WhiskyCritic Review: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
In 2012, Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey won double gold status at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and has received a 93 rating from Jim Murray, the creator of the “Whisky Bible”. That’s the good news.
Some more news – and whether it is actually good or not depends entirely on how you interpret it – is that Buffalo Trace, in their marketing materials, claims that they have been at this bourbon-producing game for more than 200 years, ever since they named their distillery after an ancient buffalo run near the Kentucky River. It claims to be the world’s “most-decorated” distillery. Again, some words that depend on your interpretation.
Now the bad news. Two years is not a long time in the bourbon industry but in this internet era, it is a lifetime – and 200 years? – well, might as well a dinosaur at that age. So while two-year-old or 200-year-old accolades may be all well and good for those who embrace the newspaper as their primary source of information and drive their Ford F-150 truck to work, it may not suffice for some more youthful segments of the world. In other worlds, living up to our WC name, both “pshaw!” and “pfooey!” on those ancient accolades.
The recent sample of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey we tasted began smooth and buttery aroma, like a Barry White voiceover after a swanky dinner at the local swanky dinner establishment – imploring you that “everything was going to be all right”. But after the move from the olfactory conveyor belt to the mouth, it became a different story. What began as a sweet, buttery nostril-teaser, swiftly became a bitter, medicine-y taste with a finish of dirt and gravel. The addition of ice cubes calmed everything down a bit and the Buffalo Trace became less obstreperous and definitely more willing to make you breakfast in the morning.
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey teases you with aroma and whispers sweet nothings into your ear to get you compliant before whacking you in the groin with a five-pound rubber mallet. You may be seduced by the smell but you will pay for it later if you possess standard taste buds.
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Rating – 70
Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is 45% alcohol content [90 proof] and available for approximately $30 per 750ml bottle.