Category: Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old.

Like last year, the previous year and the year before, the The Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ) has announced the Pappy Van Winkle and Buffalo Trace Antique Collection bottle lottery. This is a lottery to win the opportunity to purchase a hard to find bottle of select Buffalo Trace products at retail prices. The 2021 edition begins at 12:01 a.m. Monday, Dec. 6 and runs through 11:59 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13.

Entrants must be an Ohio resident 21 years or older and the following is required:

• Ohio Driver’s License Number / Ohio Identification Card Number
• First Name
• Last Name
• Street Address
• Date of Birth
• Email Address
• Preferred OHLQ store location for purchasing the product if you win

Winners will be notified in January and will have the opportunity to purchase one bottle. Bottles must be purchased by 1/17/2022 or risk forfeiting the ability to purchase. 

The following brands will be available in the lottery.

Pappy Van Winkle Collection (same prices as 2021)

• Old Rip Van Winkle 10, $69.99 plus tax
• Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year, $79.99 plus tax
• Pappy Van Winkle 15, $119.99 plus tax
• Pappy Van Winkle 20, $199.98 plus tax
• Pappy Van Winkle 23, $299.99 plus tax

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Products (same prices as 2021)

• Eagle Rare 17, $99.99 plus tax
• Sazerac Rye 18, $99.99 plus tax
• Thomas H. Handy, $99.99 plus tax
• William Larue Weller, $99.99 plus tax
• George T. Stagg, $99.99 + tax

The tasting notes are:

• Eagle Rare 17 - 101 Proof - The fragrant aroma has almost a wine-like character with hints of almond, cigar boxes, and cinnamon. The delicate and dry mid-palate tastes of leather, vanilla, and tobacco. This bourbon lingers, finishing with a hint of leather and toffee.
• Old Rip Van Winkle 10 - 107 Proof - A sweet vanilla nose with caramel, pecan, and oak wood. Smooth, mellow flavor consisting of robust wheat, cherries, and oak. Features a long, smoky wheat finish with hints of fruit, spice, and oak tannins.
• Pappy Van Winkle 15 - 107 Proof - An elegant and sweet aroma with caramel corn and vanilla. Features a big flavor of leather, oak, and complex fruitiness. Finishes smooth with notes of spice and oak tannins.
• Pappy Van Winkle 20 - 90.4 Proof - Intense and tantalizing. Smooth with a citrus zest note. Some sherry notes, dried fruits, and vanilla. The finish is long and elegant.
• Pappy Van Winkle 23 - 95.6 Proof - Early aromas of caramel and cream with soft notes of oak, nuts, and leather. Features a sweet taste composed of vanilla, maple, and honey joined by complimentary flavors of citrus and spice. Has a long-lasting oaky finish, along with many of the early flavors.
• Sazerac Rye 18 - 90 Proof - Very mature, with notes of oak, leather molasses, and all-spice. The long, warm finish is preceded by notes of mint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, vanilla, and lingering pepper.
• Thomas H Handy - 129.5 Proof - Powerful, lush, and boldly spicy. Flavors of toffee, fig cake, and candied fruit, followed by mint, cinnamon, and clove. The finish ultimately reveals subtle notes of allspice, coconut, and nutmeg. Long and warm.
• Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year - 90.4 Proof - Highlighted by light aromas of dried mango, cocoa, fruit, and spiced peach. Flavors of honey, oak, and tobacco dance on the pallet. The finish is balanced and dry, with a lingering tingle.
• William Larue Weller - 125.3 Proof - Fragrant scents of caramel corn, new leather, plums, light toffee, and pipe tobacco. The palate tastes of marshmallow, salted almonds, nougat, figs, and dates. This whiskey finishes smooth, composed, and flavorfully sweet.

I'll have plenty of more coverage on this throughout the week so be sure to check back often. 

Source: OHLQ

In what is a yearly tradition, Buffalo Trace has announced the release of their 2021 Antique Collection. This collection usually includes William Larue Weller, George T. Stagg, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old, and Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old. 

However, this year, George T. Stagg will not be released because the selected barrels didn't meet the Buffalo Trace taste standards for the Stagg brand.

Quality is always paramount for our products. If the taste doesn’t match our expectations, then we will not release it to our customers. And unfortunately, this year’s yield of Stagg did not meet our expectations. Good news is, we’ll have the barrels we put up in 2007, which are on track so far for a 2022 release, barring anything unforeseen changes.

The four releases are:

• William Larue Weller - Distilled in the winter of 2009 and aged in Warehouses C, D, K, L and Q. This bourbon registers at 125.3 proof (62.65% alcohol). A nose of crème brulee, followed by cherry and toasted graham crackers on the palate and a long rich finish of coca, herbs and oak.
• Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye - Distilled in the spring of 2015; aged in warehouses I, L, O, and K and weighs in at 129.5 proof (64.75% alcohol). The flavor profile includes anise and cinnamon with a rich finish of spearmint and chocolate.
• Eagle Rare 17 Year Old - 101 proof (50.5% alcohol) whiskey was distilled in Spring of 2003 and aged on the first floor of Warehouse P. Has a nose of ripe cherries, vanilla cream and oak, followed by a taste of caramel and coffee and a long finish of oak, pepper and fresh herbs. 
• Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old - Flavors of bright apples and herbs, anise and maple syrup on the palate and a finish of cocoa, coffee and dates. The barrels for this whiskey were filled in the spring of 2003 and it rested on the second and fourth floors of Warehouses K and P. It is bottled at 90 proof (45% alcohol). 

Expect to see these releases in the December OHLQ bottle lottery. Last year, the State had 493 bottles available of the Antique collection and had 94,608 entries for around a 1 in 200 chance of winning. At $99 each, these bottles are a no brainer if you ever see them available.... sadly, the odds of that happening aren't very good. 

What do you think? Drop a note in the comments below. 

Source: Buffalo Trace