Buffalo Trace (40%, OB, 2016)

• Category: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Origin: Buffalo Trace Distillery
• Bottling: Official
• ABV: 40%
• Cost: £24.25 from The Whisky Exchange

What they say:

Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is distilled, aged and bottled at the most award-winning distillery in the world. Made from the finest corn, rye and barley malt, this whiskey ages in new oak barrels for years in century old warehouses until the peak of maturity. The taste is rich and complex, with hints of vanilla, toffee and candied fruit. The smooth finish lingers on the palate. This will never change.

Tasting Note by The Chaps at Master of Malt

What I say:

I should have been sampling this at a Masterclass held in Edinburgh (on 10th October 2015), by the Master Distiller at Buffalo Trace: Drew Mayville. Parenting commitments meant I was unable to attend with Tom from Toms Whisky Reviews and Richard & Carrie from Adventures in Whiskyland. Thankfully Richard managed to snag me a few samples from this masterclass so I could enjoy them at my leisure at a (much) later date!

This is the staple of Buffalo Trace’s production, a straight Bourbon whiskey meaning it is made from a minimum of 51% corn in the mashbill, distilled to no more than 80% ABV and filled at no more than 62.5% ABV for ageing in charred virgin oak casks for at least 2 years. From the masterclass the suggestion was Buffalo Trace age for ~7-8 years on average for this standard expression.

Colour:

Rich and dark amber gold (12/20) slow forming fine droplets leave fine legs

Nose:

Delicate vanilla fudge and wood polish, well-worn leather, toffee and caramel, oak wood, some gentle cinnamon spice, vanilla crème brulee and caramelised sugars

Taste:

Caramel, toffee, vanilla cinnamon spiced orange and ginger marmalade, leather baseball glove, demerara sugar, shoe polish, grainy cereals and coconut

Finish:

Medium-length, sweet leathery fudge and toffee and cinnamon spice

Overall:

Nice and gentle bourbon full of sweet creamy toffee flavours, very enjoyable and a good easy drinker.

Score: 83/100

Don’t take my word for it:

TOModera’s Whisky Reviews Buffalo Trace

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