The bold powerhouse of Buffalo Trace’s annual Antique Collection, this fifteen-year-old whiskey is bottled directly from the barrel. The George T Stagg 2023 release is uncut and unfiltered, the bourbon explodes on the palate with rich notes of dark chocolate, oak, and effervescent cherry. Cheers!

Pappy 13:When first approached by Buffalo Trace, Julian III was honored, but not immediately interested. He had ample bourbon aging, but the concern was for future reserves, since by this time, bourbon was increasing in popularity. Buffalo Trace bought the W.L. Weller label in 1999 and had been making the bourbon with nearly the same recipe as Pappy's. The transition was easy. As of May 2002, Buffalo Trace has produced the Van Winkle bourbons, using Pappy's exact recipe. This change allows Old Rip Van Winkle to maintain their strict quality standards while producing more barrels for future enjoyment.

Michter's 10: The 10 Year Rye expression reflects the exceptional results of uncompromising craftsmanship and Kentucky’s unrivaled climate for aging outstanding whiskey. Often much older than the age statement on the label, only a select few barrels age with the elegance required for inclusion in these highly limited releases.

Woodford Reserve 2024 Master’s Collection release. This bottling features Woodford Reserve Whiskey that was finished in Madeira casks and blended with wheat whiskey.

“Madeira Cask Finish is a tremendous way to celebrate 20 years of the Master’s Collection,” said Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall. "In 2007, Woodford Reserve was among the first bourbons to finish in wine casks. It was quite controversial at the time, but is now a common practice by other distillers. This 20th expression marks that historic milestone, with a new Madeira wine cask. " Cheers!

(From the company website): Each year an unstoppable search for whiskey wonder beckons The Boss Hog to the far corners of the earth... a karmic quest that Knows No Bounds, beginning with Single Barrel Rye.

For this, our eleventh utterance of the mantra, WhistlePig's whiskey makers journey to Rajasthan, India - the Land of Kings - in search of precious spices to forge the world’s first Thandai barrel aged Rye. An alluring elixir served in celebration of victory and creation, Thandai joins the shakti of Straight Rye Whiskey with a floral meditation of saffron, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg, further enlivened by fennel, poppy and black peppercorn. The result is a splendid wellspring of strength and majesty; a saga befitting the maharajah of Rye.

Fearlessly First Among all Whiskeys, Powerfully Complex and Bottled at Proof, The Juggernaut hails to the grandest of all The Boss Hog promises... Stupendous!

Bold Rye Whiskey fortified with Ancient Armagnac. BHAKTA 1928 embodies the Spirit of the Roaring Twenties—Boom Times, Boundless Optimism, and Big American Dreams. In this breakthrough blend, America’s finest rye is unified with France’s oldest spirits, including Armagnac from the rare and exquisite 1928 vintage, to capture the essence of an iconic era’s je ne sais quoi. Cheers!

Maker’s Mark 46 is the recipe of Bill Samuels Jr., son of founders Bill and Margie, and the first new major expression since classic Maker's was released in 1958. Maker’s 46® is aged longer with special seared French oak staves. With subtly layered bourbon notes and balanced complexity. Cheers!

Prav Saraff is a bourbon and whiskey connoisseur and the Director of Operations at 1 West Dupont Circle Wines and Liquors in Washington, DC. He has been featured on podcasts and has shared his passion for whiskey on Instagram. 

The guys were joined by special guest Freddie Johnson at an event hosted by the Bourbon Podcast to raise money for bulletproof vests for police K-9's. Here's some background on Freddie Johnson and what he means in the world of bourbon:

Freddie Johnson is a third generation employee at Buffalo Trace Distillery and serves as its Distillery VIP Visitor Lead.  Born in Paris, KY (Bourbon County), he spent some of his early childhood summers in the mountains of Breathitt County with his maternal grandfather who was a coal miner and friend to the moonshiners.  The family moved to Frankfort, KY when he was five.  Freddie enjoyed hunting, fishing and hanging out with his paternal grandfather, Jimmy Johnson Sr., and father, Jimmy Johnson Jr., at what is now known as Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Freddie was in the middle of a successful career as a network/operations engineer in Atlanta, GA when he put all of it aside to fulfill a promise made to his father, Jimmy, more than 20 years earlier.  He had promised his father that he would work at the Distillery during his lifetime so they could say they had three generations of the Johnson family that worked at Buffalo Trace.  Freddie took early retirement and moved back to care for his father and brother.  Jimmy got him a job as a tour guide at the Distillery in 2002 but Freddie has been in and around the Distillery since he was five years old.

Freddie weaves together his childhood memories with the Distillery’s rich history as his entertains thousands each year in various tours around Buffalo Trace.  One of the Distillery’s most popular and highly sought after tour guides, Freddie is the recipient of the 2015 ROSE (Recognition of Service Excellence) Award, the 2017 Lexington (Ky) Hospitality Award and was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2018.

Huge episode! What is the whiskey of the year according to the guys!! Cheers!

(Per Breaking Bourbon) King of Kentucky has cemented itself as one of the most consistent great tasting bourbons year after year ever since Brown-Forman began releasing it in 2018. The 2024 version marks the seventh edition for the brand, and like the 2023 release, it again features a 16 year age statement. Unlike last year, the 2024 release goes up $50, now sporting a $350 price tag.
The release consists of two lots of barrels to set aside for the limited release product from 2007. Master Distiller Chris Morris states that “This year’s release of 63 barrels came from the production dates July 19, 2007, and November 15, 2007. All the barrels were aged in Warehouses G and J at the Brown-Forman Distillery. This showcases what a difference production dates and warehousing can have on barrels hand-crafted in the same year.” The company additionally states in their press release that “while the majority of this year’s volume will remain in Kentucky, the expression will also be available in limited quantities in Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Metro New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas.” Cheers!!

This 2024 Limited Edition release is a symphony of lively flavors that captivate the senses with every sip. Creamy vanilla, honey and brown sugar on the nose are followed by the flavors of ripe berries and tangy citrus on the palate. Intertwined are herbal notes and Four Roses' signature mellow spice to balance out the layers of complexity and sweetness with a delicate finish – for a pour that's ready to savor and enjoy. Cheers!