Buffalo Trace Adds New Taylor Expression To BTAC 2025
Buffalo Trace Distillery has marked the 25th installment of its Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) with its first new addition since the BTAC line-up solidified almost two decades ago: Colonel E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon.
Introduced in 2000, BTAC honors Buffalo Trace Distillery’s historic whiskey brands and the visionaries behind them, offering enthusiasts some of the world’s most sought-after releases each year. Alongside the new expression are the collection’s five celebrated staples – Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon, George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, Sazerac 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey and William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon.
“Colonel Taylor’s signature graced every bottle produced under his watch as a testament to its quality, a tradition we uphold today as a promise of integrity,” says Andrew Duncan, Global Brand Director, Buffalo Trace Distillery. “Created in his honor, every sip of E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon offers more than exceptional flavor – it’s a taste of history and reminder of his strict tenets that have safeguarded America’s world-leading whiskey quality standards for nearly 150 years.”
E.H. Taylor Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon
E.H. Taylor Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon is the first new addition to the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection since Thomas H. Handy joined the portfolio in 2006. Aged 15 years and 4 months in the Distillery’s warehouses and hand-bottled at 100 proof to meet Bottled-In-Bond standards, this whiskey is crafted from Buffalo Trace’s sour mash recipe.
Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Bottled at 101 proof in recognition of the original Eagle Rare brand launched in 1975, the Buffalo Trace distillers’ hand-selected their finest barrels to craft this exceptional whiskey. Recall that an age statement indicates the minimum age of the whiskey in the bottle. This time Eagle Rare 17 is 18 years and 4 months old.
George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Named in honor of the whiskey pioneer George T. Stagg, who acquired the historic O.F.C. Distillery from Colonel E.H. Taylor in 1878, today his name graces the boldest expression in the Antique Collection. First introduced in 2002 to meet growing demand for well-aged, barrel-strength bourbon, this year’s George T. Stagg Bourbon was drawn from barrels aged more than 15 years and 4 months. The 2025 release is one of the strongest ever, a true hazmat bourbon, bottled at 142.8 proof to deliver uncut, unfiltered intensity.
Sazerac 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Sazerac 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey derives its name from the historic Sazerac House in New Orleans, birthplace of the iconic Sazerac cocktail (widely regarded as America’s first cocktail) in the mid-1800s. Like Eagle Rare 17 for 2025, this year’s installment exceeds the age stated minimum by a substantial margin, as it was bottled at 18 years and 5 months and 90 proof.
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey takes its name from the New Orleans businessman and owner of the legendary Sazerac Coffee House, who first used rye whiskey in the classic Sazerac cocktail. This uncut, unfiltered whiskey is crafted from barrels aged over six years and bottled at 129.8 proof, up from last year’s 127.2.
William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon
W.L. Weller, the pioneering distiller who first introduced wheat into the mash bill of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, inspired William Larue Weller, a wheated bourbon known for its soft, smooth character distinct from traditional rye-based styles. The Buffalo Trace distilling team filled the barrels for this year’s release at 114 proof; after 14 years of aging, the whiskey now rests at 129 proof, uncut and unfiltered.
