Buffalo Trace: Our Unfiltered Review 

On my wedding night, my wife and I went to a really nice steakhouse. I saw GTS at the bar, and I’ve wanted to try it for years. I ordered a 2oz pour. The manager came to my table and said it was on the house! It was, by far, the best bourbon that I’ve ever tasted. That says a lot, too.

You should do this for all the large distilleries as a series

This is an honest review. People bash BT products like they're not good. They are. It's just the crazy secondary pricing that raises the question "is it that good?"

I like Buffalo Trace products, but I'm not chasing them. I won't spend a lot of money to sit on the shelf to impress someone. I'm a Wild Turkey profile palate, but love Heaven Hill also. I'll buy available stuff at $20-$90 and enjoy them as opposed to $1K to stare at. Just my opinion. Love you're content. I'm 64 and my son is 26; I've been getting him into bourbon as a thing to do together 🥃❤️🥃

Get well Kurt! I like Buffalo Trace products. In my opinion, I will not spend more than $125 for any bourbon. There are so many fantastic bourbons out there for under $100. REDWOOD EMPIRE, RARE BREED, MAKERS MARK, etc, etc. I learned all my bourbon knowledge from SLB and you 2 characters!

"Able-to-get-it-ness" Very descriptive term. love it.

Ancient Age and Benchmark are pretty much always around our part of Indiana.

Thanks guys! Great video I appreciate your honesty.

Glad you're feeling better, Kurt! I totally agree with you about how frustrating and aggravating it is to not be able to find this stuff! Here in SE Texas I do see Weller Special Reserve and the regular Buffalo Trace kinda often, but nothing like a few short years ago. And the rest? Forget it!!! I, too, have pretty much just put it out of my mind hoping to find any of those. I love Early Times and WT101 is probably my second go-to daily drinker. I do enjoy Rare Breed, Woodford and especially their Double Oaked! Thanks for the great content and entertainment. You two and SLB Drinks are my favorite whiskey channel!

In 2016 Eagle Rare was my favorite bourbon on the planet. But BT products getting hard to find and forcing me to explore other things may have been the best thing that happened. Outside of Stagg jr they mostly sit on the guest shelf now for others to try.

Another Great Video! Thanks! Hope you feel better soon!

Speaking of Buffalo Trace, that Blantons SFB on the bar behind you has been sitting at this level intact for months :D

Great show guys, thank you as always with your honest opinions, I greatly appreciate them. Also great breakdown of Buffalo Trace Distillery

Great show. Here in Toronto, the standard BUFFALO Trace is always available with the shelves full at our LCBO stores. All the rest are extremely limited. I was able to get a few Blantons in late 2023 at $47us$ and a Weller 107 for $44us$. All good and hope to get one of the Antique collection someday when I travel down to the states.

I just happen to come across BT, ER and Blantons at our Class 6 on base the other day!! BT was $30, ER was $42 and Blantons was $70. I believe all three were at MSRP. I snagged some of each just because I can't find ANY Buffalo Trace products in NC.

Great video. In NC (State-Run) BT is $32.95. Most, if not all, expressions are allocated. I agree Kurt, some expressions (Weller SR, EHT SmB, BT, & ER) should be on the shelves. When people see BT or ER, they feel obligated to purchase since they are uncommon. Each county has its own alcohol board, so there’s variability across the state. Some counties are good about ordering less common BT expressions, while most, especially Wake County (the biggest and where I live), only get BT, ER, and sometimes Blanton’s.

Great video, thanks for sharing your thoughts & insight.

I started tasting Bourbon thanks to your videos. I love each one and value your opinions. Here in Cali we have those huge Buffalo Trace bottles for cheap in the liquor stores. In my town I know of one place that has all those Weller bottles, another that has all the Old Rip bottles, and between 4 local stores I saw (2) STAGG jr. bottles always at the top shelf always $150+. I find it really annoying how expensive this whiskey is and how they artificially limit supply to keep the prices going up. I would like to pay MSRP for these bottles. The pricing on all bourbon has made me question what I actually want to buy apart from Elijah Craig cask strength and Rare Breed which are consistently good.

I really enjoy anything from Buffalo Trace and will always buy them when I see them at MSRP. I have never paid over MSRP and will not do so. Plenty of other great bourbons out there for under $100.

