Few American whiskey bottles are more beloved than the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection line. The yearly release is something that resonates through generations of whiskey drinkers. The main reason that is is that the whiskeys featured — Eagle Rare 17-Year Bourbon, William Larue Weller Cask Strength Bourbon, Thomas H. Handy Rye, Sazerac 18-Year Rye, and Stagg Cask Strength Bourbon — are often some of the best of their respective styles on shelves.
When they get to shelves, that is.
Read our review of the 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020 vintages by clicking on the dates.
The other thing that makes this line so sought after is the fact that they only get a small allocated release once a year — making them relatively rare bottles to find. That, in turn, means that finding these bottles at their suggested retail price is close to impossible. You have to be very plugged into good whiskey shops, delivery schedules, and retail lottery timings to even begin to have a chance to get these bottles at $124.99 per bottle.
If you don’t strike at the exact right time, you’ll be paying anywhere from $900 to $3,000 per bottle. Which … ouch.
So when do you strike like a coiled cobra to get these beauties? The moment they drop. And Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is a yearly release that drops in October.
The bottles hit shelves (~ sorta ~ most are held behind the scenes at liquor stores for local lotteries) just in time for the big holiday partying/gifting season push. It’s important to know that these bottles are rare and highly allocated that only a select few (outstanding) liquor stores, restaurants, and bars will get an allocation of cases (sometimes only bottles). You can see BTAC bottles on shelves if you’re in the know and show up at the exact right moment at a chosen liquor store.
Otherwise, most of these bottles are sold at liquor stores via lottery. Which you’ll need to search for in your state closer to the line launch.
In short, you need to be on your shit with your local retailers. No one is going to hand you a lottery ticket or bottle. Set alerts now and use the next eightish months to make friends online in whiskey groups and make friends at your local high-end liquor store. Who knows … come October/November, you might get lucky.
Good luck out there!
