Hi Bourbon enthusiast
You must be 21 or over to enter this website. If you're not old enough to drink, then you're not old enough to read Breaking Bourbon.
Please read and drink responsibly.
You must be 21 or over to enter this website. If you're not old enough to drink, then you're not old enough to read Breaking Bourbon.
Please read and drink responsibly.
In October 2023, Buffalo Trace announced The Prohibition Collection. This annual limited-edition, multi-bottle collection was created to honor the whiskeys that were legally produced and sold at the site of the Buffalo Trace distillery during “arguably the most contentious time period in alcohol history,” according to the company. What they’re referring to of course, is Prohibition, which lasted from 1920-1933. The Buffalo Trace Distillery, though it operated under the George T. Stagg Distillery name at the time, was one of only four Kentucky distilleries capable of producing whiskey by the end of Prohibition. This inaugural release celebrates Prohibition era brands. It’s made up of five 375mL bottles and comes complete with a custom wooden display case at an asking price of $999.99 for the set. It’s distributed to retailers, bars, and restaurants nationwide, but expect quantities to be limited, and pricing to consumers to be quite a bit higher in many stores due to demand.
The concept for this new Collection is astute and timely. Buffalo Trace whiskeys are in high demand, as the company has proven any new, limited release they put out is met with consumer appetite that seems to have no limits. More importantly, the site of the Buffalo Trace Distillery offers a lot of history to uncover, which can be associated with revitalized brands. Located in Frankfort, Kentucky, Buffalo Trace Distillery is believed to be the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States (though exact history gets a little murky as it dates as far back as 1775). Over the years, the distillery has seen ownership change hands numerous times, and has operated under various names including the O.F.C. Distillery and the aforementioned George T. Stagg Distillery. The distillery is currently owned by the Sazerac Company, a storied privately held family company with nearly 400 years of history who acquired it in 1992, and later renamed it Buffalo Trace in 1999, in honor of the ancient buffalo trackway that crosses the Kentucky River in Franklin, Kentucky.
The Prohibition Collection’s first release pays homage to five brands with roots in the era, though future annual releases may highlight different revitalized brands or Prohibition era references. Buffalo Trace also paid close attention to the labeling of these whiskeys in an effort to stay true to each of the highlighted brands. While the labels generally refer to most bottles in the Collection as simply “Whiskey,” forgoing the inclusion of the “Straight” designation and even the “Bourbon” designation when it could have otherwise been used, the whiskeys are more specific than that. According to our conversations with Buffalo Trace, the Collection includes two straight bourbons, one straight wheated bourbon, one straight rye, along with a blend of straight bourbons that is in fact, bottled in bond.
We had the opportunity to taste all five bottles in this set. We found them to be fairly consistently above average to well above average and nicely constructed overall, though no single whiskey stood out as a showstopper. Perhaps just a mind trick, there was a hint of a “dusty” quality in one of the whiskeys tasted. With that being said, the whiskeys generally have a unique quality about them that makes them distinctly their own and different from Buffalo Trace’s other current offerings.
You can find full tasting notes, thoughts, and ratings for each whiskey in this Collection below.
Classification: Blended Whiskey (Blend of Straight Bourbons)
Company: Sazerac Company
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Release Date: October 2023
Proof: 100
Age: NAS (Aged at least 4 years per TTB regulations)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Gold
MSRP: $1,000 / Set of five 375mL bottles (2023)
Nose: Sweet corn | Kettle corn | Vanilla nougat | Raspberry-flavored whipped cream | Mellow charred oak | Light & sweet
Palate: Leather | Butter | Rye spice | Brief floral notes | Touch earthy
Finish: Oak | Caramel | Brief hit of rye spice | Light cinnamon bark
Originally a rye before transitioning to a bonded and then a blended whiskey, its latest iteration seems to take inspirations from each of these periods. Now a 100 proof bottled in bond whiskey, Three Feathers Whiskey was created by Buffalo Trace’s Master Blender Drew Mayville and features some baseline flavor similarities with other the company’s whiskeys. Yet, as a blended whiskey of which the company doesn’t offer in their standard brand portfolio, it tastes distinctly its own.
