A guide to help answer common questions surrounding Buffalo Trace's core allocated bourbons.
A Quick Note
This guide is intended for folks who are just starting their bourbon journey, or the dedicated Jim Beam fan who's secretly Buffalo Trace curious. If you're a seasoned bourbon enthusiast, you're probably not going to learn anything you don't already know. Just being honest with you.
The Mash Bills
Buffalo Trace Distillery uses three mash bills (recipes) to produce its entire bourbon portfolio. They famously do not disclose the full ingredients of their mash bills, but they do provide information on which mash bill is used for each bourbon they produce. Here's how the three mash bills breakdown:
Knowing what mash bill is used in Buffalo Trace's bourbons can help you navigate its portfolio more efficiently. This is important because a majority of their bourbon's can be hard, if not impossible to find. Knowing what mash bill you prefer will help focus your efforts and hopefully save you some time and money.
The Allocation Affect:
It's no secret that Buffalo Trace Distillery produces some of the most sought after bottles on the market today. Almost every bourbon in their portfolio is allocated. This means a majority of Buffalo Trace's bourbons are released in controlled quantities to ensure they're distributed more broadly across the country.
In theory allocation is suppose to help ensure that more bottles get into more hands of consumers. But extreme demand for Buffalo Trace's most sought after bourbons means they often sellout within hours of hitting store shelves. When demand is up and supply is down, stores can charge more money for bottles if state-minimum-prices aren't enforced in their state.
So how is someone suppose to navigate availability and know what's a fair market price to pay for a bottle? That's where this buyers guide comes in.
Below is a list of Buffalo Trace's core bourbon portfolio, the rarity of each bottle, it's market suggested retail price (MSRP), and our recommendation for a fair market price (FMP) for each bottle.
Ancient Age Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Availability: Very Common
Category: Bottom Shelf
Mash Bill: Mash Bill #2
MSRP: $10.99 for 750 ML
FMP: $10.99
Overall Value: Dollar-for-dollar Ancient age is one of the best value bourbons on the market under $20. Ancient doesn't carry an age statement and it's only 80 proof, but it comes from same mash bill (#2) as Blanton's and Rockhill Farms. Two of Buffalo Trace's most desirable bottles of bourbon. Its sweet and amble rye spice notes will surprise you.
Our recommendation would be to splurge and spend $14 for a one liter bottle (as scene above) instead @10.99 for a 750 ML bottle.
This is a bottle worth picking up based on its low price point and overall quality alone. If it's not your cup of tea, it makes a great Old Fashioned or Manhattan.
Ancient doesn't carry an age statement and it's only 80 proof, but it comes from same mash bill (#2) as Blanton's and Rockhill Farms.
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Availability: Moderate
Category: Mid to Top Shelf
Mash Bill: Mash Bill #1
MSRP: $25.99
FMP: $25.99 to $34.99
Overall Value: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon is 90 proof and non-age stated, but rumored to use barrels between 4 to 6 years old. You'd probably expect that this bottle would need to be pretty damn good to carry the Buffalo Trace name, and you'd be right. Its caramel forward taste profile is a legit crowd pleaser.
Bottles of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon tend to sell quickly, but restock often. If you're persistent you'll find a bottle. Pricing is where things can get murky with this bottle. At its suggested retail price of under $26, Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon is a great value. But we've seen online retail prices as high $50, which is a steep price to pay for any non-age stated straight bourbon.
The most we'd recommend paying for bottle of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon is $35.
Eagle Rare 10 Year
Availability: Rare to Moderate
Category: Mid to Top Shelf
Mash Bill: Mash Bill #1
MSRP: $31.99
FMP: $31.99 to $39.99
Overall Value: Eagle Rare is a 90 proof 10-year-old straight Kentucky bourbon. It's currently one of only a select few bottles in Buffalo Trace's core allocated bourbon portfolio to carry an age statement.
Eagle Rare isn't the easiest bottle to find, but it does restock often enough that it's realistically obtainable. Finding a bottle will require a legit amount of persistence, but it's worth the hunt for the right price.
At its suggested retail price of under $32, Eagle Rare provides a great traditional bourbon experience. It's 10 year age statement really shines through. Online retail prices can reach as high as $70 a bottle, which is honestly a little absurd.
Any price under $40 is a great value for a bottle of Eagle Rare.
Eagle Rare isn't the easiest bottle to find, but it does restock often enough that it's realistically obtainable.
Weller Special Reserve
Availability: Rare to Moderate
Category: Mid Shelf
Mash Bill: Wheated Mash Bill
MSRP: $22.99
FMP: $22.99 to $34.99
Overall Value: Weller Special Reserve is a 90 proof wheated bourbon from Buffalo Trace, and it's the entry point for the vaunted Weller line-up. Special Reserve is a solid bourbon with prominent notes of vanilla, caramel, and sweet fruit.
The biggest challenge with Weller Special Reserve is its availability and pricing. Over the last several years any bottle with the name "Weller" on it typically sells out immediately. In states where minimum state prices aren't enforced, bottles of Weller Special Reserve can go for as much as $70 a bottle.
As good as Weller Special Reserve is, it's not $70 good. We'd recommend trying a bottle of Larceny or Wyoming Small Batch Bourbon before significantly over paying for Weller Special Reserve.