Don’t mean to chime in again but speaking of “HardTruth” this Indiana product is stellar. Especially like the 100 proof “wheated bourbon.

One of your best vids so far. Everything well said.

Building my bottle collection, started with ER, Blanton’s gold and EH Taylor 🍻

Nice review! Get well! My local Sam’s Club has Buffalo Trace 24.00 and Sazarac Rye for 22.00 no limit and occasionally Eagle Rare for 30.00. Costco sells the 1L BT for 28.00 I can usually get EH Taylor small batch for 60.00 Weller SR 40.00

Buffalo Trace 29.99; Eagle Rare 59.99; Blanton's and EH Taylor small batch 99.99; Memphis area. Thanks for the content.

I’ve been fortunate to try several of these. Not going out of my way to find them. But do like several. Our local store will put some of the antique collection in a sample machine around Christmas time. So we will go as a group, pay for a pour and hang out in the cigar lounge. Has developed into a great tradition to get together with ppl I don’t see much. And if they aren’t in the machine. There is other stuff to try that is usually stellar

Weller SR is easily available in Ohio for $26. Weller 107 releases every 2-3 weeks at $60 and as long as you are at a store on their drop day (most grocery stores do Saturday mornings) you'll usually get one showing up within 30 mins of open

Well said! The criticisms and opinions are fully supported.

My wife and I were finally at Buffalo Trace when they had Eagle Rare. Got 2 bottles for $40 each.

In my area, 10ish years ago, Buffalo Trace first showed up at $13 per 750ml. I got half a dozen bottles before it jumped to $23.99. Its been $37 for 3 years if you're lucky enough to find it

Great video as always.

I loved ER17 and WLW. Best 2 pours I've had the opportunity to try.

I think all the Buffalo Trace products are great at MSRP. Overpaying is on you. Agree with you about frustration with their availability though. I'd by Stagg everyday if it was available. Also hope that you feel better soon!

100% agree the ER, 107 and EH Small Batch are my favorite BT line up. I can get them in Nashville fairly regularly. Not always at MSRP, but within a reasonable charge above. Had a couple pours of the BTAC and I wish I owned a couple of the. Amazing bottles.

I paid $120 for an EH Taylor Small Batch here in California. Right after I bought that first bottle for $120, I picked up another for $80. You guys made me open my Antique 107 tonight!!

One of the best videos on BT I've seen. I've had a lot of their offerings and I totally agree, the antique collection and Eagle Rare is the best for the buck at MSRP. I get a fare amount of BT 90 proof for $29 and it makes an OK Old Fashioned. Not going to encouraging the secondary market to keep overpricing good bourbon and rye. Great review. Thanks.

Another great review guys, I’m fortunate enough to be living in Vermont and everything goes for msrp so I get ER for 37 and Stagg for 59 Cheers fellas 🥃

Great episode guys. First off, I'm glad you're feeling better Kurt. Second, just as I have a little more respect for Trenton he leaves another bottle in the truck. In my best Gordon Ramsey voice, "Come on now!" Thank you and keep up the great work. Cheers...

Great video. Walmart started getting solid BT allocations here this year (I got a rhf, etc) but then secret got out and now a dozen guys hang out in the parking lot all day on delivery day and it’s not worth the trouble any more.

Sorry to hear you've been under the weather, Kurt! Get well and stay well guys!!

E.H. Taylor small batch at a mom and pop shop $75 in CC, Texas. bought one to try it fell in love bought another to have as a back up! Love the small batch

Great video and I really appreciate your honest reviews. Wish Buffalo Trace products were more available and affordable for everyone. It’s probably the best marketing decision I have ever seen on how to create massive demand for your product through hype and limited supply.

defiantly agree with you on the GTS over WLW

I have given up on BT. Long, long ago Weller Special Reserve was my everyday drink and the 107 Antigue was my special occasion drink. I have moved on now, too many other readily available brands that are good. I don't need a scavenger hunt to buy bourbon.

