The 2024 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is finally here!
The annual release features a lineup of three bourbons and two rye whiskeys from the Buffalo Trace Distillery, and they represent the pinnacle of the brand’s classic mash bills. Let’s run down the full lineup: first, we’ve got Eagle Rare 17, a hyper-aged premium alternative to the standard Eagle Rare single barrel bourbon. George T. Stagg is the fully matured, premium version of the newly christened Stagg Bourbon (formerly Stagg Jr. Bourbon). Rounding out the collection’s bourbon offerings is William Larue Weller, which employs the same mash bill as the Pappy Van Winkle lineup but differs from that group in that it’s bottled at cask strength.
On the rye side, the BTAC lineup includes Sazerac 18, a hyper-aged premium version of Sazerac Rye Whiskey, and Thomas H. Handy, which shares the same mash bill as those two but is bottled at full cask strength.
In the world of American whiskey, few lineups rouse as much excitement as the annual release of BTAC, which means every enthusiast will be on high alert and searching for each of these expressions. The suggested retail price on every single bottle in the collection is $149.99, though you’d be hard-pressed to find it at that price at your local store. These bottles are highly allocated, so they’ll be tough to come by for even the most seasoned hunter. If you’re reading this, it’s fair to assume you’re one of those folks.
Now, while we can’t help you actually find these bottles in the wild, we can steer you in the right direction if you’re curious about which of these bottles to target. To that end, let’s dive right in for our full review and ranking of every whiskey in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection for 2024!
5. Sazerac 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $1,500
The Whiskey:
This year’s Sazerac 18 spent 18 years and 5 months maturing, picking up all the tell-tale aromas and flavors of hyper-aged American whiskey. This expression, made with Buffalo Trace’s standard rye mash bill, is the oldest of their annual releases across all brand lineups.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sazerac 18 opens with lush green apple notes as soon as you pop the top, followed by vanilla bean, butterscotch, mature oak, leather, honeyed mint tea, and allspice with hints of Rainier cherries. The aroma notes are incredibly expressive, balanced, and well-developed, which whets the palate before you even venture to take your first sip. Frankly, this might have the best nose of the entire collection.
Palate: The palate opens with vanilla custard and honey before whispers of mint jelly, cacao nibs, and mature oak have their say. Admittedly, the nose set my hopes high, and the sipping experience is a bit of a letdown by comparison. Though this is still undoubtedly tasty whiskey, it’s far more restrained and earthy than the robust, sweet, nosing notes indicated. One final ding against the 2024 Sazerac 18: yes, it’s the lowest proof of the bunch, but it’s also disappointingly thin.
Finish: The brief finish is where the flavor of shaved almonds, vanilla frosting, and coffee beans can be found as it gently dries out your palate before dissipating.
Bottom Line:
The 2024 Sazerac 18 has a nose that is absolutely divine, but unfortunately, it all comes crashing down to Earth when you take your first sip. Of all the premium whiskeys in this vaunted lineup, Sazerac 18 tends to have the toughest row to hoe — given its low proof and stunningly high age — and sadly, this year’s expression gets a bit lost in the weeds.
4. Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Bourbon
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $2,900
The Whiskey:
Bottled at the same proof as the brand’s traditional offering, first launched in 1975, this year’s Eagle Rare 17 was distilled way back in the spring of 2007. While last year’s offering of Eagle Rare 17 was actually 19 years old, the eldest version of the expression ever bottled, for 2024, the brand returned to its roots with an offering just north of 17 years old.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the first whiff, this bourbon opens up with expressive cooked apple and black cherry notes, some leather, mature oak, and some slight smokiness reminiscent of barrel char. Over time, you pick up a bit of burnt brown sugar, cinnamon muffins, and dark chocolate.
Palate: The palate opens with spiced apple notes with clove, cinnamon, and black pepper leading the way. The mature oak seizes the reins at midpalate, where notes of vanilla pod, orange rind, and graham cracker pie crust start to blossom. Finally, the texture is a tad washed out at first, but it begins picking up momentum as it barrels toward the finish.
Finish: The finish is expansive and moderately lengthy, with vanilla, nougat, and semi-sweet cherry cordial notes, leaving the final impression before it gently dries your palate and succinctly fades away.
Bottom Line:
This year’s Eagle Rare 17 had some pretty big shoes to fill after the 2023 version stole the show as the most impressive whiskey in the Antique Collection lineup. Now, in 2024, the quality has somewhat predictably dipped, with this expression representing a vast improvement over Eagle Rare standard but failing to come close to the lofty heights reached by its predecessor.
