Travelling from Manchester to London for a whiskey tasting always feels a little decadent, but this one warranted the journey. The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is the American whiskey world’s equivalent of Diageo’s Annual Special Releases, and a preview of the 2025 line-up at The Savoy was too good to miss.
The Sazerac team set the tone immediately. This was not a press scrum or a festival free-for-all. It was a focused, carefully curated look at one of the most anticipated annual collections in American whiskey.
This year brings a historic first: the debut of an E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-Bond in BTAC, alongside returning icons William Larue Weller, Eagle Rare 17, George T. Stagg, Sazerac 18, and Thomas H. Handy.
What follows is exactly what I tasted, scored, and thought.
The Setting – An Evening of Opulence and Anticipation
The tasting took place in the opulent Beaufort Bar. Black lacquer surfaces, gold leaf details, soft lighting that seems designed to flatter both people and glassware. It is theatrical in the best possible way and, to be honest, I wondered what exactly had transpired in my life to get me there.
Before the main event, we were served cocktails built around Buffalo Trace spirits, along with a procession of canapés. I tried foie gras for the first time and was surprised to find it genuinely delicious rather than something to politely endure.
At the centre of each place setting sat a wooden stave repurposed from the Buffalo Trace Distillery, with small branded cutouts holding five Glencairns. It was a clever bit of design: rustic but polished, a literal reminder of where the evening’s liquid had been resting for the last decade or more.
The session was opened by Laura Edwards, Managing Director of Sazerac UK, before Liam Sparks, Prestige Sales Manager, took over to guide us through each whiskey.
The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2025 – What’s New and What’s Returning
For anyone new to the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, it is an annual snapshot of the distillery’s most mature, characterful, and historically significant brands.
BTAC has become a kind of whiskey calendar event, where BT lovers track proofs, ages, evaporation rates, and whether each release aligns with the great bottlings of years past.
The headline this year is the arrival of a new family member. E.H. Taylor Jr. Bottled-in-Bond joins the collection, marking the first addition to BTAC in nearly two decades. It is a fitting nod to Colonel Taylor’s legacy, given how instrumental he was in passing the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897.
The remaining five expressions return with their usual commanding presence: William Larue Weller, Eagle Rare 17, George T. Stagg, Sazerac 18, and Thomas H. Handy.
All arrived with the kind of expectation that can be difficult for any whiskey to meet. And yet, as the tasting unfolded, it became clear that 2025 is a particularly strong year for the collection.
E.H. Taylor Jr. Bottled-in-Bond
Age: 15 years and 4 months
Proof/ABV: 100 proof/50% ABV
The newest member of the Antique Collection is also one of the most intriguing. E.H. Taylor Jr. Bottled in Bond arrives with considerable heritage behind it and an age statement that immediately sets expectations.
On the nose, it opens with a surprisingly elegant mix of floral notes, maple, and soft caramel. It feels familiar yet pushed into richer territory by its extended time in oak. The palate moves into toast, buttered corn, rye spice, butterscotch, and oak. The structure is firm, with a drying astringency. The finish carries toasted oak and a thread of baking spice.
As a debut, it is impressive. The classic Taylor profile remains intact with caramel, butterscotch, and a gentle spice, but there is a layered complexity that lifts it beyond the standard releases. The oak influence is pronounced but measured. It feels like a thoughtful addition to BTAC rather than a headline for the sake of it.
Score: 8/10
William Larue Weller
Age: 12 years and 7 months
Proof/ABV: 129 proof/64.5% ABV
The wheated entry in the Antique Collection is usually one of its most approachable, and this year’s release continues that trend with confidence.
The nose is immediately inviting. Digestive biscuits, toasted wheat, butterscotch, sugared almonds, and maple syrup come through with clarity, creating a sweet, cereal-led profile.
On the palate, those notes deepen into vanilla, caramel, sweet tobacco, and more of that almond character. A splash of water opens it up further, revealing extra butterscotch, maple, and a pleasant charred-oak edge.
What stands out is the texture. This is full-bodied yet remarkably smooth, the wheat providing a silky mouthfeel without muting the spice or nuttiness woven through the spirit. It is balanced and expressive.
Score: 8/10
Eagle Rare 17 Year Old
Age: 18 years and 4 months
Proof/ABV: 101 proof/50.5% ABV
Eagle Rare 17 has long been one of the most elegant entries in the Antique Collection, and the 2025 release shows exactly why it commands such quiet loyalty. Although labelled as a 17-year-old, this year’s whiskey has spent 18 years and 4 months in the barrel.
The nose is remarkable. Ripe cherry, macerated strawberries, leather, and sweet puff pastry rise first, followed by a gentle wave of vanilla and cream soda. It is rich without being heavy, aromatic without tipping into excess.
