Buffalo Trace 2023 whiskey cult favorites include oldest version of special bourbon
Buffalo Trace’s 2023 Antique Collection includes a milestone bourbon this year.
This year’s batch of five distillery releases includes the oldest Eagle Rare ever included in the Antique Collection, according to the distillery’s news release.
Every fall for 23 years the Frankfort Distillery has released its annual Antique Collection, some of the most-sought whiskeys in the world, in early October.
Collectors often line up at stores with hopes of being able to buy just one bottle of these award-winning whiskeys. Last year, for instance, George T. Stagg was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2022, with Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye named second finest whiskey in the world for 2022. The 2022 Eagle Rare 17 won the 2023 American Whiskey Masters competition’s Taste Master, the top award.
As always, this year’s Antique Collection includes five staples: George T. Stagg Bourbon, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Whiskey, William Larue Weller Bourbon and Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Bourbon.
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Bottles should be arriving at stores soon. Each has a suggested retail price of $124.99, according to the distillery.
Here are the tasting notes and other details on the individual bottles, according to Buffalo Trace:
Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Bourbon
The label says “17-Year-Old” because that’s age of the youngest barrels in this year’s release, which also includes bourbon as old as 17 years and three months, according to the distillery. The 2023 version was distilled in the spring of 2004 and aged in Warehouses C, I, K, M, and Q. Bottled at 101 proof, the bourbon has a nose of dark chocolate and cherry pie filling, with caramel-drizzled chocolate sponge cake on the palate with a dry and spicy finish.
George T. Stagg Bourbon
The 2023 version was distilled in the spring of 2008 and aged in Warehouses C, I, K, L and M. This 15-year-old bourbon is 135 proof and, according to the tasting notes, has a nose of cinnamon and cherry cola, with mix of leather, chocolate and vanilla on the palate and a robust, earthy finish.
Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Whiskey
The 2023 version has a nose of dried orange, rye grain, close and aniseed with a palate of black pepper, vanilla and oak and a floral honey and tobacco leaf finish, according to the tasting notes. Its barrels were filed between the fall of 2004 and the spring of 2005 and aged in Warehouses K, L and M.
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey
The 2023 version has a nose of orange zest and lemon oil, caramel and pine, with freshly baked rye bread, orange marmalade and honey on the palate and a finish of oak and black licorice. It’s 124.9 proof, aged over six years.
William Larue Weller Bourbon
The 2023 version was distilled in the spring of 2011 and aged in Warehouses C, L, M and N. It’s 133.6 proof and has a nose of dark brown sugar and vanilla bean, with stewed cherry and brown sugar crumble on the palate and a finish of baking spice with a hint of maple syrup.
This story was originally published October 9, 2023 at 11:18 AM.