Another solid video. I really appreciate your refreshingly honest and straight forward opinions. In my part of CA, I can find standard BT everywhere for mid $20s, even Costco carries it. I recently rolled the dice on a store pick BT for $30. But when it comes to Eagle Rare the story is very different. It is very hard to find and goes for $50-$80/btl. I find it to be OK but not really worth the money, same with Blantons tbh. For the price, there are any number of other whiskeys I'd rather drink than ER; OF1920, 1792 FP, Wilderness Trail, Knob Creek SB, Michter's American, Rare Breed, etc. The higher end BT offerings can be found from time to time but are generally behind the counter and priced over SRP. I look forward to someday getting a pour of any of the BTACs.

Great show great show great show thank you guys so much for doing this I like to hear your opinion and thoughts

Love everything I’ve tried from Buffalo Trace. We’re very lucky to have BT, Weller green, Blanton’s, EHT small batch, Blanton’s gold and SFTB. I would love to get my hands on Stagg Jr, Weller antique and full proof, any of the BTAC collection and PVW line

Really appreciate your perspective on these. Where I am in CT they are pretty much unobtanium or really expensive or both.

Nice review guys!

Buffalo Trace and Weller SR are everywhere in Colorado recently. Blanton’s is becoming easier to fine. Would like to see EH Taylor (any type) more often.

Thank you for this appraisal. I have never tried a Pappy Van Winkle and would like to, but I am not paying that much just for my curiosity. It is the movie star, but I can't afford to date one of those either. There are plenty of whiskeys in the $30 to $60 range that I enjoy drinking. My one bottle of Eagle Rare 10 year was really good.

I personally like that yall don’t focus too much on BT. Love that yall show some love to other amazing whiskies out there!

The area you live in makes a big difference. I am in Northeast Florida. Buffalo Trace is pretty abundant here. Not allocated. $27 a bottle. Just north in Georgia Eagle Rare is pretty abundant, but marked up $10 at $49. The rest of the lineup is hit and miss. But many places get a few bottles here and there and don’t mark them up. Stagg is also my favorite. Really like the channel. Keep up the good work

Great job as always guys, Kurt - preach brother! Could not have said it better with regards to Buffalo Trace availability.

As a very young enlisted guy, I once briefed my Colonel leader that we found a “more better” way to do something. He smiled, and told me appreciated my “more better” way of doing it. Well played boss, well played.

Thanks for talking about gaps state to state and store to store. In Virginia we have the ABC system. There are differences store to store (especially if you check websites, know where something is, and ask for it in the shop from the stash out back), but head across state lines and things get better. In Maryland, vendors have a wider selection. Knob Creek 12 is allocated in Virginia; you can find it on the shelf in Maryland on the way to Baltimore. Willing to go an extra hour for Booker's Springfield Batch? Forget finding that in VA, but it seems to be regularly available in New Jersey. Still, there seems to be no solution to the BT shortage.

When I first started in bourbon, I bought 10 375's and tasted them all blind (Low end, of course). I wrote down my preferences and Buffalo Trace and Basil Haydens were last. Knob Creek and Wild Turkey came out in top. A good way to figure out your palate. Holds true today, but the older and higher proof BT products do really shine.

Thank God for the Monday content to get the week started! Thanks guys keep it coming. Helps get us started off right..

Totally agreed with Kurt and it gets my goat even more!!! Good review, I do love ER 10 and Antq. 107 a lot! I m trying to find the ER 17 by the pour in a restaurant...it's $1,889. online....no way, I'm retired!

In our area we can get Buffalo Trace pretty regularly for $24. Eagle Rare 10 is mostly available for about $40. EHT SB is showing up a lot more $60-$80. Even seeing Blanton's around a lot more for $75-$99. A year ago, could find them at all.

I’m all for the Monday morning spicy Kurt! Love it! I also believe there is artificial hype created, coupled with the scarcity to just feed the hype. 👍

I accidentally watched some of this video at 2x speed… I can’t unsee it… you’re in for a weird treat if you do it 😂😂

Great video. I think with the expansion they have completed in the next 4-6 years theres going to be a lot of buffalo trace on the shelves everywhere

Nice review.....and I would agree with every take.....personally, I think the Rock Hill Farms is on a par with the Stagg antique collection. Thanks again for the time to produce this show.

