace’s renowned Antique Collection, each received 97 points. Weller CYPB and William Larue Weller earned 93 points each, while Weller Special Reserve scored 92.

At the London Spirits Competition, spirits scoring between 95 and 100 are described as “exceptional in every aspect, offering unparalleled quality, remarkable value, and outstanding packaging.” Both quality and value scoring is conducted through blind tasting; packaging is evaluated afterward.

Long a fan favorite, W.L. Weller Antique 107 excelled in all aspects of judging, from the drinking experience to visual appeal. Its red-and-gold label is instantly recognizable among bourbon fans. While “Antique 107” isn’t as chased after as some of Buffalo Trace’s other allocated whiskeys, it’s seen as a consistently reliable pour. With this win, perhaps Antique 107 will receive a bit more time in the spotlight.

Tasting notes from the LSC highlighted the bourbon’s spiced palate and composed finish: “Warm and woody on the nose, the palate brings spiced dried fruits and roasted nuts, finishing smooth and peppery with an elegant, malty depth.”

Buffalo Trace’s tasting notes highlight Antique 107’s unique nose, with “sweet and unusual floral notes…coupled with vanilla.” On the palate, sweet fruit meets vanilla and spice, followed by a cinnamon-forward finish. 

The complete Weller lineup of bourbons features several whiskeys crafted from Buffalo Trace’s famously undisclosed wheated mashbill: W.L. Weller Antique 107, Weller 12 Year, Weller Special Reserve, Weller CYBP, Weller Full Proof, Weller Single Barrel, and William Larue Weller. While Antique 107 lacks an age statement, the whiskey is generally believed to be between six and eight years old, give or take.

“Weller Antique 107 is a wonderful marriage of recipe, age, and proof where the sweetness of the red winter wheat recipe is balanced with the higher proof spirit,” Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley told Food & Wine. “It delivers what consumers demand with rich and bold flavor at 107 proof.” 

W.L. Weller Antique 107 is available nationwide and has a suggested retail price ranging from $50 to $60, depending on the market. Anecdotally, it’s also somewhat easier to find than many other expressions in the series. 

However, as with almost all products in the Weller lineup, retailers in non-control states often price it higher than Buffalo Trace suggests. Happy hunting.