Bourbon Buzz » Buffalo Trace

Buffalo Trace Distillery Produces Trophy Winners in 2011 Ultimate Spirits Challenge

Bourbon Buzz — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:34:48 +0000

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (April 21, 2011) – The winners from the 2011 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, held in New York in March, have been announced and the whiskeys from Buffalo Trace Distillery continue to win significant awards. Named “Chairman’s Trophy” winners were Sazerac 18 Rye and George T. Stagg. The “Chairman’s Trophy” awards are given to the category’s highest scorer. Results are as follows:

Chairman’s Trophy Winner – Rye

- Sazerac 18 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey – With a “95” score and “Extraordinary Recommendation,” this whiskey was described as “Wonderfully balanced with fruit and spice being offered in perfect harmony and with incredible length.”

Chairman’s Trophy Winner – Bourbon

- George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – With a “96” score and “Extraordinary Recommendation,” this bourbon was called a “mind blowing bourbon” by one of the judges who also said “…Bottled at cask strength which suggests that a water addition is prudent but we are amazed by how soft, supple, and perfectly integrated this spirit is at full strength.”

Chairman’s Trophy Finalists

- Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky – Received a “92” and “Excellent, Highly Recommended” rating.
- Eagle Rare Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Received a “95” and “Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation” as well as a “Great Value” notation.
- Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Received a “95” and “Extraordinary Recommendation.”
- Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey – Received a “92” and “Highly Recommended” notation.
Other notable scores of Buffalo Trace’s whiskeys include:
- Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “93” rating
- Charter 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “93” rating and “Great Value”
- William LaRue Weller 12 Years Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “92” rating
- Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “91” rating
- Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “91” rating
- Blanton’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – “90” rating
- Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey – “89” rating
- Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey – “89” rating

“What an honor to receive not one, but two Chairman’s Trophy Winners this year, for those represent the ‘best of the best,’” said Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley. “And then to have so many of our other whiskies do so well, too, is just amazing. We’re very excited.”

For a complete list of USC winners, go to www.ultimate-beverage.com/wine_reviews/spirits-results/.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1787 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Malt Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotrace.com.

Buffalo Trace Releases 2011 Experimental “Rediscovered Barrels”

Bourbon Buzz — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:35:02 +0000

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY – Every once in a while at nearly every large distillery, a barrel warehouse employee will run across a barrel or two that has seemed to be in hiding for a number of years. They’re like little gems, concealed within the dark corners in the back of a rick just waiting to be rediscovered and sampled to see what treasures lie within.

Such is the case at Buffalo Trace Distillery, where a batch of barrels, some as old as 21 years, were rediscovered, tasted, and now bottled under the highly acclaimed Experimental Collection moniker.

“In 1998 we acquired the Old Charter brand, along with a large inventory of barrels, approximately 150,000. In a recent audit of our barrel inventory, we found some barrels from this lot. One was empty, one tasted horrible, and the others tasted very nice. Of course we bottled the very nice barrels and are offering these rare finds under our Experimental Collection label,” said Kris Comstock, bourbon brand manager.

There are three different offerings, distilled back in 1989, 1991 and 1993. Details are as follows:

• 1989 Barrels, Rediscovered: These seven barrels were filled on Nov. 17, 1989. The still proof and entry proof are unknown. After more than 21 years of aging, the wood is very prominent, but it still doesn’t conquer the rich vanilla and caramel flavors that bring to mind handmade holiday candy.

• 1991 Barrels, Rediscovered: These 8 barrels were filled on Oct. 29, 1991 and the still proof and entry proof are unknown. After a little more than 19 years, the warm and spicy aroma of this bourbon is overtaken by a robust black walnut character on the palette that finishes as thick candied fruits. The flavor lasts an eternity.

• 1993 Barrels, Rediscovered: These 8 barrels were filled on May 13, 1993 and like the other two offerings in this collection, the still proof and entry proof are unknown. After 17 years and 7 months in the barrel, this bourbon has a nice rich and creamy texture, like a whiskey latte with extra foam and a shot of vanilla. A great sipper for long cold nights.

There are more than 1,500 experimental barrels of whiskey now aging in the warehouses of Buffalo Trace Distillery. Each of these barrels has unique characteristics that differentiate it from all others. Some examples of these experiments include unique mash bills, type of wood and barrel toasts. In order to further increase the scope, flexibility and range of the experimental program, an entire micro distillery complete with cookers, fermenting tanks and a state-of-the-art micro still has been constructed within Buffalo Trace Distillery.

