Five Things to Know About the 2024 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection

Reviews Are Mixed; Consensus is That Prices Are Out of Control.

The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is a group of five whiskeys that regularly top the charts for most anticipated, in-demand, hyped and sought-after bourbon and rye whiskeys each year.

Which ones are worth it? Are any of them worth the market price?

I’m not sure, but here’s what seems important…

William Larue Weller Was the Expected Favorite, and Some Agreed

Master distiller Harlen Wheatley said in the company’s announcement that he expected William Larue Weller to be this year’s standout. “The vintage offers layers upon layers of aroma complexity, followed by the most delicious caramel and complex fruits, with a flavorful, long creamy and fulfilling finish,” he said.

“At nearly 126 proof, this uncut, unfiltered whiskey is sure to satisfy those who appreciate a bold, barrel-strength pour.”

Some Critics Definitely Agreed with Buffalo Trace.

Paste Magazine’s Jim Vorel and Men’s Journal senior editor Chris Hatler both agreed with Harlen’s assessment — Vorel called out the ever-present “cherry cordial” note while Hatler became fixated on a note of salty caramel pretzel. 

But not everyone shared the sentiment.

A Few Reviews Panned It Entirely.

Podcaster Fred Minnick “This one has a lot of flavor going on, but to me it is just not buttery — it’s too alcohol forward, and I don’t want that.”

Minnick flirted with the idea of scoring this whiskey, suggesting he thought a final score might fall between 89 and 90.  “This is not going to be in the upper echelon of products that I would buy.”

David Thomas Tao had a different take — he placed Sazerac 18 (one of the collection’s rye releases) at the top, with Weller in the number two spot.

I found this interesting, especially because Hatler actively disliked Sazerac — “My lasting impression was the unpleasant bitterness from the palate,” he explained, “so I had no inclination to pick the glass up and try another sip.”

Uproxx’s Frank Dobbins III put things into context. “While you can always count on the Antique Collection to have one or two of the best bourbons of the year,” he told me, “you can usually rely on it to have one or two misses. Sazerac 18 was this year’s miss.”

As for Weller, Dobbins had this to say: “Last year’s William Larue Weller was a big-time letdown, and honestly, this year’s expression wasn’t much better.”

Everyone Agrees The Pricing Sucks.

Secondary pricing as of writing ranged from $500 to $1,600 for this year’s picks, with Thomas H. Handy Rye at the bottom, and Weller and Eagle Rare at the top.

Over at Bourbon and Banter, Steve Coomes understandable blamed retailers for the price hikes, as many of the privately owned and operated liquor stores have taken to matching the secondary with their stickers.

In fairness to them, I think it’s fair to say that everyone shares a bit of blame.

The retailers may be squeezing out value above the $150 MSRP, but they’ve begun doing so after years of secondary market re-selling showed them what’s possible, profit-wise.

Meanwhile, Buffalo Trace Distillery, which has been increasing production for some time and expects to have it doubled by 2025, will hopefully be able to put a dent in demand sooner than later. 

Minnick said he’d take Wild Turkey Rare Breed over William Larue this year, and Hatler suggested Rare Breed first among his alternatives for people who can’t track down a bottle from the BTAC. 

Perspective is Everything

Trying all the whiskey is great, don’t get me wrong. But as someone who has a history of overspending, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s important to keep your fomo in check.

At retail, you could buy about two cases of Rare Breed for the price of a bottle of Eagle Rare 17, and still have cash left over for:

• Empty BTAC Bottles to Fill with Fireball on Etsy

• Gorgeous Baccarat Tumblers from Neiman Marcus

• An Autographed George Takei Star Trek Season One Trading Card on Ebay

• Limited Edition Apple Jacks X Are You Afraid of the Dark Disposable Camera on Ebay

• Food for Disgraced and Bankrupt Former NYC Mayor Rudy Guiliani

• Panthers Season Tickets for Next Season, Probably

My Take

Blame it on my diagnosed ADHD, but I forgot to request my samples for this year until Buffalo Trace had run out.

Having tasted every BTAC collect for the better part of the last decade, I’m bummed I didn’t get to assess this year’s releases, but I can offer the following perspective for those of you weighing the cost of these incredible and incredibly hard-to-find bottles.

• If you’ve never had a BTAC release, find a great whiskey bar with good prices and order yourself a flight. Yes, it’s more expensive than buying a bottle, but whiskey is about experiences. Splurge, bring a friend, treat them if you want, and make some memories. You may not like the whiskeys, you’ll still enjoy the experience.

• If you know which bottle you love, weigh the critical reception for your favorite bottle before starting your search (the critics above are a great place to start). Yes, the draw of a “complete” collection is powerful, but there’s a lot of power in deciding it’s worth skipping a particular year. The gasps of your fellow whiskey lovers will fuel your gravitas the way Superman grows stronger in the sun’s rays.

• If you can’t afford these damn prices, buy one of the many comparably delicious whiskeys beloved among whiskey drinkers. Rare Breed, Four Roses Single Barrel, Knob Creek 12, and Green River Full Proof are all great bourbons for the price, with great structure and flavor.

• If you can buy whatever you want, grab a subscription to my newsletter, and send your butler to hunt down the collection while you supervise from aboard your mega-yacht. Invite me on board. Offer me a tasting of this year’s BTAC collection. Buy me that autographed George Takei card and listen to me say “Oh, my!” for six hours.

Whiskey’s not worth having unless it’s being cracked, poured, and shared.

That’s how I feel generally about drinks, and stuff.

— Clay