On Tuesday, October 7, Buffalo Trace Distillery hosted a tasting event at New York’s Walker Hotel for a first look at its highly anticipated 2025 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley guided journalists through this history-making BTAC collection, which now includes an EH Taylor bourbon. "It was important for Buffalo Trace to cement the legacy of EH Taylor," says Andrew Duncan, Global Director - Bourbon & American Whiskey. "In particular, because of his impact on our distillery and the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897, which ultimately ushered in the creation of the FDA."

History Of The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection

The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) is an annual release that showcases the distillery's rarest and most exceptional whiskeys. The collection made its debut in 2000 with three core expressions: Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon, and William Larue Weller bourbon. It expanded in 2002 with the addition of George T. Stagg bourbon and again in 2006 when Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye joined the lineup. The addition of the Colonel EH Taylor Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon marks the first expansion of the BTAC collection in two decades, bringing the total number of releases to six: four bourbons and two ryes. Harlen Wheatley, who was named Master Distiller in 2005, has guided the collection since its inception.

Ranked: The 2025 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection

This ranking was done by Orlando Lima, Manager of TSR, board member of American Craft Spirits Association, and frequent spirits judge for competitions such as World Whiskies Awards, Barleycorn Awards, and others. Lima prefers Buffalo Trace's bourbons over their ryes. He's repeatedly ranked George T. Stagg as the top whiskey in the BTAC collection, with Handy and Weller usually rounding out his top 3. This ranking is entirely biased to his taste profile and preferences.

Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey - #6

This Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye whiskey was gracefully aged for 18 years and 5 months, and is bottled at its traditional 90 Proof. This venerable Kentucky-style rye is celebrated for its intricate layers of flavor that develop over nearly two decades of maturation.

ORLANDO'S TAKE Stone fruits and strawberry on the nose, followed by a light mouthfeel. The palate has a juxtaposition of sweetness and sourness like a candied granny smith apple. The finish is long but isn't overpowering. With water, the sour notes become much more present. If you like a delicate rye that's more tart than sweet, this is the whiskey for you.

Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon - #5

This year's Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon, includes barrels as old as 18 years and 4 months, and is bottled at 101 Proof. Eagle Rare continues to be Buffalo Trace's primary whiskey for experimenting with extended aging techniques.

ORLANDO'S TAKE It's primarily brown sugar on the nose backed by a curious savory element that brings to mind a tasty sandwich made with fresh bread. The mouthfeel is medium. It's rather flavorful for the proof; equally sweet and spicy. The finish isn't strong, but it does linger. With water, the mouthfeel gets drier. It expresses its age well, but I wish it was a higher proof.

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey - #4

The Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, is the youngest whiskey in the collection. It's traditionally bottled at six years and barrel proof. The 2025 release is aged for six years and three months and bottled at a powerful 129.8 proof. This uncut and unfiltered expression is known for its energetic and full-flavored approach to rye whiskey.

ORLANDO'S TAKE Handy is usually in my top two. The nose has a touch of rye spice but it's also fairly sweet. The mouthfeel is full-bodied and precedes a palate that's heavy on grape notes. The finish is dry. With water it almost takes on the flavor of a cognac-finished whiskey with an intense amount of dark fruit notes. Who doesn't like a Handy? It's very good, and I could see this being other people's favorite. But this year, the bourbons were just a bit better to me.

William Larue Weller Bourbon - #3

The coveted William Larue Weller once again offers its signature wheated profile. This barrel-proof bourbon was aged for 12 years and 7 months, and bottled at 129 proof. Sharing a mash bill with the legendary Pappy Van Winkle, this high-proof wheater always showcases a rich and complex character.

ORLANDO'S TAKE The sweetest nose in the collection akin to a sugarcane. The mouthfeel is extra full and viscous. The palate is potent with the high-fructose note on the nose transforming into more of a burnt, caramelized sugar. The finish is long and bold. From start to finish, you can tell this is high proof. With water, it's still strong but also tremendously sweet and juicy. If you like wheated bourbons, this delivers on everything the Weller line stands for.

George T. Stagg Bourbon - #2

A perennial powerhouse in the collection, this uncut and unfiltered, high-proof bourbon is known for powerful and intense flavors, beloved by proof snobs. This year's George T. Stagg Bourbon is a hazmat-drinker's dream whiskey, aged for 15 years and 4 months, and bottled at a robust 142.8 Proof.

ORLANDO'S TAKE HAZMAT ALERT! Your nose hairs are going to twinkle on this one. Despite the proof, it doesn't burn the nose or the palate. The mouthfeel is full without being cloying and syrupy. The palate is big and bold. The bourbon sweetness is there and that Buffalo Trace rich, cherry note comes through. The finish has a lot of spice that stays with you, but it's hitting in the chest not the throat. It's more of those peppered rye notes than proof. With water it still drinks strong in the best way possible. If you like cask strength bourbon, this is unbeatable.

Colonel EH Taylor Bourbon - #1

The newest addition to the BTAC lineup pays homage to Colonel EH Taylor Jr. and his work to establish the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, which set a new standard for purity and transparency in American whiskey production. In keeping with the act's requirements, this bourbon is bottled at 100 proof. While the law only requires a minimum of four years of aging, this bourbon comes in at an impressive 15 years and 4 months old.

ORLANDO'S TAKE What a way to enter the chat! This EH Taylor showed up and showed out. It has that signature Buffalo Trace cherry on the nose and a wonderful mouthfeel that's full for 100 proof. It's not too light, and not too thick. Upfront on the palate you get a spice in the graham/ginger family that transitions into the traditional high-corn bourbon sweetness Buffalo Trace is known for. The finish lingers and those rye spices come back at the end. That finish is fantastic. With water, the entire sip is even better. It's wonderfully balanced, encapsulating everything you believe a traditional Kentucky bourbon should stand for. It's not as complex as the Stagg, but if 100-110 proof is your go-to range, you will adore this bottle. It's an elevated version of EH Taylor Small Batch, and the additional aging shows how great this mash bill can be when aged for 15 years. Give Harlen Wheatley his props. He innovates. The only question is, can he and his team do it again next year. To be continued...

All photographs courtesy of Buffalo Trace Distillery.