Three Feather’s nose is its most striking element with big bouts of sweet scents throughout. Sweet corn is layered with kettle corn and vanilla nougat, with raspberry-flavored whipped cream adding a delightful crescendo to its sweet bouquet. Its palate starts off in a straightforward manner with leather and butter at the forefront which are not flavors that you typically taste at the onset of a sip. The palate soon offers a bout of rye spice that returns in the whiskey’s final act, which harkens back to its roots. There is also a fleeting floral and earthy notes which further add to its uniqueness, but they serve as more of a momentary intrigue than hardened base flavors. The finish ends in an unspectacular manner, relying on oak, caramel, rye spice, and light cinnamon.
It would be fascinating to learn just what Buffalo Trace whiskeys Mayville used to create Three Feathers. It definitely has a blended whiskey taste about it, as it never leans too hard in any one direction. It’s well constructed but it never tries to make a bold impression, as it seems content being simply a nice gentle sipper above all else. -Eric
Classification: Whiskey (Straight Bourbon)
Company: Sazerac Company
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Release Date: October 2023
Proof: 132.4
Age: NAS (Aged at least 4 years per TTB regulations)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Walnut
MSRP: $1,000 / Set of five 375mL bottles (2023)
Nose: Tobacco leaf | Charred oak | Leather | Vanilla | Cigar box
Palate: Luxardo cherries | Oak | Tobacco leaf | Peppercorn spice
Finish: Pop of syrup | Dry oak | Leather | Vanilla powder | Undulating heat | Lingering
The name “Stagg” sends bourbon drinkers into a frenzy when it’s mentioned, with consumers clamoring to get their hand on a bottle of Stagg or George T. Stagg. According to Buffalo Trace, “Old Stagg would become the flagship whiskey brand for the George T. Stagg Distillery at the tail end of Prohibition, taking the place of O.F.C. bourbon. Made to honor George T. Stagg, who owned and operated the distillery in the late 1800s, the brand would be used in several ads and sales materials in the years after Prohibition. Today, the brand lives on as Stagg and George T. Stagg, both barrel proof whiskeys that have their roots in this Prohibition era brand."
Old Stagg delivers an expressive sip that highlights earthier notes with just a touch of sweetness. It opens with drier notes of tobacco leaf, charred oak, and a defined cigar box note. The palate pulls forth a Luxardo cherries note which brings a subtle hint of sweetness to the contrasting dry oak and tobacco notes. The sweetness carries over to start the finish, which quickly transitions to dry oak and leather along with a lingering undulating heat that shines a light on the whiskey’s high proof.
The number one question on whiskey drinkers’ minds is how this compares to Stagg and George T. Stagg. While Old Stagg is a whiskey and the other two are bourbons, they share similar traits. All three carry the signature high proof that the Stagg name signifies and earthier expressive notes are also present. I tried a pour of Old Stagg directly next to a pour of 2023 George T. Stagg and found more similarities than not. While this year's George T. Stagg highlighted more raisin notes along with a chewier finish which allows it to edge out Old Stagg, this release will please high-proof whiskey lovers just as much. -Jordan
Classification: Whiskey (Straight Bourbon)
Company: Sazerac Company
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Release Date: October 2023
Proof: 110
Age: NAS (Aged at least 4 years per TTB regulations)
Mashbill: Undisclosed (Contains wheat)
Color: Gold
MSRP: $1,000 / Set of five 375mL bottles (2023)
Nose: Strawberry cream | Sugared walnuts | Dark brown sugar | Sweet oak
Palate: Cherrywood | Browned butter | Mild molasses | Light citrus
Finish: Cocoa powder | Bold oak | Rye spice | Touch of clove
“Spiritus Frumenti” is a Latin saying that translates to “Spirit of the Grain.” According to Buffalo Trace, it existed as a generic name for medicinal whiskey during Prohibition. The name Stagg in current times is known for its high octane high proof pour, and despite Spiritus Frumenti’s lower 110 proof, it still retains shades of that potency.
This wheated bourbon’s nose has a delightful start with a strong strawberry cream scent upfront and equally strong sugared walnuts, dark brown sugar, and sweet oak base notes behind it. It’s an aroma that works because of its balance of sweet and savory scents against its strong but manageable intensity. The palate offers a wonderful cherrywood note upfront that again, finds balances with its sweet, fruit and wood notes. It quickly transitions to browned butter, before a light molasses note takes over mid palate. A light and fleeting citrus note is offered as the finish dramatically shifts to cocoa powder, bold oak, rye spice, and a touch of clove.