The Experimental Collection will be packaged in 375ml bottles. Each label will include all the pertinent information unique to that barrel of whiskey. These whiskeys will be released in February 2011 and retail for approximately $46.35 each. Each experiment is very rare and very limited.

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Buffalo Trace Announces E.H. Taylor, Jr. Old Fashioned Sour Mash

Bourbon Buzz — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:03:38 +0000

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Feb. 22, 2011) – Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. will yet again leave his indelible mark on the whiskey industry. The man who introduced the first climate controlled aging warehouses, used a patented sour mash technique, and fought for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 will have a line of premium whiskeys bearing his name. Buffalo Trace Distillery has recreated his traditional sour mash and produced a limited edition, one-time offering of Colonel E. H. Taylor Jr. Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon Whiskey.

This faithfully reproduced bourbon was carefully aged for nine years and “Bottled in Bond” at 100 proof. The sour mashing technique for this small batch bourbon was derived from a meeting several years ago with some Buffalo Trace Distillery retirees who recounted a method for making old fashioned sour mash whiskey. The process replicated the way in which E.H. Taylor, Jr. made sour mash back in his day.

So in 2002 Buffalo Trace Distillery set to work making bourbon using Taylor’s original souring method. The end result was a bourbon delivering a character and body rarely found in whiskeys today. Taylor, a name synonymous with quality whiskey making, might have even said this whisky is “of Topmost Class.”

“Taylor was a true pioneer of the whiskey industry over a century ago,” said Mark Brown, president of Buffalo Trace Distillery. “We believe this whiskey is a tribute to him.” Taylor was the great-nephew of President Zachary Taylor, mayor of Frankfort, state representative to the Kentucky General Assembly and a member of the State Senate. In 1870 he first purchased the distillery and took on the daunting task of modernization. He later named the distillery O.F.C. and continued to invest large sums of money to make it an industry leader. Taylor over-extended himself financially in an effort to use the most modern equipment to make the finest bourbon whiskey available. Throughout his career, Taylor was responsible for the development of seven different distilleries in the area and is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry.

This Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon is the first of several new E.H. Taylor, Jr. whiskeys to be released over the next few years. “All of the Taylor whiskeys will be distinctive. Most will be very limited,” said Kris Comstock, brand manager. Each offering will showcase a vintage label and canister, reminiscent of Taylor’s bottles nearly one hundred years ago. “We designed the current bottle to replicate antique bottles made by Taylor back in 1913,” adds Comstock. Each bottle will be packaged in a canister, much like something Taylor used during his day. Retail price for the E.H. Taylor Jr. Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon will be available for around $70 per 750ml bottle.

Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Old Bourbon Named “Spirit of the Year”

Bourbon Buzz — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:53:52 +0000

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Oct. 19, 2010) – Wine and Spirits Magazine has named Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey “Spirit of the Year” in its annual buying guide issue. There are only eight spirits of the year in the issue, and Pappy Van Winkle 23 is the only bourbon.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from Wine and Spirits, one of the most respected publications in the spirits industry,” said Julian Van Winkle III. “This caps off an unbelievably successful year for the Van Winkle line as a whole, with major wins for Pappy 15 at the Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition and Pappy 20 at both the International Wine and Spirits Competition and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.”

The Wine and Spirits annual buying guide issue will be on sale at newsstands October 19^th.

About Van Winkle Bourbon

The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery has a four generation history. The Van Winkle

family’s involvement in the bourbon industry began in the late 1800s with Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr. He was a traveling salesman for the W.L. Weller and Sons wholesale house in Louisville. Pappy and a friend, Alex Farnsley, eventually bought the wholesale house and also partnered with Mr. A. Ph. Stitzel on the purchase of Mr. Sitzel’s distillery. The three of them merged the two companies and became the Stitzel-Weller Distillery.

In May of 1935 at the age of 61, Pappy opened the newly completed Stitzel-Weller Distillery in South Louisville. Its prominent brands were W.L. Weller, Old Fitzgerald, Rebel Yell, and Cabin Still. Pappy had a heavy influence on the operations there until his death at the age of 91. His son, Julian, Jr. took over operations until he was forced by stockholders to sell the distillery in 1972. The rights to all of their brands were sold to Norton Simon, Inc. Later, United Distillers, who eventually ended up with the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, sold off all of the original labels around 1999.
After selling the distillery, Julian Jr. resurrected a pre-prohibition label, the only one to which the Van Winkles kept the rights, called Old Rip Van Winkle. He used whiskey stocks from the old distillery to supply his brand. Julian Jr.’s son, Julian, III took over in 1981 when Julian, Jr. passed away. Julian III has continued with the Van Winkle tradition of producing high-quality wheated bourbon. His son, Preston, joined the company in 2001 and the Van Winkles look to continue that tradition for generations to come.
In 2002 the Van Winkles entered into a joint venture with Buffalo Trace Distillery in Franklin County, Frankfort, Ky. All of the Van Winkle’s whiskey production now takes place at Buffalo Trace Distillery under the same strict guidelines the family has always followed. For more information on the Van Winkle family of bourbon please visit www.oldripvanwinkle.com.

