Kentucky Kings Sazerac give Brits the chance to buy their own barrel of bourbon
British buyers can buy get their own single barrel from Sazerac’s hallowed Kentucky vaults
Sazerac, the powerhouse behind cult favourites like Buffalo Trace and Eagle Rare, is launching its Single Barrel Select Programme in Britain, offering enthusiasts the chance to handpick their own cask from the legendary warehouses of Kentucky. By Tom Pattinson
In a nation so culturally, historically and geographically steeped in Scotch, it’s easy to overlook the fact that across the Atlantic, our American cousins are crafting vast quantities of their own whiskey. While bourbon sales to the UK are not even a tenth of Scotch sales to the US, the bourbon market in Britain is growing at a rapid pace. This surge is partly thanks to the Kentucky Kings of bourbon, Buffalo Trace, who have made an impressive entrance into the UK and European markets with their recently opened ‘Covent Garden Distillery’ – a tasting room and experience venue rather than an actual distillery. Their marketing drive on this side of the pond, which includes sponsorship of established British sporting events such as Premiership Rugby and DP World Tour golf, has ensured their presence is now felt far and wide.
‘It’s about taking home part of the history of the famous distillery, sharing it with friends and getting privileged access’
Buffalo Trace, the core brand in the Sazerac suite of American spirits, boasts a cult following that borders on the obsessive. Each US state is allocated a portion of Buffalo Trace to ensure fair distribution, yet supermarkets often run out of stock, leading to daily queues of eager customers at the sprawling Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky. Indeed, I recently found myself seated next to a charming chap at London’s fabulous Dram bar who had flown to the UK specifically to stock up on as many bottles from the Sazerac family – Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, and Pappy Van Winkle – as he could carry back to the States. “Not only are these bottles often half the price of what they’d cost back home, but you simply can’t get your hands on them in the States,” my new drinking companion, Dave, explained with a grin.
The allure of Sazerac’s offerings is undeniable. A single bottle of Pappy Van Winkle recently fetched $100,000 at auction, and a whopping 117,000 Americans are enrolled in Buffalo Trace’s Single Barrel Select Programme. This initiative allows enthusiasts to select a full cask from the distillery’s famous Kentucky warehouses, have it bottled, and take it home. The waiting list is long and testament to the dedication of bourbon lovers.
Tonight, I find myself at Buffalo Trace’s London HQ attending an event hosted by the award-winning drinks writer and author Alice Lascelles, to celebrate the launch of Sazerac’s Single Barrel Select programme in the UK. “There’s been a boom in interest in US whisky,” Lascelles explains, “especially among those seeking small batch and collectable whiskies.” The premise of the programme is the same as it is the States, with one key difference. UK enthusiasts needn’t join the lengthy queue of 117,000 hopefuls. Instead, they can leapfrog straight to the front and head over to Kentucky without delay pick up their own cask.
Happy Pappy: sampling the revered 20-year-old family reserve
For those who want to secure a barrel, the process is refreshingly straightforward. Simply register your interest on the Sazerac Barrel Select website, and Aubrey Woodhouse or one of her team, will invite you and up to seven friends to Kentucky. There, master blender Drew Mayville will guide you through the selection of the best barrels, tailored to your personal preferences – whether you desire more fruit, oak, or vibrant spice. For those unable to make the trip, samples can be sent to London for a tasting with a Sazerac expert. Once you’ve selected your preferred barrel, it will be bottled and shipped back to the UK. As a delightful bonus, buyers can even keep the empty barrel as a memento.
The cost of a single barrel varies depending on yield, but is expected to be around £8,500, providing around 250 bottles. This works out at approximately £34 per bottle – a more than generous price for a single cask bourbon.
“Sazerac has 160 continuous years of history but continues to embrace change, innovate, and invest,” says Liam Sparks, Prestige Manager at Sazerac UK. The company has invested an astonishing $1.2 billion over the past decade to increase production, now filling 2,500 barrels a day,” he says.