Overall, George T. Stagg Distillery Spiritus Frumenti is a nicely balanced, classic tasting bourbon that even has hints of dusty-like qualities about it. Perhaps it's my mind playing tricks on me, but its sip has a nice classic style consistency to it and its flavors back it up well. It has more in common with flavors found in the company’s William Larue Weller releases than their Weller line, which is a pleasant surprise and it speaks to the effectiveness of this bourbon. -Eric
Classification: Whiskey (Straight Bourbon)
Company: Sazerac Company
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Release Date: October 2023
Proof: 90
Age: NAS (Aged at least 4 years per TTB regulations)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Yellow Gold
MSRP: $1,000 / Set of five 375mL bottles (2023)
Nose: Honeycomb | Vanilla wafer | Faint oak | Slightly floral | Faint peach pie
Palate: Light syrup | Gentle peppercorn spice | Dab of oak | Sweet stone fruits
Finish: Leather | Oak | Dry cinnamon | Peppercorn spice
Walnut Hill held close interest to the president of the George T. Stagg Distillery. According to Buffalo Trace, “During Prohibition, the George T. Stagg Distillery often bottled brands, like Walnut Hill, for other companies. Our records show the President of the George T. Stagg Distillery, Albert Blanton (who would later have the world’s first single barrel bourbon named after him), overseeing the production of this brand. Notes from his correspondence with the United States Patent Office in December 1932 show his direct responsibility over the bottling of Walnut Hill.”
The lowest proof whiskey of the Prohibition Collection, Walnut Hill is gentle in nature throughout its entire sip. It opens with lighter scents that carry with them hints of sweetness. The midpoint continues the gentleness with soft sweet and spice notes, along with a more prominent note of sweet stone fruits. Ending on a drier tone, the finish highlights a burst of spice which tempers down and lingers as it’s joined by additional leather and oak notes.
Being the lowest proof whiskey of the set doesn’t necessarily mean that Walnut Hill has to be the most straightforward of the group, but that’s exactly how its sip plays out. The whiskey’s overall profile is on the lighter side, with more straightforward flavor characteristics comparatively to the rest of the set. While its individual components are good, I expected more from this whiskey that’s included in a set of this caliber. -Jordan
Classification: Rye (Straight Rye)
Company: Sazerac Company
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Release Date: October 2023
Proof: 107
Age: NAS (Aged at least 4 years per TTB regulations)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Gold
MSRP: $1,000 / Set of five 375mL bottles (2023)
Nose: Rye spice | Herbal essence | Dill | Green peppercorn | Stewed fruit | Light seasoned oak | Metallic note | Tingles the nostrils
Palate: Honey | Graham cracker | Dill | Pepper | Very viscous, maple syrup-like consistency | Rye spice on the backend
Finish: Rye spice increases gradually in intensity throughout the finish | Green grape | Caramel | Honey
According to Buffalo Trace, the Golden Wedding brand “dates back to 1869 and was originally produced by Schenley Distilling at the Joseph S. Finch Distillery in Pennsylvania. During Prohibition, its bottling was split between Schenley’s Pennsylvania distillery and the George T. Stagg Distillery. In the late 1940’s, the brand was moved to Schenley’s distillery in Canada and would become a Canadian whiskey before ceasing to exist in the late 20th century.” Bourbon historian and author Michael Veach provides a more in-depth history of the brand.
2023’s tribute to Golden Wedding is a grain-forward rye with an herbal undertone that highlights notes of dill, green peppercorn, and rye spice throughout. The intensity of rye spice is evident on the nose, but much more subdued at the onset of the palate, instead increasing in intensity to ultimately reach a high point late in the finish. Sweeter flavors of stewed fruit, honey, graham cracker, green grape, and caramel emerge throughout the sip, contrasting the undulating spice notes.
What’s most striking about the sip, however, is its unusually viscous mouthfeel, which borders a maple syrup-like consistency. While it was not distilled near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania like the original brand, there is something unique about this rye that is unlike other ryes produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery. As a result, somehow its unusual flavor profile just works. -Nick
