Sazerac 18 Year 2022 Straight Rye

Sazerac Rye 18-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (2022 Antique Collection)

Price

$1,599.95

✔ 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 (Matured 18 Years, 6 Months) | Region: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA | Proof: 90 Proof

Secure payments

Vault-to-door shipping

Adult signature (21+) at delivery

Proof

45%

ABV

750 mL

Format

18Y 6M

Oak Age

2003/04

Vintage

Kentucky

Region

Buffalo Trace filled the barrels for the 2022 Sazerac 18 Year Old in the spring of 2003 and the spring of 2004, aged them in Warehouses K, M and P, and bottled the Kentucky straight rye at 90 proof (45% ABV) when it was 18 years and 6 months old. It was the only whiskey under 100 proof in the five-bottle 2022 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection and the earliest distilled of the five.

Nº 01

The Elemental Distinction

Two spring distillations: The barrels were filled in the spring of 2003 and the spring of 2004, earlier than the distillate in any other bottle of the 2022 Antique Collection.

The set's only sub-100-proof bottle: 90 proof (45% ABV), against 101 for Eagle Rare 17 and 124.7 to 138.7 for the three uncut releases.

Age at bottling: 18 years and 6 months, against the 18-year statement on the label.

Three warehouses: Buffalo Trace aged the barrels in Warehouses K, M and P at its Frankfort, Kentucky distillery.

American Whiskey Masters Gold: Awarded a Gold medal at the 2023 American Whiskey Masters competition.

Nº 02

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Sazerac Heritage

Frankfort Dual Spring Distillation Legacy

Distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, the 2022 Sazerac 18 represents a harmonious marriage of the spring 2003 and spring 2004 distillation runs. Aged across three distinct rickhouses, this release captures a sophisticated milestone in Kentucky straight rye heritage.

Nº 03

Craftsmanship & Cask Architecture

2003 & 2004 Distillations & Warehouses K, M & P

2003 & 2004 Vintage Distillates

Minnesota Rye Mash

Distilled in the springs of 2003 and 2004 from Minnesota rye, Kentucky corn, and North Dakota malted barley double distilled to 135 proof.

Warehouses K, M & P

18Y 6M Oak Maturation

Aged 18 years and 6 months across Warehouses K, M, and P, developing deep wood tannins and refined herbal spice profiles.

90 Proof Precision

Chill-Filtered Elegance

Precision proofed to 90 proof (45.0% ABV) with limestone spring water and chill filtered, prioritizing silkiness and refined citrus-pepper top notes.

Independent Stave Oak

Heavy Char Cooperage

Entered new 53-gallon white oak barrels (#4 char, 55-second char) at 125 proof in the springs of 2003 and 2004.

Nº 04

Sensory Profile & Strategy

Distillery Tasting Notes

Sensory Profile

Nose: Bright orange peel, fresh lemon zest, and rich dark molasses.
Palate: Cracked black pepper, warm coriander seed, and sweet maple syrup.
Finish: Long and refined; fresh mint, cured tobacco leaf, and seasoned barrel oak.

Strategic Position

Within the Sazerac 18 vertical, the 2022 bottling bridges two spring distillations. It follows the 2021 Sazerac 18 distilled only in spring 2003, adds rye filled a year later, and precedes the 2023 Sazerac 18 aged in Warehouses K, L and M. Compare it directly with the 130.9-proof Thomas H. Handy from the same fall in Midnight Whiskey's vault.

Nº 05

Collector Note & Index

Vault Provenance

→

Dual Vintage Distillation Milestone

The 2022 allocation represents a rare multi-vintage marriage of spring 2003 and spring 2004 barrel stocks.

→

Rye Whiskey Vault Context

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

Collector IndexSAZ18 2022 RELEASE

Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Series Position: 2022 BTAC Allocation
Category: Kentucky Straight Rye
Proof / ABV: 90 Proof (45.0% ABV)
Age Statement: 18 Years 6 Months (Distilled 2003 & 2004)
Format: 750 mL

Explore the rye whiskey collection this Sazerac 18 Year 2022 belongs to.

Nº 06

Technical Specifications

Specification	Detail
PRODUCER / DISTILLERY	Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky (Sazerac Company)
COLLECTION	2022 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)
CATEGORY	Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
AGE STATEMENT	18 Years Old (18 Years 6 Months Actual; Distilled Spring 2003 & 2004)
PROOF / ABV	90 Proof / 45.0% ABV
FILTRATION	Chill Filtered
MASH BILL	Minnesota Rye, Kentucky Corn, North Dakota Malted Barley
WAREHOUSE	Warehouses K, M & P
REGION	Frankfort, Kentucky, USA
FORMAT	750 mL
SKU	088004140045-22

Nº 07

Records & Assurance

Production Methodology

Buffalo Trace makes Sazerac 18 at its distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, from the straight rye mash bill named in its 2022 Antique Collection announcement: rye as the large grain, with corn and malted barley. As a Kentucky straight rye whiskey, it was aged in new charred oak, as the category requires. For the 2022 release, barrels filled in the spring of 2003 and the spring of 2004 rested in Warehouses K, M and P until Buffalo Trace proofed the batch to 90 for bottling at 18 years and 6 months old.

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

How old is the 2022 Sazerac 18?

The 2022 Sazerac 18 carries an 18-year age statement and was 18 years and 6 months old at bottling. Buffalo Trace filled its barrels in the spring of 2003 and the spring of 2004 and aged them in Warehouses K, M and P at the distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky.

What does the 2022 Sazerac 18 taste like?

Buffalo Trace's official notes for the 2022 Sazerac 18 Year Old list orange peel, lemon zest and molasses on the nose; black pepper, coriander seed and maple syrup on the palate; and mint, tobacco leaf and oak on the finish. The distillery published them with its October 2022 announcement of that year's Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.

Is the 2022 Sazerac 18 bottled at barrel proof?

No. The 2022 Sazerac 18 was bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV), the only whiskey under 100 proof in the 2022 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. The barrel-strength bottles in that collection were the uncut, unfiltered George T. Stagg, William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac.

What mash bill is used in the 2022 Sazerac 18?

The 2022 Sazerac 18 is made from Buffalo Trace's straight rye mash bill, one of three recipes the distillery named for its 2022 Antique Collection. Buffalo Trace's fact sheets list rye as the large grain, with corn and malted barley. Under US rules a straight rye is made from a mash of at least 51% rye and aged at least two years in new charred oak containers.

Midnight Whiskey · The Vault Buffalo Trace Distillery · Sazerac 18 Year (2022 Release)

Curated For You

Michter's US★1 Barrel Strength Sour Mash Whiskey 112.6 (2026 Limited Release) Michter's Distillery

$169.95

The Macallan TIME : SPACE Sherry Cask 20 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2026 Release) The Macallan

$1,699.95

The Macallan TIME : SPACE Mastery 200 Year Anniversary Edition Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky — 2024 Bicentenary Release The Macallan

$1,599.95

3 in stock

The Yamazaki Smoky Batch The Third Single Malt Japanese Whisky Suntory

$449.95

1 in stock

Sazerac Rye

The Elemental Distinction

Buffalo Trace Distillery & Sazerac Heritage