This is the best time of year for whiskey fans as the fall/holiday season are when all the distillers release their most coveted bourbons and ryes–chief among them is Buffalo Trace. It is releasing its annual 2018 Antique Collection of whiskeys. The eagerly anticipated annual collection features five limited-release whiskeys of various ages, recipes and proofs, with one notable change, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon will now be 101 proof.
First up is the George T. Stagg. This year’s is 124.9 proof and contains bourbon from barrels filled in the spring of 2003. This batch contained 284 barrels, not quite as much as last year’s yield, but still significantly more than the yield from previous years. Storage location of these barrels varied across warehouses C, H, I, K, P, and Q. This whiskey tastes of dark chocolate, espresso, and tobacco.
Secondly, William Larue Weller is the collection’s wheated recipe. The 2018 offering was distilled in the winter of 2006 and aged in Warehouses C, I, K, L, M, and Q. This bourbon registers in at 125.7 proof. The bold flavors include dried fruit, fig, and caramelized vanilla.
Representing the rye is Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, distilled in the spring of 2012; aged in warehouses I and L and weighs in at 128.8 proof. The flavor profile includes hints of allspice, teaberry, and clove.
For Eagle Rare fans, the Eagle Rare 17 Year Old is going back to its roots with a proof change from the previous 90 proof back to 101 proof, in tribute to the original strength used when the brand was launched in 1974. This will be a permanent change to the proof for the Eagle Rare 17 year old. The 2018 edition was distilled in the Spring of 2000 and has been spending its time aging on the first, second and fifth floors of Warehouse C. This bourbon tastes of toasted oak, coffee, spearmint, and butterscotch.
Lastly, the Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old has notable flavors of dark chocolate, tobacco, and cinnamon. The barrels for this whiskey were filled in the spring of 1998.
The Antique Collection was introduced more than a decade ago. Since 2000, these whiskeys have garnered numerous awards from such notable publications as Whisky Advocate Magazine, Spirit Journal, and “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.”
The 2018 Antique Collection whiskeys are now available in limited quantities at a suggested retail price is $99 each. Happy hunting!