I paid extra for my first bottle of EH Taylor Small Batch and my bottle of Blanton's. Buffalo Trace retail only and my second unopened bottle of EH Taylor Small Batch I stumbled on in Binny's behind the service counter. I will not pay secondary prices anymore. Not that my collection is all that big, but for the amount I drink, I'm just fine paying retail for whatever I find. Central Illinois is kind of a desert when it comes to the real good stuff, but you can stumble on it once in awhile.

I agree with Kurt on a few things. I think there is something weird going on with their distribution. How can you be one of the largest distilleries in America and not keep any of your products on the shelves?? None of the other big distilleries have this issue…. Also, I think they could trim the fat from their lineup. There are a few products offered that have very similar proof points and ages.

I've gotten a blantons and EHT small batch for One hundred ea from Springfield, IL. An Eagle Rare from up by Chicago for around ninty. Special Reserve in my hometown for seventy and reg Buffalo trace for around thirty five. Have seen an weller Antique for one thirty but didn't purchase. I enjoy BT but agree products are highly inflated and hard to come by at times unless you want to spend secondary pricing +. Enjoyed the video thanks SLB.

Wellers are needles in the haystack in Oregon and I just scored my 1st Weller 107($55) on Saturday(6-2024). I cracked it but haven't tried it yet. BT $30 a liter, ER $39, and Blanton's SB $70 are the only BT bottles I've had. E.H. Taylor's are also needles in haystack here, still hunting.

Great Buffalo Trace show and agree with you both. I live in Tennessee and it is hard to find and when you do they want $60 for it. Keep up the good work.

Love Buffalo Trace but here in NY we have to pay double what you have to pay in IN. So as you can imagine I have bought/discovered other bourbons because of this. Thank you for your reviews it has helped me tremendously

Nice review; I recently attended a tasting of all BTAC offerings at the Sazerac House in Nola. Great experience and unique opportunity to taste them side by side for a reasonable price. For me the GTS edged out WLW; THH a respectable 3rd.

For some reason I just can’t get into the weller green. I’ll drink the red as often as I can find it and if I stumble across a reasonably priced 12 or BP of course I’ll buy it. And a friend let me have a taste of a 142 proof George T Stagg and it blew my mind. Thanks for the video!

Great video! Can you guys do a video where you talk about bottles you would pay secondary for? Or like bottles you would be okay overpaying for? Thanks!

I was waiting for the Pappy, I worked at a store, old rip was $800 we paid $40!!! The 12 was $1100..we paid $70..I never tried any of them but your take on them follows suit with what I have been told. My boss has the entire collection at least 5 of each. A great nest egg but thats about it...

That Weller Antique 107 is fabulous. I'm still trying to get my first EH Taylor SiB.

Picked up an EHT small batch for $53 yesterday. West Texas.

Went crazy one day and saw an Elmer T for $175, I bought it and half way through the bottle I love it....

Northern California you can find most base BT products at retail (with a tiny amount of patience) BT $20 at Sam’s club, $30ish for eagle rare, $50ish for Col Taylor. Our Sam’s club was getting a run of weller 12 and Col Taylor single barrels for $75 and Stagg for $45. The last year has been like the good old days for BT products. Picked up a Col Taylor full proof for $125. Basically anything non pappy or BTAC is as cheap as it’s been in 6 years here. At these prices I remember why I coveted BT products and how they were a springboard for me for the rest of the bourbon world.

The last bottle of Eagle Rare I got was not the best so I am sticking to Buffalo Trace. All the other bottles you had I have never seen.

I love the Pappy 20 and 23 year. It's the charred oak which makes it what it is. The 23 retains the charred oak the 20 provides when first opened.

Thank for sharing. I will have to live vicariously through your take on these BT products.. as we can't even view ANY of theses in PA stores , our best bet is to try and enter a lottery twice a year to earn the right to purchase them. Sounds like I will have to take a trip out to Ohio.

The regionality of Buffalo Trace products is wild. I can get Buffalo Trace for $25 at the grocery store seven days a week in Phoenix. Can’t find anything else without a serious hunt. Lucked into a Blantons and Eagle Rare at MSRP in Sedona once a couple years ago. Everything else, if available, is marked up like crazy. $160-$200 for Blantons at places that have it. What sucks is I do genuinely really, really like Blantons!

EH Small Batch in central Texas is around 55 bucks if available. Got a EH Single Barrel a few weeks ago for 75. Buffalo Trace is around 25-30 depending on the store.

