Sazerac Antique Collection Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey 18 Year Fall 2010 Release

 Sazerac 18 year old was launched in 2000 as part of what is now the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. These were bottled from a legendary batch of rye whiskey distilled by Schenley at Buffalo Trace when it was still known as George T. Stagg. It was distilled in the early 1980s with the intention of releasing a rye line for its popular Cream of Kentucky brand. The company lost interest in this however, and the casks were left to age far beyond the normal period for such whiskies. To the surprise of many, it turned into an exceptional product and has produced many legendary bottlings. In addition to these, it was also blended through the Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye in 2004, and a number of barrels also ended up in the warehouses at Willett, where Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD) used them for a number of brands, including the Willett Familty Estate, Black Maple Hill, and early examples of the Michter’s revival.

With 1984 being the final vintage for the “Cream of Kentucky” rye, the remaining casks were placed into steel tanks in 2003 to prevent it from over-maturing, by then actually closer to 20 years old. This 2010 release was bottled from these tanks, which provided whiskey for this annual release until 2015 when it finally ran out.