The palate follows through beautifully. There is more ripe cherry, caramel, toasted oak, and a hint of cherry tart. Leather and tobacco add depth, while strawberry jellies bring a playful sweetness.
It is decadent, fruit-driven, and impeccably balanced. For me, it was the standout of the night, everything I love about Eagle Rare distilled into one expression.
Score: 10/10
George T. Stagg
Age: 15 years and 4 months
Proof/ABV: 142.8 proof/71.4% ABV
George T. Stagg is the muscle of the Antique Collection, the bottle that arrives each year with the quiet confidence of a whiskey that knows exactly what it is. The 2025 release continues that tradition with one of the highest proofs in recent memory, clocking in at a formidable 142.8 proof.
The nose is deep and dense: golden syrup, sticky toffee pudding, old leather, vanilla bean, and a touch of petrichor. It is bold from the outset. There is a structure beneath the intensity that hints at what is to come.
On the palate, the power is immediate. Oak, vanilla, dark fruits dusted with sugar, popcorn, and sugar-coated walnuts all make an appearance, wrapped in a wave of autumnal spice. There is noticeable astringency.
With a few drops of water, the layers open up, the oak relaxes, and the sweeter notes begin to stretch out.
This is classic Stagg: uncompromising, demanding, and rewarding for those willing to spend time with it. Not the most graceful whiskey of the night, but certainly one of the most characterful.
Although I always try a whiskey neat before mixing it up, I would recommend having water on hand when you sample this expression.
Score: 7/10
Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye
Age: 18 years and 5 months
Proof/ABV: 129.8 proof/64.9% ABV
Sazerac 18 has always been the quiet assassin of the Antique Collection. It does not arrive with the brute force of Stagg or the sweetness of Weller. Instead, it leans into elegance, detail, and the kind of mature rye character that only time can deliver. The 2025 release, aged 18 years and 5 months, is exceptional.
The nose is immediately expressive: fresh mint, orange zest, nutmeg, cinnamon, birch, and a trace of rosemary. Bright, herbal, layered.
The palate delivers a beautifully balanced profile. Freshly mown grass and mint lead the way, supported by baking spice, white pepper, and tart green apple. There is a lovely interplay between the sweetness of the mint and the earthy undertones that run through the rye. The finish lingers with spice and a gentle apple sharpness that keeps everything lively.
As someone who enjoys rye, this one came very close to taking the top spot. It hits every note with precision minty without being mentholated, spicy without harshness, and mature without tasting tired.
Score: 9/10
Thomas H. Handy Rye
Age: 6 years
Proof/ABV: 129.8 proof/64.9% ABV
Thomas H. Handy is usually the most impulsive of the Antique Collection releases the energetic younger sibling who bursts into the room at full volume. The 2025 bottling stays true to that identity, coming in uncut and unfiltered at 129.8 proof. Yet beneath the power, there is a surprising amount of finesse.
The nose is immediately fruity and sweet: peaches, apricots, brown sugar, condensed milk, and a thread of saffron. It feels warm and inviting, almost dessert-like, but without losing the rye’s signature edge.
On the palate, those stone-fruit notes become even more expressive. Peaches and cream meet rye spice, toasted oak, pepper, and plenty of heat. Cloves appear toward the back of the palate, giving way to a dry, warming finish. It is bold, but not brash. A little water helps to widen the fruit notes and soften the spice, though it drinks well at full strength if you enjoy intensity.
There is a lovely balance here between fruit, creaminess, spice, and oak. It is the kind of whiskey that would make a spectacular Sazerac cocktail, but equally rewarding sipped neat.
Score: 8/10
Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2025 – The Standouts and the Story of the Night
Tasting the full BTAC line-up in one sitting is always revealing. The six bottles share a heritage and a distillery, but the differences in grain, age, warehouse conditions, and proof make each one feel like its own self-contained story. The 2025 releases showed remarkable consistency, with no disappointments and several genuine highlights.
Eagle Rare 17 was, for me, the clear standout. Decadent, fruit-forward, and beautifully structured, it delivered everything I look for in a mature bourbon. Sazerac 18 followed closely behind, offering an almost pitch-perfect example of aged rye done well.
Leaving The Savoy later that evening after a tasting menu presented by the executive chef, the grandeur of the setting and the contrasting quiet luxury of the whiskeys I had tasted felt entirely complementary, each enhancing the other in its own way.
The 2025 Antique Collection reinforces why BTAC remains the benchmark for American whiskey. Craft, patience, and individuality are all on display. A strong year for a series that rarely misses.
Read the full article at I Tried Every Whiskey in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2025, Here’s What I Thought
