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One of my What’s App Bourbon buddies is a ‘Resident Alien’ in Atlanta. This means she entered the U.S. from Outer Space and can legally reside and work there and won’t be returned over the wall or indeed beyond the dome in any future isolationist move.
When I got into Bourbons first, I asked her to ask round her office for which one to try first.
She immediately came back with;
‘Buffalo Trace’.
Thank goodness she did. What a great first step on a long and wonderful journey.
Now a confession. As a long time Scotch drinker, I assumed the so-called ‘standard’ expressions were fit mainly for drinking with mixers, not sipping as was my whisky preference.
WRONG!
Buffalo Trace went straight to the top of my ‘grocery’ buy list. The whiskies which get replaced the minute they run out. I love what I just wrote, ‘they run out’ like I had no part in the process!
Now as a part of all my reviews I will admit to you and hence myself my personal bias to make the review more objective.
I have a soft spot for Buffalo Trace as in my research I find them the most pleasant and helpful to work with. Thanks, Amy.
As my knowledge has grown, I hold many Buffalo Trace brands to represent the highest quality Bourbons.
My first encounter with Buffalo Trace undoubtedly gives me a bias, I love the quality, consistency and value of this great whiskey.
So there! I have said it, my expectations are high but the bar is set equally high. Don’t disappoint me!
Some Background
Buffalo Trace is the oldest distillery continuously in use. They just discovered an even older E. H. Taylor plant now to become a part of the new Bourbon Pompeii Tour.
Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1786 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and more recently Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon and rye on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I will avoid listing their numerous awards or adding stories of buffalo making their way to a Distillery on the banks of a river. There a lot of that.
Appearance – Mid Amber right in the middle with amber turning to the slightest hint of brown. It coats my Glencairn glass substantially, lovely legs for a buffalo. This would indicate a higher viscosity spirit. I have read that it shows an older or heavier spirit or higher alcohol content.
Nose – A walk in a cornfield in summer, fruity, floral hints of youth, honey, peaches, pears and orange zest, with a single drop of water, spring leaves and blossom emerge.
Taste – smooth, toffee, white chocolate, cream, slight spices, mint, ginger and pepper. Toast and oak. All flavours expand with the water sweeter and fuller.
Finish – Not huge but still long and full enough getting better over time. Burnt sugar, hint of chilli. It certainly improves with water giving caramel and ginger.
Body – Not the biggest of Bourbons but lovely all the same.
Patience gives rewards with Buffalo Trace. It grows and grows over 15 minutes it is still improving, opening up and revealing new depth, a bit of a surprise but it is such easy drinking I rarely keep it in the glass so long. It makes me think there are some slightly older whiskeys in here, or maybe it is just perfectly charred and the yeast is just magic. Buffalo Trace achieve something clever with this whiskey. I think it comes from the barrel. The Tannins making this appear older, interesting and very pleasant indeed.
Mash Bill
Buffalo Trace is understandably silent about their Mash Bills. Popular wisdom suggests there are two and this expression is from the first of these, the low Rye i.e. around 10%. There is certainly some nice Rye and probably low. A lot of flavour comes from the char and the yeast. The barrels are good. It is certainly a good recipe and barrels are from different parts of the warehouse at the very least. Whatever they are doing it certainly works.
Because this review is of an easily sourced and widely drunk whiskey, I hope there are many of you with opinions of this whiskey. Please share these below with me and my readers. I value your opinion, whether this is the first Bourbon you have tried or if you are a lifelong drinker.
Do you enjoy this whiskey? what do you like most about it? Is there anything you dislike? Is there anything else in your mind about the review? Do you like this style of review? Would you like to see anything different?
Credits: Image courtesy of Buffalo Trace Distillery
