Fans of ‘80s horror flicks will be no stranger to American werewolves In London, but what about American whiskeys in London? Later this year, Buffalo Trace will put down roots in England’s capital, bringing its whiskeys, wares, and a real taste of bourbon country to the city, in a move that’s the first of its kind for any American distillery.
Buffalo Trace's new, 2,000-square-foot location will be on Long Acre in London’s Covent Garden, the West End neighborhood famous for its shopping, restaurants, and theaters. But why London in the first place? “London is an ideal location for our first brand home outside the U.S., not only because of its prominence in the UK, but because it’s the No.-1 American whiskey market outside the States,” explains global brand director Andrew Duncan. For those unfamiliar with the city’s layout, Covent Garden is nestled just north of the River Thames, and about 1 mile east of Buckingham Palace.
The new outpost will feature a sensory experience, reflecting what guests can taste, see, smell, and hear at Buffalo Trace Distillery, with the idea of transporting international visitors to Frankfort, Kentucky. Precise details on what that will entail largely remain to be seen, but two separate tasting flights will be offered (hitting the “taste” and “smell” parts of the sensory experience) at a bar on-site. The first flight, Taste of the Trace, will offer pours of Buffalo Trace bourbon, Sazerac rye, and the distillery’s Bourbon Cream, as well as an optional sampling of its Bourbon and Ginger Ale cocktail. The second tasting—Tradition & Change—will skew higher-end and focus exclusively on bourbon, with pours of White Dog Mash #1, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare 10 year old, E.H. Taylor Small Batch, and a Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned.
Aside from the tasting experience and sharing how its brands are made, Buffalo Trace Distillery London will also feature a retail component, where Londoners and tourists will be able to purchase whiskey—namely the core expressions, but more rarefied bottlings will be available in its opening months—as well as merchandise exclusive to the new location.
For those loving the thought of sipping on some Buffalo Trace in London Town, know that, much like at the distillery’s home base, reservations are required for tasting appointments, and pre-booking is encouraged at buffalotracedistillery.co.uk. Reservations are set to open in the next few weeks, but until then, interested parties can join the waitlist, also on the website.