3. William Larue Weller Bourbon
ABV: 62.9%
Average Price: $1,800
The Whiskey:
Aged on the lower floor of an undisclosed Buffalo Trace warehouse, this year’s William Larue Weller offering was matured for 12 years before being bottled at full cask strength. While the barrel entry proof on this liquid was a modest 114 proof, through the process of aging, 2024’s edition of the vaunted William Larue Weller crept all the way up to 125.8 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes on this one open with dense caramel, rich cherries, and an alluring splash of milk chocolate. The aromas of sweet oak, clove cigarettes, and honey-drizzled mint sprigs also come wafting out of the glass after a few waves of the hand.
Palate: The impressiveness of this bourbon begins with the dense texture, which efficiently coats your palate with brown sugar, black pepper, apple leather, and candied walnuts. Each of those notes is really rich and well-developed, leading to you sucking your teeth and mining your tastebuds to see just how deep those flavors will seep into your palate.
Finish: Cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and honeyed black tea mark the lengthy finish. As the oak begins to encroach on each of those sweet notes, some brown sugar also curtails the drying and leaves you drooling for more.
Bottom Line:
The 2024 William Larue Weller is a triumph that carries the mantle well and continues the brand’s reputation as being one of the finest bourbons on the market today. That said, this whiskey is not a total homerun, as its initially dense texture quickly recedes — robbing the midpalate of more harmony and flavor than you’d like to see — but all told, this is a delicious pour that is well worth seeking out if you’re looking for an exceptional new bourbon.
2. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 63.6%
Average Price: $700
The Whiskey:
Initially barreled at 125 proof over six years ago, the 2024 Thomas H. Handy saw its proof rise to 127.2 during those years spent maturing in Frankfort, Kentucky, at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. This expression is always the youngest of the group and, as such, is typically the least sought-out despite frequently being one of the collection’s better offerings.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This year’s Handy begins with an impressive nuttiness, as peanuts, Valencia oranges, herbal tea, and a blend of cinnamon and brown sugar rush up from the glass to greet the nose at first. Over time, there’s an increasingly prominent mint note that latches on to the citrus aroma and forms the body of this whiskey’s stunning bouquet.
Palate: 2024’s Thomas H. Handy opens with a wonderfully heavy mouthfeel that carries orange marmalade, fresh hazelnuts, mint, dark chocolate, and drops of honey across the entirety of your palate. Chewing the whiskey reveals chunks of dark chocolate and touches of oak before it transitions to the finish.
Finish: The medium-to-long finish on this year’s Thomas H. Handy is full of orange blossom notes along with vanilla and peanut shells, making it a real treat from start to finish.
Bottom Line:
Thomas H. Handy is a perpetual dark horse in the race for crowning the best whiskey in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection each year, but 2024’s release really has some legs. By impressing at every stage, from the distinct and delightful nosing notes to the incredibly flavorful drinking experience, which extends through the satisfyingly lengthy finish, the 2024 Thomas H. Handy proves that age is only one variable in the equation of what makes high-quality whiskey.
1. George T. Stagg Bourbon
ABV: 68.05%
Average Price: $830
The Whiskey:
George T. Stagg Bourbon, first launched in 2002, has since taken the whiskey world by storm, introducing consumers to a brand of full-throated, high-intensity bourbon that has slowly become the most coveted expression of the category by enthusiasts. The 2024 George T. Stagg was matured for 15 years and 2 months.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of cinnamon rolls, with their beautifully sweet blend of baking spice, vanilla frosting, and baked pastry dough, comes tumbling out of the glass at first. Soon to follow are some impressive Rainier cherry notes, which is an unexpected zag given the proof and Stagg’s prototypical dark cherry vibes. Finally, there are some blood orange and nutmeg notes, which add nuance, along with some dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, and mature oak tones.
Palate: This bourbon entrances your palate with a sensuous, multi-layered experience right off the bat. We’re talking about cooked apples and Rainier cherries, joined by cinnamon rolls and allspice, honey, and peanut brittle, with freshly cracked black pepper and barrel spice showing up late to the party. The mouthfeel is dense, bordering on decadent, and the liquid subsumes your senses, forcing you to contend with each layer of full-bodied flavor.
Finish: The lingering finish continues the complexity found at midpalate as red apples, oak, cinnamon bark, and black pepper all have equal footing as this bourbon takes its time leaving your palate.
Bottom Line:
Simply put, George T. Stagg is the king of 2024’s BTAC releases. Not only does it have the most lengthy finish and a formidable nose, but it delivers an incredible amount of densely-packed flavor on the palate, checking every box for sublime bourbon you could ask for. In a generally loaded lineup, this year’s George T. Stagg is the power hitter that makes the team an overwhelming success.