Buffalo Trace Releases 2010 Antique Collection

Bourbon Buzz — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 22:46:07 +0000

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (October 5, 2010) Whiskey lovers rejoice! Buffalo Trace Distillery is releasing its 2010 Antique Collection. The much-anticipated collection will once again feature five limited-release whiskeys of various ages, recipes and proofs. Here is what ardent fans can expect:

Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old

The 2009 release was named in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible the “World Whisky of the Year,” making it the best whisky on the earth. The 2010 release is comprised of whiskey that has been aged on the first floor of Warehouse K. The first floor enables the barrels to age slowly and gracefully. This vintage has a crisp spice, minty sweetness and pleasant oakiness.

Eagle Rare 17 Year Old

The previous edition of this bourbon was honored with a 96 rating by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The 2010 edition was distilled in the spring of 1993 and has been aging in Warehouses C, H, I, K and Q. With 17 years of aging under its belt, it brings to the table notes of leather, vanilla and tobacco.

George T. Stagg

The perennial favorite and last year’s winner of the “Bourbon of the Year” award by Jim Murray in his Whisky Bible, the 2010 George T. Stagg was found in Warehouses H, I, K and L. This uncut, unfiltered bourbon was distilled back in the winter of 1993 and weighs in at 143 proof—some strong stuff! This whiskey tastes of dark chocolate, vanilla and coffee.

William Larue Weller

William Larue Weller is the Antique Collection’s uncut, unfiltered, wheat recipe bourbon. The 2009 edition was just named the best bourbon in the world by F. Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal. The 2010 offering was distilled in the summer of 1998 and aged on the fourth and ninth floors of Warehouses I and P. This William Larue Weller release registers in at 126.6 proof. It tastes of caramel corn, light toffee and pipe tobacco.

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye is an uncut and unfiltered straight rye whiskey. This year’s Handy was distilled in the spring of 2004 and aged on the third and fourth floors of Warehouses K, M and P. It is 126.9 proof. The flavor is cinnamon and allspice, with a bold lingering finish.

The Antique Collection was introduced 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 Malt Advocate Magazine and Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible.

“Last year’s collection won some pretty major awards so it’s somewhat intimidating to follow those whiskies,” said Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley. “But we think this year’s offerings are just as good, so it will be fun to see if everyone else thinks so too.”

The Antique Collection will be available starting in late October. For more information visit www.greatbourbon.com

Buffalo Trace Distillery Unveils Oral History Project

Bourbon Buzz — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:24:52 +0000

After more than 200 years of history in the making, Buffalo Trace Distillery is unveiling its Oral History Project, a compilation of interviews with the people and stories of the Buffalo Trace Distillery family, such as Master Distiller Emeritus Elmer T. Lee, and descendents of iconic figures such as Colonel Albert B. Blanton and Pappy Van Winkle.

For more than two years, Buffalo Trace Distillery has been working with the LouieB.NunnCenter for Oral History at the University of Kentucky Libraries to capture the memories of the Distillery’s friends and family to serve as a virtual time capsule for future generations. All the video interviews are housed on the NunnCenter website, available at: http://www.nunncenter.org/buffalotrace/.

Visitors to the website can learn the stories behind how Elmer T. Lee had a hand in creating Blanton’s, the world’s first single barrel bourbon; the memories of Alice Blanton as she visited “Uncle Albert” on the Distillery grounds where she learned to roller skate; and how Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer for Buffalo Trace Distillery feels that Elmer T. Lee is the “grandfather he never had.”

“We’re so excited to see this project finally come to fruition,” said Meredith Moody, director of marketing services, Buffalo Trace Distillery. “To have the opportunity to preserve such rich memories of our company’s legends such as E.H. Taylor Hay Jr., a descendent of Col. E.H. Taylor Jr., one of our company’s early entrepreneurs, and our Warehouse Supervisors Ronnie Edwards and Leonard Riddle, who between them have 94 years of bourbon-making experience, is so rewarding.”

