American Whiskey Review #32: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Distillery: Buffalo Trace

Region: Kentucky

Price: $24

ABV: 45%

Age: NAS

Color: 1.3, Russet/Muscat.

Nose: Slightly bourbon smell of corn mash and cherry along with a large helping of alcohol.

Palate: Rather thin mouthfeel, it does go down easily though. There’s some sweet corn and a hint of citrus.

Finish: Medium in length. There’s a bit of cinnamon and lots of oak.

Conclusion: Buffalo Trace is probably the most in-demand distillery in America and while I’ve had a few of their offerings, I’d never tried the namesake. Having had it, I’m not sure why it’s as popular as it is. The nose gives off far too much alcohol than it should, the flavor in the palate is simple and somewhat lacking, and the finish is just okay. Perhaps the only thing going for it are it’s price point and the fact that it’s smooth. Still, for a similar price, I’d much rather go with Elijah Craig‘s basic offering which offers a bit more flavor.

Final Score: 70.

American Whiskey Review #31, Bourbon Review #26, Whisky Network Review #222

Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
• 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible).
• 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
• 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
• 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.