It's fall, and that means bourbon season is in full swing. The big annual releases from the top brands are coming in fast and furiously, and few are more notable than the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Each year, the world's most-awarded distillery releases five rare and sought-after bottles containing some of the most premium hooch made at Buffalo Trace. The 2023 BTAC lineup has just been announced, and while the names on the bottles are familiar to anyone familiar with the series, there's something extra notable about this year's release.
Once again, the five bottles making up the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection are: George T. Stagg Bourbon, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Whiskey, William Larue Weller Bourbon and Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Bourbon. It's that last bottle that's a little extra special for 2023, as this year's rendition is the oldest expression of Eagle Rare 17 that's ever been produced.
"Hold up, aren't they always 17 years old?" you may be asking. Well, yes, but that age statement represents the minimum age the whiskey must be before it's bottled. Each year, the actual age of Eagle Rare 17 varies just a bit, and the 2023 version clocks in at 19 years and 3 months, making it the most mature version of the lauded bourbon to ever see release. Here's everything else to know about each of the 2023 BTAC whiskeys.
Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Bourbon
- Proof: 101
- Age: 19 years, 3 months
- Tasting Notes: Dark chocolate, caramel-drizzled chocolate sponge cake, earthy cigar box
George T. Stagg Bourbon
- Proof: 135
- Age: 15 years, 4 months
- Tasting Notes: Leather, chocolate, vanilla
Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Whiskey
- Proof: 90
- Age: 18 years
- Tasting Notes: Black pepper, oak, tobacco leaf
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey
- Proof: 124.9
- Age: 6+ years
- Tasting Notes: Rye bread, orange marmalade, black licorice
William Larue Weller Bourbon
- Proof: 133.6
- Age: 12 years
- Tasting Notes: Stewed cherry, brown sugar, baking spice
How to buy the 2023 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection
You know the drill by now: Getting a hold of these bottles, especially at retail prices, will be damn near impossible. Each bottle is sold separately and ostensibly priced at $125 each. Of course, you'll likely pay more than that to get one. They'll roll out on an allocated basis to select retailers over the next couple of weeks, but unless you've got some sort of local hookup, you'll be looking at paying several times the retail price for each on the secondary market. Just to give you an idea of what you're in for, the average prices for previously released BTAC bottles, according to Wine-Searcher, range from $1,044 for Thomas H. Handy on the low-end and top out at $2,518 for Eagle Rare 17. Happy hunting!
