Every fall, whiskey devotees anticipate the release of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)—a series of rare and coveted whiskeys made by Kentucky-based Buffalo Trace Distillery. The 2024 collection has just been announced, and it’s starting to make its way into stores, bars, and restaurants around the country.
The very first BTAC hit the scene over two decades ago, and back then it only included three expressions: Eagle Rare 17 year old bourbon, Weller 19 year old wheated bourbon, and Sazerac 18 year old rye, all bottled at 45%. Over the years George T. Stagg bourbon and Thomas H. Handy rye would join the party, while Weller 19 would be subbed out in favor of the younger William Larue Weller.
The BTAC lineup hasn’t changed all that much in recent years, typically featuring the same five labels with the main differences being proofs and age statements. Generally speaking, the 2024 collection turns up slightly younger than last year’s group, though some proof points have seen a slight bump.
Another area that’s seen an increase is the SRP: Each bottle in the 2024 collection has a recommended retail price of $150, up from last year’s $125 and the $100 seen in years prior. But as is also the case with Buffalo Trace’s other allocated whiskeys, you can expect to pay much more than that. BTAC bottlings are a particular favorite with collectors, and some of last year’s batches can be found at prices upward of $2,200 on the secondary market.
The 2024 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection
William Larue Weller Bourbon, 62.9%
The 2024 William Larue Weller wheated bourbon spent over 12 years aging on the lower floors of Buffalo Trace’s rickhouses. It entered the barrel at 57% ABV, and was bottled at 62.9%. This year’s batch has some sentimental importance, as it marks the 25th anniversary of parent company Sazerac’s acquisition of the Weller brand from drinks multinational Diageo back in 1999. Since then Weller has risen to become one of the many stars in Buffalo Trace’s whiskey portfolio, alongside other beloved brands like Blanton’s, E.H. Taylor, and Eagle Rare.
Eagle Rare 17 year old Bourbon, 50.1%
This fan-favorite bourbon was distilled in the spring of 2007, and arrives at 101 proof—a nod to the original Eagle Rare bourbon distilled by Four Roses (then called Old Prentice Distillery) in the mid-'70s. The precise age statement is 17 years and 4 months old, a downturn from last year’s iteration which included 19 year old juice.
George T. Stagg Bourbon, 68.05%
Made from the distillery’s popular mashbill No. 1, George T. Stagg is essentially the older and stronger cousin of Buffalo Trace’s flagship bourbon—presented unfiltered and at cask strength. This year’s version is 15 years and 2 months old, just a month younger than the one released in the 2023 BTAC, and it’s bottled at an eye-watering 136.1 proof.
Sazerac 18 year old Rye, 45%
This is the mainline Sazerac 6 year old, which has a low-rye mashbill, aged for an additional 12 years. The recipe doesn’t vary too much year to year—keeping the same age and proof.
Thomas H. Handy Rye, 63.6%
This one is also related to the classic low-rye Sazerac rye whiskey, aged no less than 6 years old and bottled uncut and unfiltered. Last year’s version was bottled at 124.9 proof— the lowest strength we’ve seen from a BTAC Handy rye since 2006—but this year’s has leaped to 127.2.
