Buffalo Trace Announces the Release of Bourbons You'll Never Be Able to Find or Buy

Buffalo Trace has announced the 2019 releases of their Antique Collection. The Antique Collection consists of five limited-release whiskeys of various ages, recipes and proofs. The five whiskeys are George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old, and Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old. Suggested retail is $99 for each bottle (more on that later).

We'll tackle these one by one, starting with the George T. Stagg. The 2019 version is aged at least 15 years and comes in unfiltered at barrel strength, which is the lowest proof ever for a George T. Stagg at 116.9 (58.45% alcohol). Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley attributed the lower proof to selecting barrels from the bottom of the warehouse saying "the first floor is cooler with higher humidity levels, therefore the alcohol evaporates faster than the water." The tasting notes are:

Lush toffee sweetness and dark chocolate with hints of vanilla, fudge, nougat and molasses. Underlying notes of dates, tobacco, dark berries, spearmint and a hint of coffee round out the palate.

William Larue Weller. For this, Buffalo Trace substitutes wheat for the traditional rye grain in a process that was pioneered by William Larue Weller. This version was distilled in 2007, making it an 11 or 12 year whiskey. It comes in at 128 proof (64% alcohol). It offers the following tasting notes:

Lush toffee sweetness and dark chocolate with hints of vanilla, fudge, nougat and molasses. Underlying notes of dates, tobacco, dark berries, spearmint and a hint of coffee round out the palate.

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac. Named after the first bartender to use rye in the Sazerac, the 2019 version comes in at barrel strength and is unfiltered. It was distilled in 2013, making it a 5 or 6 year rye with a proof of 125.7 (62.85% alcohol). It offers the following tasting notes:

Powerful, lush, and boldly spicy. Flavors of toffee, fig cake, and candied fruit, followed by mint, cinnamon and clove. The finish ultimately reveals subtle notes of allspice, coconut and nutmeg. Long and warm.

Eagle Rare 17 Year Old. Last year, the proof was raised from 90 to 101 (50.5% alcohol) in tribute to the original strength used when the brand launched in 1974. The 2019 version keeps the 101 proof. The tasting notes are: 

The fragrant aroma has almost a wine-like character with hints of almond, cigar boxes and cinnamon. The delicate and dry mid-palate tastes of leather, vanilla and tobacco. This bourbon lingers, finishing with hint of leather and toffee.

Last up is the Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old. Not much is known on this, other than it was distilled in 2001. The tasting notes are:

Very mature, with notes of oak, leather molasses and all-spice. The long, warm finish is preceded by notes of mint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, vanilla, and lingering pepper.

Our Take

As is the case with anything that comes out of the Buffalo Trace Distillery, this announcement needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Yes, five incredibly hyped whiskeys were announced at a price that will ensure that demand far out paces supply. This is what Buffalo Trace does best. The odds are that you'll never see these whiskeys on the shelf and if you see them at a bar or restaurant, you'll be paying many factors more than the $99 per bottle price should dictate.

For Ohioans, I expect these to appear in the Ohio Division of Liquor Control Bottle Lottery that usually happens in December where you have better odds that you will die this year than winning a bottle.

As always, drop a note below in the comments with your thoughts.

Source: Buffalo Trace