Buffalo Trace boasts a truly outstanding catalogue of brands. It tells the story of an important chapter in the history of not only the distillery and the group but also of American whiskey in general. The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection—often shortened to BTAC—is a wonderful illustration of this wealth and is one of Buffalo Trace’s greatest achievements, alongside Van Winkle and, more recently, Blanton’s.
The Old Fire Copper distillery
The Buffalo Trace distillery was built in 1812 in Frankfort, Kentucky by Benjamin Harrison Blanton. It was then named Old Fire Copper when it was bought in 1870 by Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr., the future mayor of Frankfort and an ardent supporter of the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act, which set out specifications designed to safeguard bourbon’s quality. Haynes Taylor invested a huge amount of money—approximately $70,000, which was a small fortune at the time—in modernizing and updating the distillery, so much so that he went bankrupt seven years later. In 1878, he sold the distillery to George T. Stagg, who continued at its helm until his retirement in the 1890s. In 1904 the distillery was renamed in his honour. The distillery was bought by Schenley Distillers Corporation in 1929, during Prohibition (1920-1933). Once again, the new owner expanded and updated the facilities. After a short period in Japanese hands, the distillery was sold once again in 1992 to its current owner, Sazerac Company. In 1999, it was renamed Buffalo Trace.
The offices at the George T. Stagg distillery
The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection was launched in 2000. At the time it featured three brands, one rye whiskey and two bourbons, all bottled at 90 proof (45%): Eagle Rare 18 Years, Sazerac 17 Years and William Larue Weller 19 Years. William Larue Weller was removed from the range in 2003 due to an agreement made between Sazerac and Old Rip Van Winkle that gave the Van Winkle brand priority for stocks of wheated whiskey. William Larue Weller returned to the range in 2005 in a younger version, this time at cask strength. George T. Stagg joined the range in 2002, followed by Thomas H. Handy in 2006.
Brands in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection
Eagle Rare: Inspired by Wild Turkey’s success, Seagram launched the Eagle Rare brand in 1975. At the time the bourbon was produced at Four Roses using Charles L. Beam’s recipe. Bottled after ten years of maturation, two versions existed, one at 90 proof (45% ABV) and the other at 101 proof (50.5%). The second was discontinued in 2005. In an effort to diversify, the brand was sold to Sazerac along with Benchmark in the 1980s. Production was then managed by Heaven Hill up until 1992, when Buffalo Trace took over. The editions of Eagle Rare found in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, however, were all produced at George T. Stagg/Buffalo Trace. They were reduced to 90 proof, then 101 proof in 2018. Eagle Rare is known for its mellow and well-balanced profile.
Sazerac and Thomas H. Handy: Thomas Handy was the bartender and owner of the Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans. He bought the property in 1869 after previous running Taylor Sewell, which, among other things, imported the Sazerac cognac brand from Forge & Fils after which the Sazerac cocktail was named. When Phylloxera ravaged France’s vineyards from the 1870s to the late 19th century—in the process draining the stocks of cognac—Handy replaced it with rye whiskey. Upon his death in 1893, the company was left to C.J. O’Reilly, who founded the Sazerac Company and the eponymous brand of rye, which continued to be produced until the Sazerac Coffee House was forced to close during Prohibition. Buffalo Trace took over production in 1998. The brand joined the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection in 2000. At the time, Buffalo Trace used the rye whiskey Schenley had produced in the 1980s at the George T. Stagg distillery to launch a rye whiskey under its Cream of Kentucky brand. When Cream of Kentucky was dropped by the brand in 1984, the rye ended up staying in cask longer than normal before being transferred to steel vats in 2003 to prevent over-maturation, which meant the rye whiskey was 19 years old. This stock—with 1984 its latest vintage—is what was used in the Sazerac bottlings found in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection up until 2015. The 1998 distillation at George T. Stagg—also transferred to steel vats—took over in 2016. A more accessible version aged for just six years was launched in 2006. Thomas H. Handy and Sazerac both reveal notes of mint, eucalyptus and abundant spices on a more mellow foundation.
George T. Stagg: Sazerac bought the George T. Stagg distillery in 1992, but, as the brands produced there were not part of the package, it had to create its own by delving into its rich history. The best-known is of course Buffalo Trace, launched in 1999 and named after the newly christened distillery. The George T. Stagg brand was launched in 2002 as part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. George T. Stagg is known for being a rich and powerful bourbon and the heavyweight in the range.
George T. Stagg
William Larue Weller: William Larue Weller was born in 1825 to a family of distillers. He launched his brand W.L. Weller in 1849. Originally it was a whiskey ersatz made from neutral spirit, colouring and flavouring. The 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act, however, changed everything. When Weller died two years later, the business was bought by Julian Van Winkle, who set up the Stitzel-Weller distillery in 1933 and created the brands Old Weller and Old Fitzgerald. The Weller brand was sold to the Sazerac group in 1999, who continued production at Buffalo trace using a recipe from Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle.
Julian Van Winkle at the entrance to the Stitzel-Weller distillery
Sazerac 18 Year Old
45%, 75 cl, 1984, Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Fall of 2002
This edition stands out for its refreshing notes of eucalyptus and peppermint. It is filled with lots of different spices, including cinnamon, black pepper and clove. The mellow backbone of vanilla and brown sugar is just as impressive. The finish takes us back to our initial impressions, expressing mentholated and slightly bitter notes that bring to mind Italian bitters like Fernet Branca and Amaro Montenegro.
William Larue Weller
60.95%, 75 cl, 1993, Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Fall of 2005
This edition marks William Larue Weller’s outstanding return to the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Unlike previous editions, this one was bottled at cask strength. It reveals incredible finesse, with notes of salted butter caramel, almond and blond tobacco. The fruit is just as stunning, revealing dried apricot, date and fig. True to its roots, Weller stands out for its faultless balance.
