Buffalo Trace Antique Collection

George T. Stagg Bourbon (2015) Review

George Stagg is always a favorite among fans of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.  Aged 15 years and bottled straight from the barrel, Stagg stands as the king of barrel-proof bourbon.  It’s almost always the highest proof whiskey in the collection, and this year is no different.  A 138.2 proof bourbon is not for the weak or the weary.  Keeping some water nearby is some advice to take to heart with a pour of this year’s George Stagg.

The 2015 release of George T. Stagg will be a small one.  Of the 128 barrels selected for this year’s batch, some 84% of it evaporated.  Some barrels only had a gallon or two of whiskey left.  If you thought Stagg was hard to get before, this year will be nearly impossible.  Just over 5,000 bottles are estimated to be released.  That’s close to half of last year’s numbers.

The nose here is intense, as expected.  There’s a concentration of dark caramel, herbs, vanilla, nougat and cinnamon.  Prep yourself for that first alcohol punch.  Looking past that, I get vanilla bean extract and dark chocolate, followed by caramelized fruit and molasses. There’s a little spice here, along with some oak and a slight bitter note.  This whiskey feels thick and almost chewy. The finish is long, warm, spicy and bittersweet.

I’ll just come out and say it – this year’s George Stagg release is one of the better whiskeys I’ve had all year.  This is every bit as good as last year’s batch.  It’s a damn shame there aren’t enough bottles to go around.   Happy hunting, folks.

9.5/10
(Note: A small review sample was provided by Buffalo Trace.)

2015 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Announced

It’s that time of year – fall bourbon releases.  One of the most anticipated – the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection – was just announced this morning.  Here’s their press release:

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Sept. 8, 2015) Whiskey fans rejoice, Buffalo Trace Distillery is releasing its 2015 Antique Collection in late September. The highly anticipated collection will once again feature five limited-release whiskeys of various ages, recipes and proofs. Here’s what loyal fans can expect:

George T. Stagg 

The powerhouse favorite of the Antique Collection, the 2015 George T. Stagg weighs in at 138.2 proof this year.  Past releases of this uncut and unfiltered bourbon won many top awards, including twice named the number one spirit in the world by F. Paul Pacult’s The Spirit Journal. This year’s release contains bourbon from barrels filled in the spring of 2000. This batch contained 128 barrels, a similar size batch as in previous years. Unfortunately these barrels yielded very little whiskey. Some of the barrels were nearly empty, containing only 1 or 2 gallons. Storage location of these barrels varied across a number of warehouses and several floors, but 84% of the original whiskey was lost to evaporation (or some very greedy angels!). Finding a bottle this fall will be harder than ever. This whiskey tastes of expresso, molasses, chocolate, vanilla, and dates.

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 the Second Finest Whiskey in the World by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015 edition. The 2015 offering was distilled in the spring of 2003 and aged on the second and sixth floors of Warehouses I, K, and L.  This bourbon registers in at 134.6 proof – one of the stronger Weller releases.  The bold flavors include toffee, nougat, and figs.

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye

Thomas H. Handy is the uncut and unfiltered straight rye whiskey. The 2014 edition was named “World’s Best American Whiskey” at the 2015 World Whiskies Awards.  This year’s Handy was distilled in the spring of 2009; aged on the fourth and seventh floors of Warehouses I, K, and M, and weighs in at 126.9 proof.  The flavor has been described as fig, clove, and allspice.

Eagle Rare 17 Year Old

The previous edition of this bourbon was honored with a Gold Medal at the 2014 International Wine and Spirits Competition. The 2015 edition has been aging on the first, second and third floors of Warehouses Q and I.  This bourbon was aged for seventeen years and tastes of oak, tobacco, and dates.

Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old

Last year Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old was named the third finest whiskey in the world by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015 edition, and American Whiskey of the Year by Whisky Advocate Magazine.  This 2015 straight rye whiskey release has notable flavors of molasses and allspice, with a long, dry finish.  Several years ago, barrels of fully matured Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old were put into a stainless steel tank at Buffalo Trace Distillery to prevent further aging. Since then, whiskey has been drawn each year for bottling.  This is the last edition of Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old from that tank. Next year’s batch will be comprised of whiskey that is currently aging in barrels filled in April 1998 and subsequent releases will contain barrels filled in 1999 and so on.

Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey (2014) Review

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Earlier this year I wrote about the 2013 release of Sazerac 18 year old rye whiskey.  There was so much depth of flavor and elegance, it easily became one of my favorite rye whiskies.  Now, Buffalo Trace has release this year’s Sazerac 18 year old rye, along with the rest of their Antique Collection.

For the last few years, Sazerac 18 year old comes from the same well…er, vat of whiskey.  This whiskey was distilled in 1985 and aged 18 years in barrels.  When it came of age, it was taken out of barrels and moved into stainless steel vats, thus killing the aging process.  Presumably, this should keep the whiskey the same or very close year to year.  Some folks say oxidation is starting to play a part.  I’m not sure – maybe I can compare the 2013 to the 2014 edition in a future post.

Buffalo Trace supplied a review sample.  The smell is, to me, the most complex of all the Antique Collection and very similar to last year’s.  I get oak, caramel, molasses, rye spice, cinnamon and nutmeg.  In the glass, there’s a subtly spicy entry, followed by oak and caramel.  Then there’s cinnamon  and even a little mint.  The finish is long and dry.

Sazerac 18 year old rye whiskey can be best described as elegant.  It’s like wearing your favorite old jacket when the weather starts to cool.  The flavors work together too well.  The last few years this has been a standout whiskey, and this year is no exception.  This one comes with my highest recommendation.

9.5/10