Buffalo Trace's Single Oak Experiment Is A Big Win For Whiskey Lovers' Wallets
One of its most interesting experiments to date, the Buffalo Trace Single Oak goes all the way back to 1999 and one tree. Initially, 96 white oak trees growing in the Ozarks were selected based on factors like the number of rings per inch. Then, the trees were segmented into top and bottom, with each half making a barrel. In total, the project produced 192 whiskeys for fans to taste.
Now that the whiskey is officially joining the permanent lineup, Buffalo Trace gave me a bottle of the Single Oak project barrel 80, which is (like all the Single Oak whiskeys) a rye. This was the winning barrel, selected by discerning whiskey lovers in 2011.
Buffalo Trace Single Oak barrel 80 beat out 1,395 other whiskies
The Buffalo Trace Single Oak barrel 80 starts at 125 proof and comes from the bottom half of a tree with 13 rings per inch. It was aged in a concrete storeroom, and the average wood grain staves were seasoned for 12 months.
The bottle itself has been aged for eight years, and the char is a No. 4, if that means anything to you. There were 1,396 total bottles to pick from, which means this barrel 80 is the cream of the crop. At $75 for a 375-milliliter bottle, this is actually one of the more affordable rare releases from Buffalo Trace.
How Buffalo Trace Single Oak tastes, smells, and looks
The nose on this bottle is pretty light, with notes of butterscotch, caramel, and brown sugar. The hue is a beautiful golden amber, reminiscent of a sun-kissed late summer afternoon.
The flavor is very oaky up front, with lovely mellow honey, caramel, and vanilla flavors following. The finish comes back around to the oak, leaving you with a pleasant woody taste and subtle spice.
Is Buffalo Trace Single Oak worth seeking out?
If you can score a bottle of the Buffalo Trace Sing Oak — regardless of which barrel it is from — I suggest you do so. The rarity of this makes it a collector's dream, but beyond that, there is a complexity worth savoring.
DO NOT put this on the shelf to collect dust. I am of the mind that these types of bottles should be opened and shared with friends, not coveted and hoarded. The unique backstory plus the fantastic taste make this a must-have for whiskey lovers. Hopefully Buffalo Trace continues this experiment and continues to experiment further in the future. I, for one, cannot wait to see what they have in store.