Douglas Boyd, director of the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History agrees, saying “To have been given an insider’s look at the rich history of not only the Distillery itself but also the bourbon industry is such a rare opportunity. We’re excited that now these stories will live on for future generations to learn about the history and tradition of one of Kentucky’s signature industries.”

In addition to visiting the NunnCenter’s website to watch all the interviews in their entirety, Buffalo Trace Distillery plans to offer computer stations in its Visitor’s Center for viewing the oral histories by early 2011.

Whisky Magazine Names Buffalo Trace – Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year

Bourbon Buzz — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:01:04 +0000

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ky., March 2, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — History, hooch and hospitality! Famed whisky publication, Whisky Magazine has named Buffalo Trace Distillery 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” The announcement was made at the annual “Icons of the Industry” dinner held in London, England, Thursday, February 25.

This award comes after Buffalo Trace was named “American Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year” last November as part of Whisky Magazine’s “Icons of the Industry” regional finals. After garnering the American title, Buffalo Trace went on to compete with distilleries from around the world before being named “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year” for the entire industry.

“This is so exciting and such an honor,” said Elizabeth Hurst, visitor center manager. “We are always trying to improve our tour to draw new visitors, while encouraging old friends to return. This really validates the efforts of everyone at Buffalo Trace in welcoming our guests and giving them a memorable experience.” In recent months Buffalo Trace has added a new cooperage display and the Warehouse D Annex to the tour route. Later this spring new trails along the river will be opened as well as the Firehouse Cafe, giving visitors even more opportunities to explore the historic distillery.

Whisky Magazine has been presenting the “Icons” awards for a decade. The judging process starts with regional competitions in the U.S. and Scotland. Then it is opened to the rest of the world, including Japan, Canada and Ireland. Those honored by making the shortlist then competed for the worldwide title.

To learn more about Whisky Magazine’s “Icons of the Industry” awards visit www.whiskymag.com. For more information on visiting Buffalo Trace Distillery please visit www.buffalotrace.com.

About Buffalo Trace Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Franklin County, Kentucky. The distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1787 and has included such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace is a fully operational distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Buffalo Trace has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Malt Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Buffalo Trace has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies.

Buffalo Trace Experiments with Double Barrels

Bourbon Buzz — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:17:29 +0000

FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY— It’s time for the next round! After more than twenty years of experimentation, Buffalo Trace Distillery is rolling out more of their sought after Experimental Collection. The release explores what effect “double barreling” has on bourbon whiskey. In these two experiments the bourbon was aged in new, charred oak barrels and then removed after several years, only to fill more new, charred oak barrels. The full flavor from each of these new barrels was extracted by the whiskey, creating a very powerful result.

Here are some of this experiment’s details:

1. 1993 Double Barreled: These barrels were filled April 4, 1993 and bottled September 15, 2009. Buffalo Trace Rye Bourbon Mash Bill #2 was used and the product entered the barrel at 125 proof. The bourbon was removed from its original barrel and re-barreled December 12, 2001. At 16 years and five months of age the finished product has a deep, rich flavor that fully expresses the oak character. The re-barreling has taken it far beyond its 16 years. It has a very strong, powerful finish.

2. 1997 Double Barreled: These barrels were filled November 18, 1997 and bottled September 16, 2009. Buffalo Trace Rye Bourbon Mash Bill #2 was used and the product entered the barrel at 125 proof. The bourbon was removed from its original barrel and re-barreled December 12, 2001. At 11 years and ten months of age the finished product has a complex barrel flavor. It possesses a deep caramel color making it pleasing to the eye as well as the palette. It has a very robust start and finishes smooth.

“I really love the variety in these experimental releases,” commented Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “The end product is so different from one release to the next. I look forward to the new information we garner from each round.”

There are more than 1,500 experimental barrels of whiskey now aging in the warehouses of Buffalo Trace. Each of the barrels has unique characteristics making it different from all others. Some examples of these experiments include unique mash bills, types of wood and barrel toasts. In order to further increase the scope, flexibility and range of the experimental program an entire micro distillery, complete with cookers, fermenting tanks and a state of the art micro still has been constructed within the Buffalo Trace Distillery.

The Experimental Collection will be packaged in 375ml bottles. Each label will include all the pertinent information unique to that barrel of whiskey. These whiskies will be released in late October of 2009 and retail for approximately $46.35 each. Each experiment is rare and very limited. For more information on the Experimental Collection or the other products of Buffalo Trace Distillery, please contact Kris Comstock at kcomstock@buffalotrace.com.