There are dozens of warehouses at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort – each providing a unique flavour profile
Be in no doubt, this is not a barrel investment scheme (read Nick Morgan’s fascinating article on this nefarious business). Buyers can only buy directly from Sazerac and the bourbon is bottled there and then before being shipped to the customer. As Woodhouse tells me, it’s about taking home part of the history of the famous distillery, sharing it with friends and getting privileged access to a special liquid that few in the world can get hold of.
During our illuminating evening at Buffalo Trace London, Lascelles explained the difference between Scotch (made with barley and aged in oak casks for a minimum of three years) and bourbon (made with mostly wheat and aged in toasted new oak casks for a minimum of three years). And Liam Sparks delved into the complexities of ageing bourbon in Kentucky’s extreme climate.
‘Warehouse C gained notoriety when a tornado tore through Kentucky in 2006, ripping off its roof. The liquid in the exposed barrels is said to have developed a richer, more honeyed flavour’
‘Angels share in Scotland, on average, is around 2% per year and the ABV reduces over time, due to cool climate and moisture in the air. However, in Kentucky it can be 8-10% per year. The max we can go into barrel is 62.5%, and because of the climate (hot and dry), water can evaporate quicker than the alcohol in the barrel, meaning the ABV can rise over time.’ This rapid ageing process means that a 20-year-old bourbon in Kentucky can taste akin to a 50-year-old Single Malt Scotch, where conditions are far more uniform.
The Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky is a labyrinth of warehouses, each imparting its own unique flavour profile. “There might be a temperature difference of 10-15 degrees in the same warehouse,” Sparks explains. “We have different barrels in different places for different purposes. If we want to age something slowly, it goes low and slow. But for colour and flavour, we might place it higher up. However, if we get the temperature wrong and leave it too long, it will all evaporate.” This intricate dance of climate and craftsmanship results in bourbons of depth and character that are in so much demand.
Tasting the different single barrels at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in London
While bourbons are typically blends – unless they are Single Barrel releases – Sazerac superfans often develop preferences for barrels from specific warehouses. The most famous of these is Warehouse X, the experimental warehouse. Others swear by Warehouse C, which gained notoriety when a tornado tore through Kentucky in 2006, ripping off its roof. The barrels exposed to the elements during the months it took to replace the roof are said to have developed a richer, more honeyed flavour, now commanding a premium on the secondary market.
Back at the London event, I have the privilege of tasting bourbons from different single barrels. The standard Buffalo Trace is aged for around eight years on the mid-floors of the warehouses – neither too high nor too low, as Sparks explains. But the first sample, from Warehouse U – a 1950s structure with a concrete floor – offers an oaky, spicy profile. It stands in stark contrast to the second sample, a mellower, floral bourbon from Warehouse K, which sits on a lower level. Sparks notes that this barrel could have been aged longer than its eight years and six months to become Eagle Rare bourbon. With wooden floors and 219 windows that take days to open manually, Warehouse K benefits from increased airflow and sunlight, contributing to its unique character.
Members of the Sazerac Barrel Select visit the distillery to pick their own barrel
The variations are endless, a testament to the artistry of bourbon production and expertise of the Sazerac crew. Some barrels go on to become premium offerings, such as the Double Eagle Very Rare, a 20-year-old bourbon that saw 90% evaporation, leaving only 10 litres from a 200-litre barrel. This exquisite drop, with its leathery dark cherry notes, now sells for £4,500 a bottle. We also tasted a Pappy Van Winkle 20-year-old, hailed by the late food writer Anthony Bourdain as the best bourbon in the world. Pappy Van Winkle, a mere salesman a century ago, worked his way up to launch his own brand in 1935. Today, Julian Van Winkle, the third generation of the Van Winkle family, oversees operations at the eponymous Sazerac brand, with his son Preston representing the fourth generation. They know each and every barrel in the facility, a testament to a dedication and passion passed down through the generations.
From the sun-drenched warehouses of Kentucky to the bustling streets of central London, the journey of these spirits is one of dedication, innovation, and a deep respect for tradition. For those lucky enough to secure a barrel through the Single Barrel Select programme, it’s not just a purchase – it’s an invitation to become part of a story that spans generations. And one can’t help but feel a connection to the land, the people, and the craft that brought it to life. In every sip, there’s a taste of history, a whisper of the wind through the Kentucky hills, and a promise of moments yet to come.
