BOTM Dec09: Buffalo Trace

[camduncan]

It cost me AU $90, but I was determined to have a bottle of BT to try on the weekend.... I cracked it with my Dad on Saturday afternoon, and it was to say the least, sublime A smooth, sweet tasting bourbon with a light fruity finish. It seems like a great example of this bottling to me

[HoosierBoozer]

The first bottle of BT I had was a disappointment. It had a definite musty smell that made it almost undrinkable. I have noticed this with several other BT offerings including Van Winkle and Weller. I assumed it was cork taint but the Weller had a screw cap so I'm not sure what to think now. However, my second bottle of BT was excellent. Great balance of sweetness, spice and wood. Great neat but cheap enough to mix if you're in the mood.

[callmeox]

Search the forums for the "BT Funk" and you will see others with the same occasional complaint. Perhaps some folks are more sensitive to it than others or those who have not experienced it have been lucky to have not gotten a funky bottle.

IIRC, bottles that have been sent back have received a clean bill of health from BT, but it isn't clear how much they test the returned bottles (they certainly don't drink from them for obvious reasons).

The first bottle of BT I had was a disappointment. It had a definite musty smell that made it almost undrinkable. I have noticed this with several other BT offerings including Van Winkle and Weller. I assumed it was cork taint but the Weller had a screw cap so I'm not sure what to think now. However, my second bottle of BT was excellent. Great balance of sweetness, spice and wood. Great neat but cheap enough to mix if you're in the mood.

[Josh]

The first bottle of BT I had was a disappointment. It had a definite musty smell that made it almost undrinkable. I have noticed this with several other BT offerings including Van Winkle and Weller. I assumed it was cork taint but the Weller had a screw cap so I'm not sure what to think now. However, my second bottle of BT was excellent. Great balance of sweetness, spice and wood. Great neat but cheap enough to mix if you're in the mood.

Search the forums for the "BT Funk" and you will see others with the same occasional complaint. Perhaps some folks are more sensitive to it than others or those who have not experienced it have been lucky to have not gotten a funky bottle.

IIRC, bottles that have been sent back have received a clean bill of health from BT, but it isn't clear how much they test the returned bottles (they certainly don't drink from them for obvious reasons).

It's also worth noting that "cork taint" doesn't always come from cork. At least in wine (and I don't see why this would be true for spirits too) taint can come from similar compounds in barrels. It comes from a chemical known as 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole (C7H5Cl3O). The Wikipedia article on this topic is pretty good: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_taint

[whskylvr]

Another issue with "Cork Taint" is using chlorine as a cleaning agent around the product. Wineries used to use this and when BV had there big issue a few years ago they found out it had to do with the use of chlorine when they were cleaning around the barrels.

[Stu]

The first bottle of BT I had was a disappointment. It had a definite musty smell that made it almost undrinkable. I have noticed this with several other BT offerings including Van Winkle and Weller. I assumed it was cork taint but the Weller had a screw cap so I'm not sure what to think now. However, my second bottle of BT was excellent. Great balance of sweetness, spice and wood. Great neat but cheap enough to mix if you're in the mood.

I have a similar problem with Brown Foreman products. They all smell like acetone to me. Early Times is the best of the bunch IMO, at least it doesn't smell like acetone. I was born in Terre Haute, maybe there is something in Wabash river sewage (water in IN) that warps the taste buds at birth.

[ErichPryde]

I have a similar problem with Brown Foreman products. They all smell like acetone to me. Early Times is the best of the bunch IMO, at least it doesn't smell like acetone. I was born in Terre Haute, maybe there is something in Wabash river sewage (water in IN) that warps the taste buds at birth.

no, most of the brown-forman stuff I've smelled is like that, excluding one single barrel of JD I once tried, the 07 OFBB that I had once, and a particular Willett that was absolutely stunning. if I knew where the bones to my right thumb were, I'd trade them for another bottle of that stuff!

[ILLfarmboy]

Tonight I've opened the bottle of BT I was going to open last night.

It could be because it is a freshly opened bottle or because the whiskey when first poured was a little cool (my hutch is against an outside wall) or because I've been drinking some heavily flavored higher proof pours lately or all of the above, but It is a little less singularly BT and a little more BT distillery character, if you get my drift. I'm picking up some of that damascus, pages of an old book, flavor I get from Baby Saz, which I think is usually muted by the toasted marshmallow.

Ah.... as the whiskey is warming up....I'm getting more of what I love about this bottling...

[spy247]

Well I sat down the weekend and rediscovered this great Whiskey.

The nose was laid back, with some citrus and cherry notes coming through. The taste was delicate with with spicy rye flavours.
The finish was long and smooth and just a bit woody.

It had been while since my last bottle of BT, but now I remember why I liked it so much.

[BBQ+Bourbon]

IIRC, bottles that have been sent back have received a clean bill of health from BT, but it isn't clear how much they test the returned bottles (they certainly don't drink from them for obvious reasons).

Why do you assert that they don't taste the bottles? I have an email from Truman stating that my bad bottles were tasted by their regular testing panel, including Truman, plus one of the Van Winkles. These were PVW15 so maybe they don't taste the regular BT.