Buffalo Trace is to Whiskey as Baseball is to America; they are inescapably bound together. The distilleries name is suggested to have come from a historic buffalo crossing on the banks of the Kentucky River and it is arguably one of the oldest if not THE oldest continuously operating distillery in America. During Prohibition whilst many distilleries shuttered their doors, it was allowed to remain open to make whiskey for “medicinal purposes.” I medicate with their products regularly and can fully attest to the healing powers of the Buffalo Trace brand.
The volume of whiskey that is produced by Buffalo Trace each year is incredible, with an estimated 2.65 million gallons produced. It’s hard to visualize the volume of magical brown water that is, so imagine if you will, a pool (yes, fine, you're swimming in it) that is nearly two football fields in length and as wide and tall as a semi-trailer. That's a fair bit of whiskey by any standard! Although it's a very recognizable brand, not many know the true breadth of the label - even I myself haven't fully explored the depths of the Buffalo Trace brand - but you can bet that I'm working on it. Below, I work through providing a comprehensive review of the full BT lineup and how hard you're going to have to work to find a bottle!
Buffalo Trace Brand Categories
Underneath the Buffalo Trace moniker there are a pile of different whiskey’s and I’m going to talk about them in tranches – Exceedingly Rare, Tough to Find, and Available. Although I use the phrase “available” it’s important to note that all of Buffalo Trace’s whiskeys are "allocated," which simply put means that they parse out a specific number of bottles to each state. Some states may see more of one brand than another; for example, something that’s common to find in Texas may be impossible to find in Minnesota and vice versa. To learn more about allocated bottles and how to score a rare bottle, see my post on “A Guide to Rare Bourbon Hunting” here.
Exceedingly Rare Bourbon
Under the heading "exceedingly rare" are a pile of what would affectionately be referred to as "unicorns" by most standards. These are bottles that many won't see...ever...outside of a classy bourbon bar with a price tag that will certainly lighten your wallet. These are the who's who of bourbon bottles, and read much like taking a walk down Hollywood Boulevard and reciting names off the Walk of Fame.
O.F.C. Vintages
Double Eagle Very Rare
Van Winkle Collection
Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year
Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year
Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year
Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year
Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year
Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year
Antique Collection
Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old
George T. Stagg
Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old
Thomas H. Handy
William Larue Weller
E.H. Taylor Special Releases
E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof
E.H. Taylor Old Fashioned Sour Mash
E.H. Taylor Warehouse C Tornado Surviving
E.H. Taylor Cured Oak
E.H. Taylor Seasoned Wood
E.H. Taylor Four Grain
E.H. Taylor Amaranth
E.H. Taylor 18 Year Marriage
E.H. Taylor Warehouse C Bourbon
W.L. Weller Single Barrel
Old Charter Oak Collection
Canadian Oak
Chinkapin Oak
French Oak
Mongolian Oak
Tough to Find Bourbon
The bottles within this category are not unicorns, but some are pretty darn tough to put hands on. Some of these I've been lucky enough to find out in the wild (that means at a store, not nestled in a cavity of a log in a nature preserve somewhere). These are a mid-tier group of bottles that are going to make you work to find them.
Blanton’s Gold
Blanton’s Single Barrel
Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel
Eagle Rare
E.H. Taylor Small Batch
E.H. Taylor Single Barrel
E.H. Taylor Straight Rye
Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel
Experimental Collection
Rock Hills Farm
Kosher Collection
Wheat Recipe
Straight Rye
Rye Recipe
Single Oak Project
Weller Line
W.L. Weller Antique
W.L. Weller 12 Year
W.L. Weller Full Proof
W.L. Weller C.Y.P.B.
Available Bourbon
The bourbons that fit in this category are generally procurable, though regionally may be difficult to find. Don't let these bourbons fool you either, some are downright delicious and I may or may not keep a stash of some just in case they cease to be as "available" in the future...call me a "whiskey prepper."
Ancient Age
Bourbon Cream
Buffalo Trace Bourbon
Old Charter
Sazerac Rye
W.L. Weller Special Reserve
Benchmark Collection
Benchmark Top Floor
Benchmark Small Batch
Benchmark Bonded
Benchmark Full Proof
Benchmark Single Barrel
White Dog Collection
Mash #1
Wheat Mash
Rye Mash
Learn More about the Buffalo Trace Brand at Bourboneur.com
Find all you need to know (and then some) about Buffalo Trace brands and bourbon reviews right here on the blog. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates, contests, and special bourbon features.
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