Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old Releases

Sazerac Rye 18 Year-Old holds a significant place in the history of Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection. It was one of the three original releases in the collection’s first edition, which debuted in the year 2000. The other two releases accompanying Sazerac Rye 18 Year-Old were Eagle Rare 17 Year-Old and W.L. Weller 19 Year-Old.

It is worth noting that Sazerac Rye 18 Year-Old derives its name from its parent company, Sazerac Company. Founded by Thomas H. Handy in the mid-19th century, Sazerac Company has played a pivotal role in shaping the American whiskey industry.

Sazerac Rye 18 Year-Old has gained recognition among whiskey enthusiasts for its exceptional quality and craftsmanship. As part of Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection, it represents a rare and sought-after expression of aged rye whiskey.

The release of Sazerac Rye 18 Year-Old showcases Buffalo Trace’s commitment to producing premium spirits with rich flavors and complexity. Whiskey connoisseurs often appreciate its smoothness, well-balanced character, and notes of spice and oak.

In 2005, Sazerac 18 Year-Old whiskey received the prestigious title of American Whisky of the Year by Whisky Advocate. To ensure the quality of their spring 1985 distillate, Buffalo Trace made a unique decision. Instead of risking over-oaking the whiskey during its aging process, they chose to halt it by transferring the barrels into stainless steel tanks.

This careful approach allowed Buffalo Trace to maintain the desired flavor profile and prevent any undesirable effects that prolonged aging could have on the whiskey. From 2006 through 2015, Sazerac 18 Year-Old was produced from this stainless steel stored whiskey.

Starting in 2016, Sazerac 18 Year Old was produced using barreled whiskey from the spring of 1998, which ended the use of the 2006 distillate.