Favorite Bourbon

[finnbow]

Buffalo Trace does not actually distill anything ...

I'm not sure I understand your point. Buffalo Trace is indeed a distillery and, depending how you measure it, the oldest in the country with a production of 10 million liters/year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Trace_Distillery

 

[finnbow]

It is not, actually. Been dealing with the distilling industry. Buffalo Trace, like many others, buys grain neutral spirits (for bourbon has to be 51% corn) from another company and then dilutes, may redistill, then barrels and ages. Many do not actually do any fermentation any more.

I know this is true of a number of brands of spirits, but was not aware it applied to Buffalo Trace (or any of the other big, historical names in Kentucky Bourbon (e.g., Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey). Color me skeptical.

This website reportedly has done a pretty comprehensive job of listing what products come from which distilleries. MGP of Indiana does indeed provide the distillate for dozens of brands (over 100 of which are whiskies), but seemingly not to the big, historical houses in Kentucky.

http://recenteats.blogspot.com/p/the-complete-list-of-american-whiskey.html

Here's an interesting article of the pervasive nature of MGP juice in a number of whiskey brands:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...bly-from-a-factory-distillery-in-indiana.html

 

[+48V]

Buffalo Trace does not actually distill anything - they just dilute and age the bourbon (same with Eagle Trace). Many now just do that - Bulleit is a another example as is Blanton's.

Also, since there is a barrel shortage, of new American White Oak barrels, expect the price of bourbon to go up.

It is not, actually. Been dealing with the distilling industry. Buffalo Trace, like many others, buys grain neutral spirits (for bourbon has to be 51% corn) from another company and then dilutes, may redistill, then barrels and ages. Many do not actually do any fermentation any more.

Really? Buffalo Trace no longer mills, cooks, and ferments their own grain stock into mash on site? When did this happen?

 

[pmsummer]

Really? Buffalo Trace no longer mills, cooks, and ferments their own grain stock into mash on site? When did this happen?

Being as BT makes (almost all of) the ridiculously over-hyped Van Winkle bourbons, I somehow doubt the VW family is going to allow the use of NGS in their product at any point in the process. It would destroy their reputation overnight.

I could be wrong, but everything seems to point to BT still doing all the heavy lifting and toting the old-fashioned way.

 

[Oerets]

Last time I was there they still had tours one could take, for the Distillery you needed to reserve the time.


http://www.buffalotrace.com/distillery.html




Barney

 

[Oerets]

Being as BT makes (almost all of) the ridiculously over-hyped Van Winkle bourbons, I somehow doubt the VW family is going to allow the use of NGS in their product at any point in the process. It would destroy their reputation overnight.

I could be wrong, but everything seems to point to BT still doing all the heavy lifting and toting the old-fashioned way.

Some of the Distilleries are upset with the use of GMO corn by farmers. Finding it harder and harder to get a uncontaminated crop.



Barney

 

[pmsummer]

Buffalo Trace Distillery offers three distinct tours year-round:
Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Tours start on the hour and are complimentary.

The Trace Tour is a journey through the origins of Buffalo Trace Distillery,
bourbon in Kentucky and Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Experience a century-old aging warehouse. Walk down the line of our hand bottling
hall where all of our premium bourbons receive lots of TLC before leaving the distillery.

The Hard Hat Tour takes guests behind the scenes of the bourbon-making process
to see where the magic happens. From the grain delivery to the cooking process to the fermentation
tanks, you will see it all firsthand. This tour is available during distilling season. Please call for reservations.

The Post Prohibition Tour exposes visitors to the architecture and history of
the post-Prohibition bourbon industry. The end of Prohibition was a new beginning for the Distillery.
Buffalo Trace survived Prohibition as one of only four distilleries to remain operational
for medicinal purposes, and with repeal, America was suddenly a very thirsty nation again.
Witness the building boom that occurred during this time (1930-1950) and get a peek at some
of the future plans for Buffalo Trace Distillery. Please call for tour times.​

 

[+48V]

Yeah. A buddy of mine went on a BT tour late 2013 and he told me they were pretty much a one stop shop.

This vid from 2012 pretty much confirms his take.

http://youtu.be/C3-7jEoRt14?t=53s

It puts a damper on botrytis' claim....but I'm not dealing directly with distillers as he is; maybe they've changed things since then. :scratch2:

PS.. I find it amusing that their master distiller's name is Wheatley. lol

 

[twkted]

Knob Creek Single Barrel Select

 

[Grainger49]

Knob Creek Single Barrel Select

Oooo, I can see that would be good.

 

[twkted]

At 120 proof it's not the smoothest but the taste is as good as it gets IMO.

 

[finnbow]

At 120 proof it's not the smoothest but the taste is as good as it gets IMO.

It is indeed excellent, but it also pretty "hot" with alcohol. I can't fully enjoy it without a healthy splash of water.

 

[pmsummer]

http://firstwefeast.com/drink/pappy-van-winkle-bourbon-facts/

Just for your FYI -

"So what's the story behind this liquid gold? Based in Frankfort, KY, the Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery is not actually a distillery at all, but rather a company that contracts the production of its coveted spirits to Buffalo Trace. Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle, for whom the bourbon is named, started selling whiskey in 1893 as a salesman for W. L. Weller. He would eventually go on to become the president of the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, which produced many well-respected whiskeys through the 1960s. However, years after Pappy passed away, stockholders forced the sale of the distillery; to keep the family tradition alive, Julian Van Winkle III and his father started buying back barrels of their own bourbon and bottling it under the Old Rip Van Winkle label (some of which is still being sold today)."


Buffalo Trace cannot produce enough neutral spirits on it's own to keep up with demand, hence why they are buying it. Often times, the internal and external are blended together.

I don't discount the idea that BT buys NGS for some of their lower mainstream products. I still seriously doubt their flagship brands would be done that way. It's a BIG operation, with huge capacity.

 

[S Levi W]

I have always wanted to try a bottle of Woodford Reserve. I haven't found a reason to stray too far away from Makers Mark. Although I did receive a bottle of Old Forrester for Christmas last year. It too was enjoyable.

JD

Maker's Mark... no reason to question your choice there.

 

[twkted]

It is indeed excellent, but it also pretty "hot" with alcohol. I can't fully enjoy it without a healthy splash of water.

Agreed.

 

[pmsummer]

Very Old Barton BIB 100 Proof.

Hot chit, but good chit.

 

[bobabode]

Jus' a lil' bit of Ol' Weller 107. :yes:

 

[twkted]

Had to try a bottle of the Weller after hearing all the rants on here. Good stuff, my first wheated but not my last.

 

[Russellc]

Gave Blanton's a try. Very good bourbon. Caramel,honey, vanilla, oak on the nose.

I've tried that long ago...fairly good sour mash, but PVW (the S-W type) it is not.

Russellc

 

[Russellc]

Buffalo Trace does not actually distill anything - they just dilute and age the bourbon (same with Eagle Trace). Many now just do that - Bulleit is a another example as is Blanton's.

Also, since there is a barrel shortage, of new American White Oak barrels, expect the price of bourbon to go up.

where to start with all this misinformation....dear dear. BT has nothing to do with Bulleit, and I have never heard of Eagle Trace...maybe you mean Eagle Rare? And finally, yes there is a distillery there!

http://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/content/buffalo-trace-distillery

Russellc