The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is back for 2025 — and to mark its 25th anniversary, the lineup is expanding from five to six expressions with its first new whiskey since 2006.

Launched in 2000, the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection — or “BTAC” — is among the most acclaimed whiskey series in the world. The original trio included Sazerac 18-Year Rye, Eagle Rare 17-Year Bourbon, and William Larue Weller 19-Year Bourbon. (Bottled at 90 proof, the latter was discontinued and replaced in 2005 by today’s cask-strength version.) George T. Stagg Bourbon joined the lineup in 2002, followed by the cask-strength Thomas H. Handy Rye in 2006.

Together, these whiskeys represent some of the most awarded and respected American spirits across styles. The collection is released annually in limited quantities each fall — though Buffalo Trace has occasionally skipped a release when quality fell short. In 2021, for example, the distillery withheld George T. Stagg after determining its barrels didn’t meet BTAC’s standards.

The newest addition for 2025 is E.H. Taylor Bottled-In-Bond Bourbona significantly older take on the distillery’s beloved E.H. Taylor Small Batch Bourbon. While the standard Small Batch is thought to be between six and eight years old, this BTAC bottling was aged 15 years and four months. It also marks BTAC’s first bottled-in-bond release, presented at 100 proof (50% ABV).

Buffalo Trace has long honored Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr., often called the “Father of Modern Bourbon,” who pioneered modern whiskey production methods and once operated the distillery that became Buffalo Trace, through its dedicated whiskey range — which includes stalwarts like Small Batch and Straight Rye as well as experimental releases. This BTAC expression continues that legacy, following another 2025 debut: E.H. Taylor Distiller’s Council.

“Colonel Taylor’s signature graced every bottle produced under his watch as a testament to its quality, a tradition we uphold today as a promise of integrity,” Andrew Duncan, Buffalo Trace’s global brand director, said in a press statement. “Created in his honor, every sip of E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-dond Bourbon offers more than exceptional flavor — it’s a taste of history and a reminder of his strict tenets that have safeguarded America’s world-leading whiskey quality standards for nearly 150 years.”

Each bottle in the 2025 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection carries a suggested retail price of $150. As always, demand will far exceed supply — expect retail markups well into the four figures. A limited number of Buffalo Trace Antique Collection bottles will also be sold directly through Legacy de Forgea digital platform run in partnership with Sazerac and Blockbar.

Below is the complete 2025 Antique Collection lineup, including aging details and official tasting notes.

E.H. Taylor Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon

This latest E.H. Taylor whiskey is the first new BTAC release since 2006. The bourbon is made from Buffalo Trace’s “low-rye” Mash Bill No. 1 and matured for 15 years and four months before being bottled at 100 proof. Most barrels in this release come from Warehouse C, which was built while E.H. Taylor owned the distillery. It is also the first bottled-in-bond whiskey in Buffalo Trace Antique Collection’s history. Master distiller Harlen Wheatley said at a press event that the release took over a year to finalize.

According to Buffalo Trace, the nose features warm vanilla, seasoned oak, maple, and char. The palate mingles “balanced sweetness” and baking spices, ending with a soft finish of caramel, vanilla, and cherry.

Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Bottled at 101 proof, this is an amped-up, much-older version of the distillery’s standard Eagle Rare 10 — and now Eagle Rare 12 — expressions. Made from Mash Bill No. 1, this year’s release is significantly older than its 17-year age statement, with the youngest barrels being 18 years and four months old.

Buffalo Trace highlights a nose opening with “dark tobacco and well-worn leather, accented by ripe cherry and a lively peppery edge.” The palate is rich in caramel, complemented by additional notes of cherry and leather, culminating in a lengthy, oak-forward finish.

George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon

A barrel-proof pour that’s been a fan favorite since its debut in 2002, George T. Stagg is often recognized as BTAC’s punchiest, boldest whiskey. Its name honors George T. Stagg, a one-time business partner of E.H. Taylor who eventually purchased the O.F.C. Distillery. Another bourbon made from Mash Bill No. 1, this year’s release is aged 15 years and four months. It comes in at an uncut, unfiltered 142.8 proof, making it one of the highest-ABV releases in the lineup. That’s the same proof as the 2012 version, and only three other George T. Stagg releases have surpassed it. (At 144.8 proof, the 2007 release still holds the crown as “strongest.”)

Tasting notes emphasize “commanding” aromas of deep oak and vanilla, followed by a palate that reveals bold tobacco and ripe cherry notes. The “earthy” finish features notes of tobacco, vanilla, and more oak.

William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon

While all BTAC whiskeys are highly sought after, William Larue Weller stands out as one of the most valued and consistently praised. Named after the pioneering distiller W.L. Weller, this bourbon is another uncut, unfiltered whiskey crafted from Buffalo Trace’s undisclosed wheated mash bill. (The same mash bill is used for all Weller bourbons and the Pappy Van Winkle series.) It’s a 14-year-old expression, originally barreled at 114 proof and bottled at 129 proof. This makes it both older and higher proof than the 2024 edition.

According to Buffalo Trace, the nose kicks off with vanilla, maple, and tobacco before a palate rich in sweet vanilla, toasted oak, and (as is common for this whiskey) ripe fruit.

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

While Thomas H. Handy is by far the youngest whiskey in the collection — this release is aged around six years — it doesn’t lack flavor. Along with Sazerac 18, it’s one of two ryes in the Antique Collection, and the only uncut, unfiltered one. It’s made from a “Kentucky-style” rye mash bill believed to contain close to the legal minimum percentage of rye grain (51%). Its name comes from a New Orleans businessman often credited with incorporating rye into the now-classic Sazerac cocktail.

This year’s Thomas H. Handy is bottled at 129.8 proof, slightly higher than in 2024. Its nose offers “lively oak” and spice, along with bright fruit, including apple. On the palate, it leans into more bold spice and oak, along with softer fruit notes, before a vanilla-forward finish.

Sazerac 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

The oldest whiskey in this year’s Antique Collection, the 2025 Sazerac 18-Year-Old Rye, is aged for 18 years and five months. It’s bottled at 90 proof and is another rye made from that Kentucky-style grain recipe.

Buffalo Trace’s tasting notes highlight bright spice on the nose, complemented by an herbaceous character. The palate presents a balanced profile of spice and oak, complemented by notes of leather, culminating in a finish of “rye spice, warm leather, caraway seed, and enduring oak.”