One of bourbon’s most coveted collections is missing a bottle this year. Here’s why.
Every year, fans of Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection line up for a chance to buy one of five bottles that will never sit on a store shelf.
Unfortunately, this year there will be fewer premium bourbon bottles than expected: George T. Stagg, one of the coveted labels, will be missing.
Buffalo Trace announced the news Wednesday, saying that the barrels set aside for the uncut, unfiltered 15-year-old bourbon did not meet the standards for the Stagg brand.
“Unfortunately, this crop of barrels earmarked to be Stagg back when it was put in the barrel in 2006 did not meet the Stagg profile today,” said master distiller Harlen Wheatley, in a news release. “We discussed at great length how to proceed, and ultimately decided we did not feel right about lowering our standards or the age, by dipping into next year’s supply of barrels. We know fans will be disappointed, as are we, but we could not release a bourbon that we did not feel was up to par with the flavor profile expected of George T. Stagg.”
But don’t worry: The Kentucky bourbon won’t go to waste. In fact, this could end up being a boon to bourbon drinkers because it might mean more Stagg down the road.
“The whiskey was not bad,” said spokewoman Amy Preske. “It tasted like it wasn’t developed enough. It lacked the usual complexity, depth and balance that we normally expect from Stagg. The barrels have been put away to age more and we’ll taste them again to see if they are meeting the Stagg taste profile.”
What will the George T. Stagg shortage mean to most bourbon drinkers this year?
Well, probably not much. Because they weren’t like to ever find a bottle anyway. Fans sometimes line up overnight outside liquor stores when word of the release date leaks out. But most stores only get a box or two, meaning there might be only a handful available to buy.
George T. Stagg is a high-proof and flavorful bourbon, described in tasting notes as having “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 to round out the palate.”
Some stores hold drawings for chances to buy the Antiques or other similar limited releases.
The Antique Collection is expected to be available “in limited quantities” in late October. The suggested retail price is $99 each. It was introduced more than 20 years ago and has won many awards and stellar reviews.
“Quality is always paramount for our products,” said Drew Mayville, master blender, director of quality. “If the taste doesn’t match our expectations, then we will not release it to our customers. And unfortunately, this year’s yield of Stagg did not meet our expectations. Good news is, we’ll have the barrels we put up in 2007, which are on track so far for a 2022 release, barring anything unforeseen changes.”
2021 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection bourbons
Luckily, the other four whiskeys in the Antique Collection met expectations. William Larue Weller, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old and Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old will be released this month.
Here are the details on the individual releases, according to Buffalo Trace:
William Larue Weller
“The Antique Collection’s uncut, unfiltered, wheated recipe bourbon is William Larue Weller. The previous release of this wheater was honored with an “Extraordinary/Ultimate Recommendation” at the 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge. The 2021 release was distilled in the winter of 2009 and aged in Warehouses C, D, K, L and Q. This bourbon registers at 125.3 proof. A nose of crème brulee, followed by cherry and toasted graham crackers on the palate and a long rich finish of cocoa, herbs and oak can be found in this year’s offering.”
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye
“Thomas H. Handy is the uncut and unfiltered straight rye whiskey. Last year’s release earned a Double Gold Medal at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. This year’s Handy was distilled in the spring of 2015; aged in warehouses I, L, O, and K and weighs in at 129.5 proof. The flavor profile includes anise and cinnamon with a rich finish of spearmint and chocolate.”
Eagle Rare 17 Year Old
This 101 proof whiskey was distilled in Spring of 2002 and aged on the first floor of Warehouse P. The 2019 Eagle Rare release was honored with “Best of Category” at the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition. This bourbon has a nose of ripe cherries, vanilla cream and oak, followed by a taste of caramel and coffee and a long finish of oak, pepper and fresh herbs.
Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old
The previous edition of Sazerac Rye 18 Year-Old was named “Best Rye Whiskey Over 15 Years” in the 2021 “Whisky Bible.” This 2021 straight rye whiskey release has notable flavors of bright apples and herbs, anise and maple syrup on the palate and a finish of cocoa, coffee and dates. The barrels for this whiskey were filled in the spring of 2003 and it rested on the second and fourth floors of Warehouses K and P. It is bottled at 90 proof.
This story was originally published October 7, 2021 at 10:03 AM.
