2018 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Announced
Full Bourbonr Analysis is coming…
BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASES MUCH ANTICIPATED 2018 ANTIQUE COLLECTION WHISKEYS
Change in the Lineup: Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon will now be 101 proof
FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Sept. 18, 2018) Fall is upon us, and that means Buffalo Trace Distillery is releasing its annual 2018 Antique Collection of whiskeys. The highly anticipated collection will once again feature five limited-release whiskeys of various ages, recipes, and proofs, with one notable change, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon will now be 101 proof. Here’s what else fans can expect:
George T. Stagg
The powerhouse favorite of the Antique Collection, George T. Stagg weighs in at 124.9 proof this year. Past releases of this uncut and unfiltered bourbon have won many top awards, including last year’s release nabbing a Double Gold Medal at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. This year’s release contains bourbon from barrels filled in the spring of 2003. This batch contained 284 barrels, not quite as much as last year’s yield, but still significantly more than the yield from previous years. Storage location of these barrels varied across warehouses C, H, I, K, P, and Q. This whiskey tastes of dark chocolate, espresso, and tobacco.
William Larue Weller
The Antique Collection’s uncut, unfiltered, wheated recipe bourbon is William Larue Weller. Previous editions of this wheater have won many accolades, including a Double Gold Medal at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and “Bourbon of the Year” by “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2017.” The 2018 offering was distilled in the winter of 2006 and aged in Warehouses C, I, K, L, M, and Q. This bourbon registers in at 125.7 proof. The bold flavors include dried fruit, fig, and caramelized vanilla.
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye
Thomas H. Handy is the uncut and unfiltered straight rye whiskey. “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2018” named previous years’ releases “Best Rye Whiskey with no age statement.” This year’s Handy was distilled in the spring of 2012; aged in warehouses I and L and weighs in at 128.8 proof. The flavor profile includes hints of allspice, teaberry, and clove.
Eagle Rare 17 Year Old
This year’s release is going back to its roots with a proof change from the previous 90 proof back to 101 proof, in tribute to the original strength used when the brand was launched in 1974. This will be a permanent change to the proof for the Eagle Rare 17-year-old from this year forward. The 2018 edition was distilled in the Spring of 2000 and has been spending its time aging on the first, second and fifth floors of Warehouse C. This bourbon tastes of toasted oak, coffee, spearmint, and butterscotch.
Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old
Last year Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old was named “Best Rye Whiskey Aged 11 Years and Over” by “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2018.” This 2018 straight rye whiskey release has notable flavors of dark chocolate, tobacco, and cinnamon. The barrels for this whiskey were filled in the spring of 1998.
The Antique Collection was introduced more than a decade ago and has become a cult favorite among whiskey connoisseurs. Since 2000 these whiskeys have garnered numerous awards from such notable publications as Whisky Advocate Magazine, Spirit Journal, and “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.”
The 2018 Antique Collection whiskeys will be available in limited quantities starting in late September or early October. Suggested retail price is $99 each. For more information visit http://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/brands/antique-collection.
19 comments
Wow – MSRP is up to $99 now. Much more appropriate for the product being sold.
The ER17 sounds amazing – Glad many brands are acknowledging we want higher proof offerings. The ER17 & Saz have eluded me in prior years. Determined this year.
Good luck, ZERO Eagle Rare 17 coming to Paducah, ZERO!
Is this your write up or a press release from BT? I’m guessing the latter as my real question is why does it keep referencing Jim Murray’s awards… haha
Looking forward to Pappy release!
Can’t wait gor some of the finest bourbon
Nice how can I get my hands on them
Please let me know where I can find this Eagle Rare bourbon!!!!!!
The only place I have found this whiskey is in my dreams.
So…. when can we expect to see these fine bottles for purchase?
Great to see BT respond to changing consumer preference and bumping up proof on the ER 17. Should make it a more appealing dram.
Are they coming to Ohio? How Many? Can my local Kroger’s liquor store IN Wilmington Ohio order them?
Let the hilarious requests begin. 😉
I am looking forward to that ER17 this year. Blake, thanks as always for the updates. Keeping an eye out for the map.
Any info available on bottle counts? The ER17 was very scarce last year…I wonder what (if any) effect the proof boost will have on the numbers for this puppy.
Can anybody recommend a retailer that won’t price gouge the consumer and mark up the bottle to $800 which seems pretty customary these days. I remember when these bottles sold for $39.95 circa 2002. Had I only known what the future would bring… It would be nice to secure 1-2 bottles of Sazerac 18 at a “reasonable price”, as these would be for personal enjoyment, not an investment…
Good luck finding any!! At any price, at least a price the average bourbon drinker would pay!
Retailers work very hard and invest an enormous amount of equity for the Sazerac portfolio. Sazerac has more than 500 SKU of products in every category of liquor – Not just bourbons. They have liquors, schnapps, brandy, rum, scotch, 7 to 10 different tequila brands, 4 vodka brands, mixers and much more. I am not condoning outrageous prices but just to offer a perspective from other side. It would be good idea to tie other Sazerac products with these bourbons to promote their portfolio.
“Just to offer a perspective” from the consumer’s side, it pretty shady to gouge the customers that keep you in business. I just saw a bottle of Stagg in a store that I frequent for $450. Sorry, a store I used to frequent.
I just saw a bottle of George T. Stagg in a store in Enfield CT. I could not (and would not) buy. REtailer was gouging by marking up to $450. Does Sazerac allow retailers to gouge? If not, how do I report them?