The 3 Distinct Tasting Notes That Make Buffalo Trace Bourbon Taste So Good

Whether or not you're a whiskey drinker, it's likely you've heard of Buffalo Trace bourbon. The award-winning distillery's roots can be traced to the 19th century, but its popularity has particularly grown in the past decade due to its wide availability, versatility, high quality, and affordability. Most whiskey experts and beginners agree that Buffalo Trace is a great-tasting bourbon and Chowhound has the insight as to why. 

Buffalo Trace bourbon has three distinct tasting notes: vanilla, toffee, and candied fruit. Esteemed Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley shared exclusively with Chowhound how the bourbon's flavor is achieved. He states that "the flavors are developed by breaking down the raw grain ingredients, then fermenting and creating the base bourbon distillate. From there, the spirit is laid to rest in a charred oak barrel where it extracts many of the wood sugars and components that people know about bourbon." 

In order for whiskey to be labeled bourbon, it must be made with a mash bill of at least 51% corn. While only the master distiller knows the exact mash bill, Buffalo Trace makes its bourbon with corn, rye, barley, and malt. Additionally, according to bourbon requirements, the fermented grains must be aged in charred oak barrels. The combination of a unique mash bill and the length of barrel aging contributes to the distinct tasting notes. Wheatley shares, "with Buffalo Trace, we utilize century-old standard processes that we've developed over time to hone in on the best flavors we can offer." 

Besides a mash bill of at least 51% corn and aging in charred oak barrels, there are other legal requirements for bourbon, including being made in the U.S., bottled at minimum of 80 proof, and no additional flavorings or colorings. With such requirements, one might wonder, what makes bourbon like Buffalo Trace stand out from the rest? 

According to Buffalo Trace's master distiller Harlen Wheatley, a standout characteristic of Buffalo Trace bourbon is its age. He states, "we set out to make an exceptionally-balanced bourbon whiskey with Buffalo Trace. We want the distillate to age enough to mellow the product and highlight the wood extracts from the barrel.  As a result, we offer some of the oldest bourbons in the business because we know it takes time to make this happen."  By law, straight bourbon must be aged at least two years, however, the average age is around four years. Longer-aged bourbon is often desirable, yet, aging bourbon too long (beyond 12 years) can have a negative effect on flavor. 

While Buffalo Trace doesn't include an age statement on its bottle, it's believed to be aged between eight and 10 years. Wheatley affirms that Buffalo Trace bourbon is as premium as other more expensive bourbons, a significant factor in its growing popularity. He states, "Buffalo Trace is no different: It is aged longer than most bourbons at similar price points and, combined with the balanced flavor, lends to stand out among our competition."

While you can certainly enjoy Buffalo Trace bourbon neat, on the rocks, or straight up, its vanilla, toffee, and candied fruit tasting notes also blend seamlessly in a variety of whiskey cocktails. Harlen Wheatley states, "one of our favorite cocktails to make with Buffalo Trace is the classic old fashioned. The deep amber bourbon brings layers of vanilla, mint, and molasses that complement the cocktail's sweetness, while notes of brown sugar, spice, and oak add structure and depth. The long, smooth finish ties it all together, creating an old fashioned that's perfectly balanced, rich, and unmistakably Buffalo Trace." 

The bourbon old fashioned is about as classic as it can get for a whiskey cocktail, traditionally made with bitters, sugar, water, and bourbon, and garnished with an orange peel or wedge. There are also plenty of variations of this simple, traditional cocktail that work well with Buffalo Trace bourbon, such as the maple old fashioned, made with maple syrup instead of sugar, or an almond old fashioned, which is sweetened with amaretto and brown sugar. When making your bourbon cocktail, make sure to avoid the mistake too many people make when crafting an old fashioned.