Sazerac 18 Year 2018 Rye Whiskey

Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (2018 Antique Collection)

Price

$1,799.95

✔ Authenticated by the house — seal, fill level, and label inspected before release
✔ Documented provenance on every bottle
✔ Climate-safe, collector-grade packaging

Age: 18 Years Old (2018 Release) | Region: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA | Proof: 90 Proof

Secure payments

Vault-to-door shipping

Adult signature (21+) at delivery

Proof

45%

ABV

750 mL

Format

18 Yrs

Oak Age

1998

Vintage

Kentucky

Region

In the year Eagle Rare 17 climbed to 101 proof, Sazerac 18 Year Old was left as the only 90-proof bottle in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. The 2018 release is rye Buffalo Trace distilled in the spring of 1998 — the third Sazerac 18 drawn from that distillation season, after the 2016 and 2017 bottlings — sold under the line's 18-year age statement in the fall 2018 collection.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

The only 90-proof bottle of 2018: Eagle Rare 17 moved to 101 proof that year, leaving Sazerac 18 alone below 100 proof in a set running up to 128.8 proof.

Spring 1998 distillate: The third release drawn from that classic distillation season, following the 2016 and 2017 bottlings.

18-year age statement: Precision proofed to 90 proof (45.0% ABV) to highlight silkiness and dark cocoa notes.

Minnesota Rye Platform: Large-grain Minnesota rye, Kentucky corn as small grain, and North Dakota malted barley to finish.

A new tasting note profile: Official notes shift to dark chocolate, tobacco, and cinnamon.

Nº 02

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Sazerac Heritage

Frankfort 1998 Distillation Legacy

Distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, the 2018 Sazerac 18 continues the story of the spring 1998 distillation run. Operating as the quiet, contemplative anchor of the 2018 Antique Collection, this release delivers immense textural elegance and aged oak depth.

Nº 03

Craftsmanship & Cask Architecture

1998 Distillation & Warehouse K Aging

1998 Vintage Distillate

Minnesota Rye Mash

Distilled in spring 1998 from Minnesota rye, Kentucky corn, and North Dakota malted barley double distilled to 135 proof.

Warehouse K Aging

Uninterrupted Oak Maturation

Aged 18 years in new charred white oak barrels in Warehouse K, developing complex wood tannins and deep tobacco notes.

90 Proof Precision

Chill-Filtered Elegance

Precision proofed to 90 proof (45.0% ABV) with limestone spring water and chill filtered, prioritizing silkiness and dark cocoa top notes.

Independent Stave Oak

Heavy Char Cooperage

Entered new 53-gallon white oak barrels (#4 char, 55-second char) at 125 proof in spring 1998.

Nº 04

Sensory Profile & Strategy

Distillery Tasting Notes

Sensory Profile

Nose: Elegant strings of rich dark chocolate, aromatic cigar leaf tobacco, warm baking cinnamon, and deep, well-seasoned rackhouse oak wood.
Palate: Soft, coating, and balanced; mature layers of sweet cocoa powder and leaf tobacco integrate smoothly with warm baking spices.
Finish: Long, sophisticated, and gently drying; clean trails of fine cinnamon spice fade gracefully into aged oak tannins.

Strategic Position

With the Eagle Rare 17 that left 90 proof in 2018 now bottled at 101, the Sazerac 18 was the 2018 set's one lower-strength pour. Compare it with the 2017 Sazerac 18 poured from the 2016 tank and the 2019 Sazerac 18, next in the series within Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault Provenance

→

1998 Distillation Era Landmark

The 2018 allocation represents the third annual bottling drawn from the historic spring 1998 distillation run.

→

Rye Whiskey Vault Context

Catalogued within the primary Whiskey Collection and The Vault at Midnight Whiskey.

Collector IndexSAZ18 2018 RELEASE

Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Series Position: 2018 BTAC Allocation
Category: Kentucky Straight Rye
Proof / ABV: 90 Proof (45.0% ABV)
Age Statement: 18 Years Old (Distilled Spring 1998)
Format: 750 mL

Explore the rye whiskey collection this Sazerac 18 Year 2018 belongs to.

Nº 06

Technical Specifications

Specification	Detail
PRODUCER / DISTILLERY	Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky (Sazerac Company)
COLLECTION	2018 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)
CATEGORY	Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
AGE STATEMENT	18 Years Old (Distilled Spring 1998, Bottled Fall 2018)
PROOF / ABV	90 Proof / 45.0% ABV
FILTRATION	Chill Filtered
MASH BILL	Minnesota Rye, Kentucky Corn, North Dakota Malted Barley
WAREHOUSE	Warehouse K (Floor 2)
REGION	Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
FORMAT	750 mL
SKU	088004140045-18

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Production Methodology

Buffalo Trace distilled this rye in the spring of 1998 from its rye recipe — Minnesota rye as the large grain, Kentucky corn (distillers grade #1 and #2) as the small grain and North Dakota malted barley as the finish grain, the structure the distillery's 2016 and 2017 sheets record for that season's distillate. It carries an 18-year age statement and was bottled at 90 proof for the fall 2018 release.

Authentication & Vault Preservation

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the 2018 Sazerac 18 distilled?

The 2018 Sazerac 18 was distilled at Buffalo Trace in the spring of 1998, the same distillation season behind the 2016 and 2017 releases. It carries an 18-year age statement and was bottled at 90 proof for the fall 2018 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.

Was the 2018 Sazerac 18 the lowest-proof bottle in the 2018 Antique Collection?

Yes. With Eagle Rare 17 raised to 101 proof in 2018, the 2018 Sazerac 18 at 90 proof was the only bottle in that year's Buffalo Trace Antique Collection below 100 proof; George T. Stagg came in at 124.9, William Larue Weller at 125.7 and Thomas H. Handy at 128.8.

What does the 2018 Sazerac 18 taste like?

Buffalo Trace's note for the 2018 Sazerac 18 lists dark chocolate, tobacco and cinnamon. None of those appear in the distillery's notes for the 2016 and 2017 releases, which both named clove and allspice, although all three were distilled in the spring of 1998.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Buffalo Trace Distillery · Sazerac 18 Year (2018 Release)

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Sazerac Rye

The Elemental Distinction

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Sazerac Heritage