Whether you’re a casual bourbon sipper or a proud connoisseur with a collection of top shelf bottles, you know that Buffalo Trace Distillery is to bourbon as Willy Wonka is to chocolate. Many of the most highly allocated (and highly prized) bourbons, like Pappy Van Winkle, Blanton’s, Weller, Eagle Rare and more are part of the Buffalo Trace family of brands...
...but so are many other whiskeys that you may not have heard of. Though perhaps not as sought-after as the aforementioned names, these bottles are just as worthy of sipping. And, for a fraction of the price with the same superior Buffalo Trace quality, adding these picks to your rotation is a no-brainer.
Keep reading for a brief history lesson on Buffalo Trace Distillery and our five favorite whiskeys you may not know are made by this iconic whiskey producer.
Whether you’re a casual bourbon sipper or a proud connoisseur with a collection of top shelf bottles, you know that Buffalo Trace Distillery is to bourbon as Willy Wonka is to chocolate. Many of the most highly allocated (and highly prized) bourbons, like Pappy Van Winkle, Blanton’s, Weller, Eagle Rare and more are part of the Buffalo Trace family of brands...
...but so are many other whiskeys that you may not have heard of. Though perhaps not as sought-after as the aforementioned names, these bottles are just as worthy of sipping. And, for a fraction of the price with the same superior Buffalo Trace quality, adding these picks to your rotation is a no-brainer.
Keep reading for a brief history lesson on Buffalo Trace Distillery and our five favorite whiskeys you may not know are made by this iconic whiskey producer.
Buffalo Trace’s history of distilling is just a year older than the United States itself. In 1775, brothers Hancock and Willis Lee established Leestown along the Kentucky River on the land that is now home to Buffalo Trace Distillery. They were the first of many to begin distilling whiskey there. The name "Buffalo Trace" refers to the ancient buffalo trackway that crosses the Kentucky River in Franklin County, Kentucky.
Buffalo Trace really became a whiskey hotspot when Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. purchased the distillery in 1870 and christened it "O. F. C." – in reference to his belief that the finest whiskey was produced in old-fashioned wood-fired copper stills.1
Over the years, the distillery would change hands many times and go by many names, a history that’s chronicled in the names of the distillery’s brands themselves. William Larue Weller was a wholesale whiskey dealer and distiller carrying on the legacy started by his paternal grandfather and his maternal great-grandfather. Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr. was the first of four generations of bourbon makers; he got his start with the company in 1893 as a traveling salesman for W.L. Weller and Sons. Albert B. Blanton started with the distillery as an office boy at the age of 16 and worked up the ranks to become the president of the distillery, keeping operations continuous through Prohibition by obtaining a special government license to produce “medicinal whiskey.”
All these figures and more made Buffalo Trace Distillery what it is today: a National Historic Landmark, an award-winning whiskey producer and perhaps the most respected name in bourbon.
Now let’s get into what you’re really here for: the whiskeys. Scroll on for bottles made by Buffalo Trace Distillery.
When Chris Stapleton sang that you’re as “smooth as Tennessee whiskey,” we think he meant to say “Kentucky whiskey.” Traveller Whiskey, a collaboration between the artist and Buffalo Trace Distillery, is a premium blended whiskey with complex aromas of vanilla, aged fruit and buttery shortbread rounded off by caramel and a touch of oak.
Whiskey fans looking for a sweet, smooth weekend sip with a creamy mouthfeel should take note.
In a world where you can barely make it out of a coffee shop with a cup of Joe and a bagel for less than $11, a bottle of bourbon of the same price seems too good to be true. And yet, here Benchmark 8 is, a Buffalo Trace product that’ll only set you back 11 smackaroos. While it might not be the fanciest bottle on the shelf, this bourbon is the perfect choice for when you’re craving a straightforward cocktail like whiskey mixed with a little cola.
Another solid everyday sipping bourbon, Ancient Age is a mellow 80 proof pick with aromas of corn, caramel, toffee and vanilla. It follows through on the palate with many of the same notes but with a hint of spice and a lingering toffee and citrus finish.
This is a bourbon your grandpa has probably been drinking since 1946. Why? Because if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
*Available in limited quantities at select ABC locations.
The famed Sazerac Coffee House was founded in the mid-1850s in New Orleans and soon gained notoriety as the birthplace of one of America's earliest cocktails, the Sazerac, which is now recognized as the official cocktail of the Big Easy. A cocktail as vibrant and curious as the city it was born in, the Sazerac is made with rye whiskey, absinthe, sugar and Peychaud’s Bitters.
If you’re mixing up a Sazerac, it’s only fair to use the rye whiskey that bears its namesake. This straight rye has a robust spice and dry sweetness that dances on the tongue. Its long, warm finish is preceded by notes of mint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, vanilla and pepper. If you’re always craving more boldness and complexity from your whiskeys, this one is your perfect match.
This mellow, 80 proof whiskey has a certain balance to it that’s hard to beat. It has a complex, well-balanced nose that shows both dry, peppery notes and a rich, honeyed sweetness. The palate features some tingly spice and toffee notes with a long, satisfying finish, making it perfect for sipping neat, on the rocks or in your favorite cocktail.
User Indycarl said in their 5-star review on our website, “I was introduced to Old Charter by a good friend of mine and I have considered it to be my very favorite everyday go-to cocktail. I drink it on the rocks and it is my bourbon of preference, comparable to Old Weller or Jack Daniel’s, other favorites.”
*Available in limited quantities at select ABC locations.
