Buffalo Trace's 2009 announcement places this whiskey's aging on the first floor of Warehouse K, a floor the distillery says ages barrels slowly. The rye was distilled in 1985. Once out of oak it went into stainless steel tanks, where aging stops, and a portion was drawn for each fall's Sazerac 18 until the 2015 release took the last of it; the 2009 portion was bottled at 90 proof. Accounts of the stock disagree on the year its barrels were emptied, and no grain percentages for this rye have been published.

Every bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authentic, sealed product and inspected before it ships. Orders are packed with padded, glass-rated handling and require an adult signature (21+) on delivery; we do not ship to anyone unable to verify legal drinking age. For our full sourcing and handling protocols, see our editorial and authentication standards.

What proof is the 2009 Sazerac 18?

The 2009 Sazerac 18 Year Old was bottled at 90 proof, which is 45% alcohol by volume. In Buffalo Trace's 2009 Antique Collection, only the Sazerac 18 and Eagle Rare 17 were bottled at 90 proof; George T. Stagg came out at 141.4 proof, William Larue Weller at 134.8 and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac at 129.

What tasting notes did Buffalo Trace give the 2009 Sazerac 18?

Buffalo Trace's announcement of the 2009 Antique Collection gave the Sazerac 18 Year Old a rye spice aroma with oak, leather and molasses notes, and said the whiskey had aged on the first floor of Warehouse K. The announcement gave no separate palate or finish description for this release.

Is the 2009 Sazerac 18 really only 18 years old?

The 2009 Sazerac 18 Year Old carries an 18-year age statement, but its rye was distilled in 1985, 24 calendar years before the 2009 release. Part of that span was spent in stainless steel tanks rather than oak, and under US federal labeling rules a rye whisky's age counts only the time it was stored in charred new oak containers.