Not Your Average Glass Of… Buffalo Trace
We now come to look at two products from the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Known for their namesake product, Buffalo Trace Bourbon is also part of the same family of distilleries that puts out Sazerac Rye, the line of Van Winkle bourbons and ryes, and the incredibly well rated George T. Stagg bourbon.
While the standard Buffalo Trace bourbon is known for its impressive taste and its equally impressive price tag of around twenty dollars, up until only few years ago the distillery only offered one version of Buffalo Trace. In 2006, they announced they would begin to release several limited editions of Buffalo Trace known as the Experimental Collection. With each release they’ve chosen to age Buffalo Trace in a variety of different casks. Ranging from French oak casks to a cask that was dried via fire, to a series of bourbons that are “twice barreled”.
This year they released two different vintages that were “twice barreled”. Buffalo Trace’s process of “twice barreling” a bourbon allows the distillery to first age its bourbon in standard American oak barrels and then after a period of eight years and eight months place this spirit in new unused American oak barrels for the aging process to complete.
With two separate bottlings released this year, one from 1997 and one from 1993, and with a limited count of four hundred bottles per release, these two releases were an offering that we had to include in our look at unique spirits.
1993 Experimental:
Aromas of sweet caramel are the first thing that catch your attention as you open the bottle of Buffalo Trace 1993 Experimental. On that first sip the Buffalo Trace 1993 Experimental opens up heavy notes of oak, hints of cinnamon, that are followed up by undertones of tobacco .
1997 Experimental:
As the 1993 experimental did, the 1997 experimental starts with notes of heavy oak. This time followed up by hints of raisins, and espresso. With some water to cut the initial harshness this spirit begins to mellow slightly and reveal a spirit filled with notes of deep caramel, winter spices and ginger. The spirit finishes with a hint of burnt oranges at which time those notes of heavy oak show themselves once again.
Experiments are always an interesting thing. Since you’re trying something for the first time, you could end up with an end result that’s for the better or for the worse. Until the experiment is complete you’ll never know.
With Buffalo Traces two releases this year of double-barrelings, they’ve definitely created a unique end result. Are the heavy oak notes going to be to the liking of everyone’s palate? Absolutely not. Do I respect and appreciate this experiment in its entirety and look forward to what the next experiment holds? Without a doubt the answer to that question is an emphatic yes.
If you’re interested in trying a different take that applies different aging techniques to the traditional Buffalo Trace, these offerings are something that you should seek out.
