Buffalo Trace has emerged over the past few years as the preeminent distiller of premium, limited, and specialty bourbons. When one thinks of such accolades as “Whiskey of the Year,” or “Distillery of the Year,” a handful of names across the globe come to mind. The number of distillers that have won those laudations multiple times can be counted on one hand, with fingers left over. Buffalo Trace is one of those distilleries.
How can a distillery that very few non-enthusiasts know about keep pace with big names that have powerful core brands and millions to spend on advertising? Commitment to the principles of excellence is the only way it can be described. I had the opportunity to meet with Mark Brown, who heads up the operations at Buffalo Trace, a couple years ago and we talked about the distillery and the parent company Sazerac, based in New Orleans. Sazerac purchased the old Ancient Age distillery, fixed it up, and renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999. Mark Brown talked about the decision that had to be made. In the world of liquor (as a business), real decisions have to be made about aggressively competing in the marketplace. The traditional train of thought in “bourbon country” is to make several lower end “plastic half gallons” and a few upper echelon products to have a well-balanced portfolio. The decision was made to deviate from this traditional way of thinking and Buffalo Trace put all their energy into creating top-shelf, well-aged products that would satisfy a niche with the true bourbon connoisseur. Nine awards later, they are proving that you don’t have to distill mediocre products to keep your head above water in this business.
When Sazerac acquired the distillery in the latter part of last century, they picked up several names that most bourbon drinkers, enthusiast or not, would be familiar with, but may not have tried because of a stigma attached to these older, more astute brands. The full portfolio of Buffalo Trace reads like a Who’s Who of bourbon. Their brands are: W.L. Weller, Ancient Age, Old Charter, Blanton’s, Rock Hill Farms, Hancock’s Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Van Winkle, George T. Stagg, Eagle Rare, Sazerac Rye, Benchmark, Virginia Gentleman, Elmer T. Lee, and even Rain Vodka. The key to Buffalo Trace’s extensive portfolio is the masterful use of five recipes. Most distilleries use one recipe, or mashbill, while some even boast of two, but managing five recipes is practically unheard of, but a practice that makes this distillery so successful. In the past, the watchful eyes and hands of Master Distiller Emeritus Elmer T. Lee and Gary Gayheart were to be thanked for maintaining this delicate balancing act of distilling, storing, blending and bottling from five widely varying mashbills—a task now passed to Harlen Wheatley.
This extensive portfolio, combined with a true commitment to supplying the marketplace with high quality products, has catapulted this distillery to fame among die-hard enthusiasts, but many still remain among the average drinker who have yet to sample these delectable spirits. So, if you are among those who have not tasted Buffalo Trace’s wares, next time you are reaching for the same ol’, same ol’, try one of the over 15 product lines that Buffalo Trace has to offer. I assure you, you will not be disappointed. And, if you look hard enough, you might find some extra special, hand selected, single-barrel bottlings at retailers in your area!
Brent Barnett is the Spirit Manager for McScrooges Wine andSpririts and the Director of Scotch Malt Whisky Society for the Knoxville Area. He has been in the liquor business for over eight years.
