BOTM, 10/05: Buffalo Trace

[schlep]

On sale, BT goes for $28.99 for a 1.75 L around here. Not cheap, but then I don't drink manhattans that often.

schlep

[TNbourbon]

I was surprised tonight to find a few drops of water lengthened the finish and enhanced the mouth feel of both the standard and single-barrel Buffalo Trace bottlings I have. Just a few drops, though -- not real dilution.

This strikes me as a candidate for 'everyday bourbon' for those who don't want to try something different every day (like I'm afraid I do !). The rich vanilla nose and entry make it utterly approachable, while the soft warmth and smooth-textured, medium finish is absolutely pleasant, with no countering offensive notes.

There's no real complexity there, but for under $20, uniform pleasantness is quite an accomplishment.

[JeffRenner]

On sale, BT goes for $28.99 for a 1.75 L around here. Not cheap, but then I don't drink manhattans that often.

Where is "around here," my good man? That sounds cheap to me.

I'm off to Cincinnati Monday (not far from SE IN) to pick up my elderly mother for a visit up here. (9 hr RT)

I DO drink Manhattans! Besides, BT is great straight.

Jeff

[RedVette]

Doesn't anyone else taste the caramel in this stuff?

This is my alltime favorite sub $20 pour.

[DrinkyBanjo]

I agree that BT's enthusiasm towards their customers really makes me appreciate all that they are doing for Bourbon. Not to mention that they make some of the best Whisk(e)y that I've ever been privileged to sample.

[DrinkyBanjo]

After drinking a few BT's tonight I had a Russell Reserve 101 to finish off the night. I must say it is a lot spicier than BT. Again as my previous post mentions my bottle of BT is a bit old and low, really low now!

Must get another bottle of BT soon to do compare these to great whiskies again! But as of right now, which I'm sure my taste buds are a bit fried, I prefer the Russell Reserve 101.

[Gillman]

I agree with Tim's take (I sampled the regular issue, bought here in Toronto). It is not a very complex drink but is deep and satisfying, a good whiskey to drink neat. In fact this is the kind of palate I try to get by blending and it is kind of a cross between the regular Blanton and Elmer T. Lee. I think it is improved since the first bottlings. The current ones are smoother, sweeter with less of a minty edge than the first. Very good quality, there is no better for the money and many worse.

Gary

P.S. Recently a friend found an old tall square bottle of Ancient Age 107 which he says I left there many years ago. I tried some and it is really good. Similar to the current Buffalo Trace but better I think with all the extra proof on top, yet somehow smoothed down from what I recall years ago (the years in the bottle helped, I think). It reminded me also of the early 90's bonded Ancient Age I bought in St. Thomas last year but was better: fuller, richer, bigger.

[Ubertaster]

Sorry I'm late on this post but I have to comment on this fine bourbon. I am new to premium bourbon tasting and being a member of this forum but I am enjoying my adventure. This is the first time I have poured Buffalo Trace and actually the first time I have seen it. It is not available in this area so I had to get it via online shopping. This bourbon is very enjoyable without any cringe at all. I would recommend this bourbon to any new taster or experienced taster who has not tried it. If I were on a desert island and had only one choice this would be it [under $50]. Oh-no here comes a case of Jim Beam white label floating up on the beach.

bj

[Gillman]

Just a quick note that a current bottle of Trace failed to please as much as the bottle mentioned in my post earlier on this thread. The current one (which may not be typical of course) seems older and less well balanced. It is not musty but has an earthy quality that may come from the way the barrels interracted, it is just this particular batch or bottling I think. I think I preferred it when the whiskey was younger and had a more defined spearmint edge.

I am a big fan of all Buffalo Trace bourbons. I have no doubt it will return to form.

I find as time goes on I tend to prefer bourbon at 4-6-8 years age expression. The wood seems to get in the way too often with the older ones. This is why I think I like Rare Breed and other bourbons based on the younger side of the range with some older whiskey added for seasoning and balance.

Gary

[drli]

really like everything from Buffalo Trace.....

I really like Buffalo Trace even though I can not get it local here in NCA. I have to order it from Online places like Binnys.

I have also bought back bottles from MT while visiting my folks.

Why can't we get this fine bourbon here?? In Ca there are people that enjoy fine bourbon, Too!

[cowdery]

Buffalo Trace, the distillery, is slowly but surely rolling Buffalo Trace, the brand, out nationally. The limitation is the amount of whiskey available each year that meets the brand's taste profile. They have more in the pipeline so they are able to add markets each year. I don't know where it stands today but it's still far from national.

However, if you can make a friend at a major retailer and bug them enough to get them to bug their Buffalo Trace (the distillery) distributor enough, they may do a special, limited distribution. For example, because of that sort of pressure, Binny's and Sam's had it here in Chicago, even though it wasn't technically "in" Illinois at the time.

[TNbourbon]

I poured from a standard Buffalo Trace bottle for the first time in quite a while tonight, and several things struck me:

• Generally, I'll stand by what I said back in post #27 in this thread;
  
• I would not be disappointed to find a bourbon I like this much in a bottle that cost twice its price; and
  
• I like the musty earthiness upon which many have commented, in the same way that I enjoy standing in a bourbon warehouse and taking in the interaction of the whiskey, old wood (both barrels and ricks) and dusty slivers of light. This tastes like that smells and looks.
  