Awesome video, I assumed you guys had it all so it’s refreshing to hear I’m not the only one struggling to get what I want. I’ve managed to acquire a few Eagle Rare’s, Blanton’s, Stagg’s and Taylor small batch’s at retail this year in AZ. Let me know if you want to add them to your collection and maybe we can make a trade if you have something of similar value or quality that you think is worthy. I don’t have to have allocated whiskey, I just want good whiskey and there are lots of hidden gems out there.

Buffalo Trace and Weller SR are readily available here in SE Oklahoma/NE Texas at MSRP. As of this past Saturday, one store in particular has 1 bottle of EHT Small Batch, Stagg, GTS, Blanton’s SB, Eagle Rare 10, and Weller 12. I price checked the Weller. $179. I didn’t bother asking about the others.. lol

i got a EH Taylor Small Batch in Southern IN for $90 in Dec 2023. Buffalo Trace is readily available for $25-$35 at any store. Don't remember the last time I have seen a Weller in a store... I would love to find Full Proof.

Thank you gentlemen, I always enjoy your viedos and comments. Have you tried the peerless double oak?

I just got a small batch Taylor last week for $55. About $10 more than I wanted plus they made me buy a cheap buffalo trace product to go with it (Benchmark) but didn't mind since I have searched for a year and its the first time I found it and the Bench will be a mixer. Also found Eagle Rare for $38 about a month ago. Northern KY

I’ve seen EHT small batch twice in the last 3 years in South Carolina. It was $100 and $170. Picked one up at the distillery earlier this year for $45

I just had the Weller Full Proof for the first time, I got a doughy taste with a hint of banana for some reason. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also really like the Antique 107. WSR, I can get just about anywhere around me…It’s good for the price.

Here in Colorado I have no problem finding regular BT, Eagle Rare, or Weller SR sitting on shelves for MSRP which I’m grateful for. Just picked up my first Stagg and EH Single barrel for MSRP last weekend during a Father’s Day allocation drop at a local store, Still hunting the 107.

Just scored an antique 107 store pick in a small lottery in Anderson. Was super pumped and it was delicious

I've had all of them other than the BTACs and the VWs :( and agree with the sentiment - that they're all good and some are great but none are worth the price in the secondary market. Like Kurt & Trent, I also gravitate towards the Antique 107 as my favourite among these. I will say that the occasional BT store pick I've been able to find have also been winners. I love honest reviews like this one - can always trust SLB for the straight goods.

We were at Buffalo Trace June 13, each person is now allow to take 12 bottles each except for the allocated items. Buffalo Trace was $27, Sazerac Rye was $30, Blanton’s was $63. Blanton’s was allocated to one purchase every 3 Months. We have been going there for about 10 yrs, first time we have been able to purchase that many bottles at one time.

9:00 EHT Small Batch was about $45 in SoCal until recently it's gone up to $50-55. BevMo has it around $65. Costco was $34 till recently bumped up to $44. Not terribly difficult to find if you know which stores get them, which tends to be about once a month

Good review and I concur, good enough juice but many aren't worth the crazy secondary prices. I won't chase but will consider a bottle if I win a drawing or the like. They are allocated here in Iowa. You never see them on the shelf unless it's it's a standard bottle of Buffalo Trace. Get well Curt. Cheers.

On vacation this February, my wife and I stopped at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. They had a new offering called Travelers. I am now seeing it at Total Wine in Indianapolis.

Just bought my EHT small batch for $40 then was able to grab a Weller for $30 . I’m happy , haven’t had the Weller yet but soon . In 4-5 years BT will be easier to come by . They will be bottling what’s ready in the warehouse, and it’s a lot .

Love Buff Trace ... makes a Great Old Fashion

The base Buffalo Trace and the Weller Special Reserve are available in abundance in the Calgary market at MSRP. Costco has Buffalo Trace in 1.75L bottles most of the time. I didn't realize they are tough to get there.

20 years ago Weller was on the bottom shelf at a liquor store I frequented. It kind of had a reputation of a poor man's Maker's Mark. It was a heck of a buy before the crazy hype hit. Used to chat with the store owner about how good it was for the price. Crazy how things have chaged.