As promised, this is the first of five in-depth reviews (one each day for five days) encompassing the new 2008 release of Buffalo Trace’s “Antique Collection.”
Last night, I lined up and tasted the last four years of Sazerac Rye 18 year old. The last great vintage of Sazerac Rye 18 year old was 2005, which I rated a 95. It was impeccably balanced and still displayed great youthful qualities.
The three vintages since then, including this one, came from a different batch of whiskeys which were transferred to stainless steel to keep them from any additional aging (and additional oak impact). This was a smart move. These recent vintages are similar in flavor profile and, while still very nice whiskeys, show just a tad too much oak and lethargy to reach the classic status of the 2005 release.)
Sazerac Rye, 18 year old, 45%, $65
Deep and complex, yet still quite lively for an 18 year old whiskey. Not as lush and sweet as its younger sibling (Thomas H. Handy Sazerac), showing more oak, dried spices and a certain degree of sophistication. Toffee and molasses are quickly matched and then dominated by notes of brittle mint, vanilla, cinnamon, dried fruit, and black raspberry leading to a long, earthy, resinous, polished leather finish.
Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 87
30% price increase in a year! I’m glad I bought two bottles last year…
Last year I was told $55. This year I’m being told $65. That’s more like 20%. It’s probably still a reasonable price, considering that three of them are at higher strengths.
Oh okay. I got it for 45 or 50, so maybe it’s just a higher suggested price…
Which implies that maybe you can get the 2008 vintage for a little less than $65 too!
The collection was priced at $50 in PA last year. I chose the Sazerac 18, as I had not had it before, and it was really good…still have a few sips left!
It’s $80-$85 a bottle in Nashville TN. area. All the shops price gouge terribly on the whole BTAC, and more. They would rather make extra $ with un-ethical and low ball price gouging tactics, effectively stealing from their ‘valued’ customers, as work harder to make year end profits the same. They would rather swindle the $ from their customers pocket and say that extra charge is because they ‘do it with a smile’ and ‘because we can’ were the excuses I heard… just thieves without a conscious and therefore an inability to be ethical.
I liked last years Sazerac better myself. I skipped it this year for the $.
Gouged: Yep, it’s sad to say, but when demand is so much greather than supply, then it’s only natural for the retailer to raise the price to get what the market will bear. Not every place does it, but many do.
It’s a lot like popular concert tickets. That’s why scalpers exist. Well, at least you got last year’s…
Yes, the racketeering laws do not allow any alcohol to be shipped into/in the state for citizens, only distributors. So I could not entertain the multiple web options for any bottle I wanted from the BTAC at $50-59 each.
With 8300+bottles produced of Stagg this year, it is double the bottle run of 2nd place being EagleRare17 at 4050+bottles so maybe that will change? There seemed to be more 2007 EagleRares around than any other version.
Actually, I was ‘lucky’ thanks to the price gouging, or other market forces, when it comes to last years availability! There were all of last years versions still on multiple store shelves and this being my 1st year trying this colleciton, I was able to get every 2007 version to compare this years versions too. So in that respect I should be happy about my ‘luck’, money is just money, but prinicple, within me, does not seem to measure such ‘luck’.
I skipped this years Saz for more of last years T.H.Handy, I liked it more. I was most hesitant of the Handy with the least aging, but the 2007 is a favorite!
Good drinking to all!
So, an 87 rating is quite a drop from the 95 rating of the 2005 release. An increase in price and a drop in taste? What gives?
Paul, it was a different batch of barrels. I believe from 2006 to present, the barrels are the same and the whiskey is being stored in stainless steel tanks to prevent further aging.