Where to Get Your Hands on the 2024 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection

Few new releases have whisky lovers as excited as the annual Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Often shrouded in secrecy, this year the brand has revealed the locations and bottles available for tastings in Australia. The collection is now available at select locations across the country and features five of the most sought-after whiskies on the planet, including some cheeky Pappy Van Winkle’s and five of the best, as we recently discovered during a private tasting with the brand.

If we talk details, the portfolio includes the five must-haves from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC): George T. Stagg Bourbon, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Sazerac 18-Year-Old Rye Whiskey, William Larue Weller Bourbon and the oldest 17 year old Eagle Rare bourbon in the history of the collection with an average age of 19 years and three months.

“2024 marks a monumental year in Buffalo Trace Distillery history, with the company celebrating 250 years as America’s oldest continuously operating distillery, surviving Prohibition, two World Wars and many other events in along the way,” said Gee David, Buffalo Trace Distillery Ambassador, SouthTrade International.

“Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley believes the world’s best bourbon has yet to be made, embodying our commitment to ‘honor tradition, embrace change’ and make every sip a memorable experience.” – Gee David, Buffalo Trace Distillery Ambassador, SouthTrade International.

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Buffalo Trace Antiques Collection 2024

This year’s collection consists of the following bottles:

• Bourbon Eagle Rare 17 years: At 19 years and three months old, this year’s Eagle Rare-17-Year-Old Bourbon marks the oldest release of the spirit since its inclusion in the Antique Collection 23 years ago. The whiskey was distilled in the spring of 2004 and aged in barrels at Warehouses C, I, K, M and Q. Eagle Rare 17 is once again bottled at 101 proof in homage to the original Eagle Rare brand launched in 1975. The expression imbues the nose with taste notes of dark chocolate and cherry pie with a well-balanced flavor of caramel-drizzled chocolate sponge, finishing with dry, spicy notes of an earthy cigar box.
• George T. Stagg Bourbon:At 135 proof, the 2023 George T. Stagg offering was distilled in the spring of 2008 and its barrels were aged in warehouses C, I, K, L and M. This powerful 15-year, 4-month-old bourbon is described as having aromas of cinnamon and cherry cola and a well-balanced blend of leather, chocolate and vanilla on the palate, with a robust, earthy finish.
• Sazerac Rye Whiskey 18 years old:The 2023 Sazerac 18 Year Old release features aromas of dried orange, rye grain, clove and anise, a palate of black pepper, vanilla and hints of oak, and a floral finish of honey and tobacco leaf. This collection of rye whiskey barrels was filled between the fall of 2004 and the spring of 2005 and aged in the K, L and M warehouses.
• Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey: The Thomas H. Handy 2023 expression is made from barrels aged for more than six years. Originally released in response to consumer demand for a more well-aged and barrel-strength whiskey, this uncut, unfiltered straight rye whiskey has a proof of 124.9. The flavor profile includes an aroma of orange zest and lemon oil, caramel and hints of pine. On the palate, freshly baked rye bread spread with orange marmalade and honey appears first, followed by a lingering finish of light oak and black licorice.
• William Larue Weller Bourbon:Developed in response to consumer demand for a more aged, barrel-strength whiskey, William Larue Weller is the Antique Collection’s uncut, unfiltered, wheat-based bourbon. This year’s offering was distilled in the spring of 2011 and its barrels were aged in warehouses C, L, M and N. The William Larue Weller 2023 bourbon clocks in at 133.6 ABV, surpassing that of the last year, which was 124.7. Candied notes of dark brown sugar and vanilla bean are found on the nose, followed by a warm, full palate with cooked cherries and brown sugar crumble and a robust, dense finish wrapped in baking spices and a hint maple syrup.

We were fortunate enough to head to the Baxter Inn with the brand for a private tasting of two very special releases: the flagship Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon and Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old.

Buffalo Trace 2024 Antique Collection Locations:

It’s always best to get to these places as soon as possible, as allocations vary and tend to go quickly. The good news is that those who miss out on these special releases can still get their hands on a glass of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey as well as other award-winning products straight from the distillery, including Weller Special Reserve Wheated Bourbon, Eagle Rare 10 .1 year old Kentucky straight bourbon and Sazerac rye at major retailers and bars. The Buffalo Trace and apple at Baxter’s are always a shout.

If you’d like to win a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle, check out our contest, which runs until July 14, 2024.

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