Info Shots

• Price: ~$199.99 (2025)
• Spirit: Rye
• Proof: 127.2 (63.6% alcohol)
• Noses (smell): Rye Baking Spices
• Palate (taste): Toffee, Fig cake, Cinnamon, Clove and Candied Fruit
• Age Statement: 6 years, 2 months

Distiller information

Background

This bottle really doesn’t need an introduction now does it. I’ll leave the information about the bottle and age statements from the distillers website. But in case you live under a rock, this is one of five bottles in the BTAC (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection) Line.

The others include the following entries to the line-up:

• WILLIAM LARUE WELLER
• George T. Stagg
• Eagle Rare 17yr
• Thomas Handy Rye
• Sazerac Rye 18yr

Onto the Review

Temperature

Long lasting bold flavors of rye spice that are really not as strong or as intense I have encountered with a lot of ryes. This one is very approachable and wish all ryes could be. This ones is honestly in a league of its own and wish this wasn’t so darn expensive that I could very well daily drive this as a go to bourbon.

Hint of variety of spices that are encountered with a rye but these are just so long noted and in my case into the 40 second territory by the time it started to disappear. This was certainly long after I had both chewed and swallowed the bourbon.

Per the Buffalo Trace site, I did encounter flavors of toffee, fig cake, cinnamon, clove and candied fruit. Not so much on the whole mint thing that was described. The after would certainly be All spice and nutmeg all the way, but not really coconut for me.

Conclusion

There are bottles that we will have a chance and opportunity to both try in our lives that become standards are pillars on what we seek to chase or dream of when we think of bourbon. For some, there are the Pappy Van Winkles, Garrison Brother or even Makers Mark and Jim Beam. We all hear the stories about the coveted bottles as well from the BTAC collection that so few get a chance to try, let alone buy. With the advent of the secondary market these bottles certainly are not a everyday buy for anyone.

I will however base my conclusion based on the MSRP as I do not believe in the idea of bourbon being an investment and should be drank to be enjoyed by with others. That being said lets continue with my conclusions.

This bottle or line of bottles should be as sought as the market leads people to believe. This is hands down one of the best bottles that I put up their with the leagues of Garrison Brother Cowboy. In most cases people will find this bottle to succeed that by a long shot. Both this and the WLW review are amongst the same coin and reflect my belief as they are some of the best bottles I have or will ever try in my life. There is hands down no comparison at the time of this review that come close to the perfection of these two bottles. IF you find these bottles at their MSRP and not the secondary market, BUY THEM. This is one of the best ryes I have had the chance of owning and will certainly have to continue buying when I have a chance.

The only thing I regret is now I have to hunt for the next replacement