Eagle Rare / Buffalo Trace Whiskey

[parshooter]

Originally Posted by dhaus

If you like Buffalo Trace, you have to try Elmer T. Lee. He is/was the master distiller there and picks out a few barrels each year that he puts his name on. That may or may not be true, but it IS some incredibly smooth and tastey bourbon.

I don't know about that. I just picked up a bottle of Elmer at about $25. If he only put his name on a few barrels a year, it would be much more expensive. It is good stuff, and I really like the ER10 also

[Che]

Originally Posted by Cotton

I don't know about that. I just picked up a bottle of Elmer at about $25. If he only put his name on a few barrels a year, it would be much more expensive. It is good stuff, and I really like the ER10 also

The simplest way to look at this, and it does not necessarily apply only to Buffalo Trace's operation - but using them for an example... basically they have x # of warehouses - those various warehouses are filled with barrels of whiskey. Certain warehouses generally house what is originally hoped to become brand x when the maturation process is finished.

Given that, what do we suppose happens to a barrel that should be brand x after what ever amount of years, but does not fit the taste profile of brand x? Are such misfits donated to charity? Or perhaps used where ever they do fit in with the numerous brand names the distillery has in its portfolio?

If I remember correctly, Nova mentioned a visit to BT's facilities. I'm curious if things were still the same - as I recall just about every barrel in their facilities was stencil painted "Ancient Age" - that still correct, Nova?

That's all to emphasize that Elmer's name isn't on a few barrels (least not in advance). He selected barrels from Trace's stock for brands Elmer T. Lee and Blanton's as he found fit. Both brands are single barrel productions, thus the process is already as it is and probably as expensive as it would get. That's in part because each dump & bottling segment is 1 barrel's worth @ a time which that is what ("single barrel") implies.

When you see barrels that a merchant outright purchased & received compliments of BT's "barrel purchase program", the generic whiskey title (Ancient Age) usually has been sanded off the barrel and a brand-specific name has been stenciled back on in place - thus you see "Elmer T. Lee".

[Joey Link]

I've been trying for the life of me to appreciate my bottle of Buffalo Trace. It's just so 'different' from the bourbons I'm used to drinking that I'm having a difficult time (though I am enjoying the experience). I also have a bottle of Eagle Rare, which I do like.

[dhaus]

I guess my comment about Elmer T. Lee and "a few barrels" was relative. When checking barrels for bottling, he selects barrels that he feels are, for whatever reason, better than the others of the buffalo trace stock and puts his name on those bottles. This bourbon is single barrel, and each bottle has the barrel, warehouse, date of distillation and date of bottling on it. That is the marketing hype. Like che says, they were already in the barrel and maturing so the cost is fixed. Now, whether the hype is true or not, I have to say this bourbon really works for me. I started with Makers Mark, then tried Woodford Reserve. I really liked both of those. My liquor store then told me, if you like WR, you have to try Elmer T. Lee (which they sell at the same price as WR). They were right. I love it as much as I love my single malts - Macallan, Glenlivet, Balvenie and Laphraoig. Scotch was my first love, but this bourbon can hold its own among them.

[Che]

Originally Posted by dhaus

I guess my comment about Elmer T. Lee and "a few barrels" was relative. When checking barrels for bottling, he selects barrels that he feels are, for whatever reason, better than the others of the buffalo trace stock and puts his name on those bottles. This bourbon is single barrel, and each bottle has the barrel, warehouse, date of distillation and date of bottling on it. That is the marketing hype. Like che says, they were already in the barrel and maturing so the cost is fixed. Now, whether the hype is true or not, I have to say this bourbon really works for me. I started with Makers Mark, then tried Woodford Reserve. I really liked both of those. My liquor store then told me, if you like WR, you have to try Elmer T. Lee (which they sell at the same price as WR). They were right. I love it as much as I love my single malts - Macallan, Glenlivet, Balvenie and Laphraoig. Scotch was my first love, but this bourbon can hold its own among them.

One point I had hoped to emphasize is because single barrel is a process of bottling 1 barrel at a time, rather than the continuous bottling of a vatting of many / multiple barrels, it is a more expensive process if for nothing else because it is more time consuming to start and stop the process per individual barrel.

[MadAl]

Picked up some Russell Rare. Nice, smooth, sipping bourbon