If neither of those bottles knock your socks off, don't expect Weller Special Reserve to be much better.
Weller Antique 107
Availability: Rare to Moderate
Category: Mid to Top Shelf
Mash Bill: Wheated Mash Bill
MSRP: $49.99
FMP: $49.99 to $69.99
Overall Value: Weller Antique 107, as the name suggests, is a 107 proof wheated bourbon from Buffalo Trace. Its popularity is partially due to the fact that some bourbon enthusiasts believe it's a close sibling to one of the most popular bourbon's in the world, Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year. Buffalo Trace has never openly confirmed or denied if there's any relationship between the two bourbons.
Weller Antique 107 is a robust and flavorful bourbon that has a fruit and vanilla forward taste profile. If you aren't a fan of higher proof whiskeys, approach this bourbon slowly by adding a little water or ice to get acclimated to it.
If you're lucky enough to find a bottle sitting on a shelf, you can expect to pay anywhere between $50 to $80 a bottle. Online retail prices range between an alarming $100 to $180 or more.
In our opinion Weller Antique 107 is a good value at $70 or less.
EH Taylor Small Batch
Availability: Rare
Category: Top Shelf
Mash Bill: Mash Bill # 1
MSRP: $38.99
FMP: $38.99 to $69.99
Overall Value: EH Taylor Small Batch is bottled-in-bond bourbon and carries a 100 proof statement. Although it's not age stated, it's bottled-in-bond status means it's at least 4 years. Fan's of EH Taylor Small Batch love it for its unique butterscotch and caramel forward taste profile.
Unfortunately EH Taylor Small Batch can be one of the hardest bottles to get your hands on. While it's regularly released throughout the year, it doesn't seem to be released in large quantities like Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon or Weller Special Reserve.
In the wild you can expect to pay anywhere from $40 to $125 a bottle. Of all the Buffalo Trace bourbons in this guide, EH Taylor Small Batch is probably our favorite. But even with that in mind, we believe there's a point of diminishing returns.
In our opinion a fair market value for EH Taylor Small Batch is between $40 and $70.
Fan's of EH Taylor Small Batch love it for its unique butterscotch and caramel forward taste profile.
Stagg Jr.
Availability: Limited Edition, Very Rare
Category: Top Shelf
Mash Bill: Mash Bill # 1
MSRP: $46.99
FMP: $46.99 to $89.99
Overall Value: Stagg Jr. is a beast of a bourbon. While it's proof statement varies from batch-to-batch, it generally exceeds 125. If you don't have much experience with high proof whiskeys, this isn't a bottle we'd recommend cutting your teeth on.
For example Batch 15 (pictured above), which was released at the end of 2020, carries a proof statement of 131.1. That's a tall later to climb for even the most seasoned of bourbon enthusiasts. With that being said, if you're someone who enjoys an intense and robust whiskey experience, it doesn't get much better than Stagg.
Buffalo Trace typically releases Stagg Jr. twice a year. Each batch is rumored to be between 8 and 9 years old. The best way to find a bottle is to search the internet for release dates and then start monitoring your local liquor stores politely and religiously.
The suggested retail price of Stagg Jr. is less than $50, but don't be surprised if you see prices as high as $100 a bottle. If you decide to purchase from an online retailer, you can expect to pay between $150 to $250 a bottle.
Because the quality of Stagg Jr. varies from batch to batch, we'd recommend paying between $50 and $90 no matter how you choose to buy.
The best way to find a bottle [of Stagg Jr.] is to search the internet for release dates and then start monitoring your local stores.
Blanton's Single Barrel
Availability: Very Rare
Category: Top Shelf
Mash Bill: Mash Bill #2
MSRP: $54.99
FMP: $54.99 to $79.99
Overall Value: Blanton's is a 93 proof single barrel bourbon rumored to be between 6 to 8 years old. If you ask just about any bourbon hunter which Buffalo Trace product is at the top of their wish list, it's Blanton's Single Barrel.
If you've never had Blanton's before and wondering what all the hype is about, here's a simple way to think about it. For the better part of 20 years Blanton's was pretty much one of the only bottles of bourbon you'd buy for special occasions or recommend to someone who wasn't a "bourbon drinker".
As bourbon has exploded in popularity over the past 5 to 7 years, Blanton's continued to be one of the most talked about bottles to get your hands on. Which essentially perpetuated Blanton's popularity to ridiculous heights.
Blanton's pretty much drops year round and is technically obtainable for that reason. The issue is that most stores only receive a case or two and avid bourbon hunters are usually waiting in long lines on shipment days to pick them up. It's not uncommon for Blanton's in my area (NE Ohio) to sellout within minutes of being available.
For state's that don't enforce state minimum-prices, a bottle of Blanton's Single Barrel typically starts around $90, but MSRP is $54.99. Online prices of Blanton's range from $150 to $250 a bottle.
In our opinion a fair price to pay for a bottle of Blanton's is between $55 and $80.
If you ask just about any bourbon hunter which Buffalo Trace product is at the top of their wish list, it's Blanton's Single Barrel.
Before We Go
Good luck on your bourbon journey and let us know on our Facebook page if this guide was helpful or... if it just wasn't. Either way we'd love to hear your thoughts and stories about hunting these bottles down.
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