Glorious “Once in a Life Time” Buffalo Trace Tasting

The Tasting:

This past week, I took in “Once in a Lifetime” Buffalo Trace Tasting.  There were seven different bourbons to sample and a bonus of a 1978 Old Commonwealth that was opened for the evening for everyone to sample.  The idea for the tasting started with the 1978 bottle and then grew from there.

What was on the tasting menu?  Well, this menu had seven hard-to-find bourbons.  These are allocated in my state and may not be in others.  Here is the list:

      • E.H. Taylor (SB)

      • Stagg Jr.

      • Elmer T. Lee

      • Blanton’s

      • Weller 12 YR

      • Buffalo Trace

      • Eagle Rare

    EH Tayler, Stagg Jr, Elmer T Lee, Blanton's, Weller 12, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare

    A person from the distillery and the local distributor were at the tasting.  The Club Manager was also available to answer questions and give insight into each bourbon being tasted.  These bourbons have a history at the Buffalo (O.F.C) Distillery.  The name Old Fashioned Copper Distillery was born in 1870 and was way ahead of its time.  E.H. Taylor was the man who named the distillery and used the copper vats and column stills to produce the bourbon.  Taylor was very particular and needed everything perfect for the bourbon to get the name and place it into the barrels.  The distillery is believed to be the oldest continuously operating distillery in the US, now owned by the Sazerac Company.

    The person from the distillery did a nice job of giving the history of the bourbons and the men who created them.  The person was not forthcoming with details about the bourbons like age, proof, or mash bill.  Stated a few times that not informing people of this information was company policy.  Well, the proof is on the bottle, and the club manager would answer the questions, which was awkward.  They also didn’t want to answer any age questions.  This was a bit tougher as the only age statement is the Weller.  The person also didn’t want to answer about the OFC Rickhouse at Buffalo Trace Distillery being haunted.  Personally, I have been on that haunted tour at the distillery, and the guide takes you into that Rickhouse and talks about it being haunted.

    Surprise:

    Another great surprise for the evening was to see a bottle of 1995 OFC.  This was the first time I saw one of these bottles, and the enclosure and case are quite impressive.  The bottle was for display purposes only, and we did not get to taste it; it was amazing to see.

    1995 O.F.C

    Here is an image of the 1978 Old Commonwealth bottle.  It’s probably the oldest bottle of bourbon or any spirit I have ever tasted.  The bourbon was smooth and had no “Kentucky Hug.”  To me, it tasted very strong oak with strong vanilla flavors.

    1978 Old Commonwealth

    Of all of the bourbons, my favorite was the Weller 12.  This had a nice mouth feel, and the flavor stayed with you throughout the sip.  It was very smooth on the way down without any burning sensation.  The wheat and sweetness prevailed in the taste and had a nice, oaky finish.

    The Stagg Jr. was the hottest of the bourbons that was sampled.  It came in at 132 proof from what the club manager informed us.  Neat, there was a punch when you sampled.  Add a drop of water or two, the heat disappears, and the flavor comes through.  This is not for anyone who doesn’t like high-proof bourbon.  This was the least favorite in the group that did the sampling.  I enjoyed it, and my least favorite was the Blantons.  To me, Blantons is more marketing than flavor.

    Conclusion:

    In conclusion, the Once in a Lifetime” Buffalo Trace Tasting was a great evening sampling rare bourbons.  I hope to add a bottle or two of these to my collection. I need to be at the right place at the right time or have a friend who can grab a bottle that works at a distributor or win a raffle.  Hope you have the opportunity to try one or all of these great bourbons.

    Cheers!!

    Junior