[Sweetmeats]

I cannot distinguish "musty earthiness" as a flavor yet. I finally got a grip on "woodiness." Sooner or later.

[Ken Weber]

When I was younger, my family would go on vacation. Being one of five boys, staying in a hotel was beyond our means. So dad bought an old canvas tent from Louisville Tent & Awning, my grandmother mended the tears and fixed the zipper. We spent every summer vacation for nearly a dozen years sleeping in that thing. It had a special smell, canvas wetted by the morning dew, perhaps a little mildew. That is a smell that some would turn up their nose at; I find it particularly evocative. The same can be said of Buffalo Trace. The first samples I tasted had a smell that reminded me of something - turns out it was my camping experiences. I used to refer to the smell as fresh dirt, however, this does not necessarily connote a positive impression! So we opted for "earthiness." Still, it is a smell that I absolutely love. When I open a new bottle at a tasting or for company, I always smell it first. This always portends the goodness in store - except for the time I got a corked bottle which was like mildewy convas on steroids!!

Ken

[BrbnBorderline]

Been a while since I had any Trace in the house. Bought 2 bottles last week. Sure am enjoying it, especially for the price.

[Martian]

I just recently tried my first bottle of BT. I didn't like it at all. Too musty and dank. Most that post here seem to like it. I was disappointed.

[smokinjoe]

I just recently tried my first bottle of BT. I didn't like it at all. Too musty and dank. Most that post here seem to like it. I was disappointed.

Martian, don't give up on the BT quite yet. There have been numerous discussions here regarding overly musty and dank BT bottles. This was about a year or so ago. Possibly a bad batch. Several members pointed it out (me included) in bottles from several markets. Maybe, you got one of those. Try another bottle, particularly if you can confirm it is recent vintage, because the current BT is as good as ever.

Cheers!

JOE

[alphaiii]

I've bought 2 bottles of Buffalo Trace, and the first I enjoyed quite a bit. The 2nd I would describe as ashy, like someone rinsed an ashtray with my bourbon then put it back in my glass. Maybe this is what others are describing as musty/dank.

smokinjoe, how can I determine if a bottle is from a recent vintage or not?

[Martian]

I will try another bottle in the future. The BT is at the bottom of my tasting list right now. There are so many others to try first. I won't give up on BT.

[smokinjoe]

I've bought 2 bottles of Buffalo Trace, and the first I enjoyed quite a bit. The 2nd I would describe as ashy, like someone rinsed an ashtray with my bourbon then put it back in my glass. Maybe this is what others are describing as musty/dank.

smokinjoe, how can I determine if a bottle is from a recent vintage or not?

Two ways that I check, is to look at the bottom of the bottle for the two digit number that indicates a year--as in, 06 for 2006, 05 for 2005 etc. That number is the year that the bottle was manufactured, and it's life as an empty vessel is extremely short before it is filled by the distillery. Or, you can ask the manager of the retailer to see when he got the current stock in. The time from when he got it in, to when it left the distillery shouldn't be seriously long for a brand such as BT, I would think.

Cheers!

JOE

[CrispyCritter]

Another possibility - look for a single-barrel bottling. Certain stores (like Binny's and Sam's in Chicago) get single-barrel bottlings that are identified by a sticker. I've seen BT, ETL, Weller 12, and Saz Jr. with such stickers.

[whiskeyhatch]

I myself have been very fortunate when it comes to BT. This one is my daily pour and I always have at least one 1.75 L bottle in my pantry. I've been through many, many of these and I have never been disappointed. Does anyone know what the mashbill is on BT? I've read on some other posts that it's a wheated bourbon. To me it has a very noticable corn flavor (well aged, I might add) and the perfect balance of rye. But wheat? I always gravitate toward the wheaters but I can't seem to pick out that particular grain from the rest. Any suggestions........?

Kevin

[whiskeyhatch]

I've read on some other posts that it's a wheated bourbon.

My apologies. I believe that I may have misread a previous post (or posts). There does not appear to be any wheat in the BT mashbill.

[Ken Weber]

Buffalo Trace is definitely a rye recipe bourbon. I particularly like the earthiness of the bourbon, however, I have also tasted it when it was somewhat musty. Since BT has a cork stopper, we sometimes experience cork taint, which tends to impart a musty flavor (to varying degrees). We did seem to experience a bad run of luck with corks for both BT and Blanton's about a year and a half ago. A big sit-down meeting with the cork producer seems to have cured that problem completely.

Ken

[lerxst]

Hello all,

1st post...

After reading all the great reviews on BT, I purchased a bottle. I have started down the Bourbon path about 15 months ago and have been drinking Basil Hayden, Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve, Baker's and Pappy 20. Boy was I disappointed when I had my first glass of BT. So I had a second glass on the rocks and it was much improved, but I don't know that I would choose it over Makers. I also bought a bottle of Eagle Rare SB 10, and it was pretty good and would buy it over Makers...

Any thoughts on why the BT didn't hit my taste based on the other's that I have liked to this point?

Thanks!

//lerxst