Vodka has long been the spirit of choice in the U.S. More recently, though, trending categories like tequila and bourbon have been on its tail, drawing attention from the neutral spirit. But despite challenges in the U.S., many brands have retained global success. The Spirits Business recently published its annual Brand Champions Report, revealing a ranking of the best-selling vodka brands in the world. The data revealed that vodka’s overall volume sales from 2023 to 2024 were relatively fl...| VinePair
Anyone who spends time navigating the sometimes treacherous online bourbon community knows that collectors like to show off. What good is acquiring a rare and expensive bottle if it can’t be the object of both pride and envy? Among the most coveted bottles are George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old, Sazerac 18 Year Old, and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac — better known as the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. The Antique Collection (often shortened to BTAC in social media ...| VinePair
No doubt about it, Buffalo Trace Distillery is one of the best known in the whiskey world. As a leader in the category, it produces some of the rarest and most beloved products available and has cultivated a fanbase devoted to unique styles and distinct flavor profiles. The core taste of every bourbon and whiskey lies in its mash bill, and while some bourbon brands fully disclose their recipes, the exact blends of Buffalo Trace’s range have remained a very well-kept secret.| VinePair
When you hear the name “Buffalo Trace” you probably think of a bottle of bourbon whiskey with a proud- and/or slightly pissed-looking buffalo on the label (wouldn’t you be?). But in the world of bourbon, Buffalo Trace isn’t just a bottle. Buffalo Trace’s legacy (originally Old Fire Copper Distillery) basically encapsulates the history of American bourbon itself.| VinePair
In February, rumors started circling about a potential new Eagle Rare expression. On Monday, Kentucky’s Buffalo Trace Distillery confirmed the news, announcing the highly-anticipated launch of Eagle Rare 12. According to a press release, the new bourbon will become a permanent fixture in the Eagle Rare portfolio. As its name suggests, the expression is aged for a minimum of 12 years in new, charred American oak barrels. It’s produced using the distillery’s famous Mash Bill #1, also know...| VinePair
Bourbon has one of the most famous recipes in the world: It must be made with at least 51 percent corn in its mash. Beyond this, bourbon distillers often use rye and malted barley to finish the grist. William Larue Weller did things a little differently. Where many other bourbons use rye, W.L. Weller uses wheat. Weller himself developed this recipe, believing wheat produced a softer, sweeter flavor profile than rye’s typically spicy one.| VinePair
Old Fitzgerald is a bourbon favored by novelty-seeking collectors and whiskey historians alike. Its original story is laced with American historical lore, including surviving Prohibition — being one of the few alcohols distilled during Prohibition — and having been produced at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery for more than 50 years. Old Fitzgerald also predates and has historical ties to the Pappy Van Winkle. Famously known as “Old Fitz,” it was first produced in 1870 at Old Judge Distil...| VinePair
Pappy Van Winkle is the unicorn of bourbons, known for both its quality and its rarity. The whiskey is one of the hardest-to-find bottles out there, and it’s cherished worldwide as the ultimate example of quality. One New York bar even sold shots of Pappy for $315 each.| VinePair
On Monday, Stitzel-Weller Distillery announced the launch of Stitzel Reserve, a new collection of rare, one-of-a-kind, distillery-exclusive whiskeys. The inaugural release? A 24-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bottled at 61.7 percent ABV. Built by Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle Sr., Alex T. Farnsley, and Arthur Phillip Stitzel and opened on Derby Day in 1935, the Stitzel-Weller Distillery is well regarded as a heritage bourbon production site. Before the Louisville distillery was so...| VinePair
