BT runs their wheat mash bill for a period of time each year.
It is barrelled the same as their rye bourbon mash bill and stored in various locations around the property.
Some is sold as WL Weller, some is sold as the various Van Winkle brands.
It's all the same distillate... at the start of the maturation process.
It's up to the blenders to select and batch a consistent product.
Wheated bourbon stands log ageing better than the rye spiced variety. The problem is that the older it gets, the lees of it there is.
Maker's Mark disagrees with all of this, and they pull their barrels when they judge them to be 'fully mature'. Best bet is at about five and a half years. Their style, their take on the best way to make the product.
Do they use Weller for Pappy? Of course not, but it's identical when it comes off the still. The art and science is in the ageing and blending. From long experience they know how each rickhouse performs and apply that knowledge to batch a consistent product.
