Comments on: New Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection whiskeys

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:53:21 +0000

Ed, you might want to contact the specialty retainers in the back of Malt Advocate, put your order in and have them send it to you. The specialty retailers will get some.

By: Ed

Ed — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:03:25 +0000

Here in PA the Exp collection was initially listed on the LCB site – but listed as “Licensee only” – which after much research turned out to be “Only resteraunts with liquor licenses may obtain this product.” Sonce that time, the collection is no longer on the site, and I’m unable to find any place that carries these. Has anyone seen anything on a retail shelf anywhere? If I drove to Kentucky, would I be able to find some?

By: corey

corey — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:18:19 +0000

well i feel that places that mark up that extreme should be called out in public. if you want to try and fleece the consumer/novice/enthusiast, then you should bear the brunt of critizism

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:03:41 +0000

Sku, that’s crazy. $200. I think a 400% mark-up is a little extreme.

By: Sku

Sku — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:31:18 +0000

I wish they could keep them down to $46.35. The one time I saw one on the shelf in California, it was $200.

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:15:21 +0000

Hi Harvey,

Yes, I just looked at the labels Kris emailed me. Both are 45% ABV.

By: Harvey Fry

Harvey Fry — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:10:45 +0000

i assume the 2 new items are [like the previous 9] bottled at 45.%? neither
WDJK nor KC say.

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:36:06 +0000

Thanks Kris for the update and clarification. I think we tasted a couple of those “what not to do” whiskeys the last time I visited the distillery. It’s all for good in the long run.

By: Kris Comstock

Kris Comstock — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:30:08 +0000

These experiments are interesting if nothing else. We never know how the whiskey will turn out – some have been awful. But that is how we learn what NOT to do If we find something that we really like, such as French Oak aged whiskey, we make some more. Now we just have to wait a decade or so.

We recommend these be sold at $46.35 – kind of an odd price I know, that’s the point . However, some stores that get these bottles know how limited the stuff is and usually charge more. That is out of my control.

Independent Stave Company has been a great partner in these experimental barrels. If everyone likes either the fine grain or course grain oak better. We can always ask them to produce more such barrels for us to age our existing products. We just want to learn what makes a better whiskey and apply that to everything we do. We require tight specifications for all our barrels, but don’t have a wood grain spec. I’m sure most barrels have staves with various degrees of wood grain. The experimental barrels are made up of hand-picked staves. The mash bills for these two most recent releases are both our #2 rye bourbon recipe – same as Blanton’s. Stay tuned. More to come…

By: John Hansell

John Hansell — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:45:36 +0000

DavidG & Sam k: Good questions, guys. Let me see if I can get some answers.

By: sam k

sam k — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:19:32 +0000

I find $46.35 an interesting “approximate” price point. Seems a tad precise to be approximate!

Also, have they mentioned the mash bill of this release?

By: DavidG

DavidG — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:24:13 +0000

Do you know what the wood grain structure is for a typical Buffalo Trace barrel. in other words, are these barrels each dissimilar to what is the everyday barrel, or is one the control and the other the experiment.

By: sam k

sam k — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:19:03 +0000

I find these intense, creative, far-reaching, and ongoing experiments to be quite fascinating, and perhaps the most intensely-focused yet diverse research project at any distillery worldwide. The best part is that Buffalo Trace allows us to taste the fruits of these experiments on a limited basis, and make our own determinations as to acceptability.

A question for you, John. Will the more favorable results of these ongoing trials eventually be turned into production advantages for BT? That is, have they begun (or plan to begin) to capitalize on the already-known positive effects revealed thus far in these efforts?

We continue to see the ongoing experimentation of this innovative project, but have yet to hear what results have been successful enough to translate into even occasional production runs that might be available on a more sustainable basis. Any guesses?

Thanks!