Buffalo Trace
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Buffalo Trace Distillery
1001 Wilkinson Boulevard
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 USA
Tel: 1-800-654-8471

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As the mighty buffalo thundered across the land, they carved paths in the wilderness and a destiny for our ancestors. These paths, known as traces, were soon marked with the footprints of adventurers, explorers and pioneers as they made their journey to the west.

One such trace, called the Great Buffalo Trace, led to the rugged banks of what is now called the Kentucky River. It was here in Franklin County, just a short distance from Kentucky's state capitol of today, that millions of buffalo found passage across the river in their move toward the Great Plains.

The migration of these herds left a rough wide clearing that would become a gateway to a new frontier that invited renowned explorers and pioneers, such as George Rogers Clark and legendary Daniel Boone, and countless settlers who pushed America westward more than 220 years ago.

The McAfee brothers made the first survey of the crossing site and the surrounding area in 1773. A settlement came into existence at the crossing in 1775, when brother Hancock and Willis Lee established their camp with a small company of men. The group fought for survival in the unforgiving conditions of a fierce wilderness, but by 1789 the area held a thriving population...and Bourbon

Those who settled there were quick to take advantage of the abundant limestone spring water and fertile bottom loam-found to be perfect for growing exceptional grain. Distillation soon followed and what would become the area's distinguished bourbon heritage took root.

The tradition of fine bourbon making has been a part of this site's heritage for more than two centuries. In fact, there has been a working distillery on the grounds since 1787.

The first modern distillery was built on this site in 1857 and was the first to incorporate the use of steam power–a major advance in producing high quality bourbon. The distillery was later purchased by E.H. Taylor, Jr., one of Kentucky's original Bourbon aristocrats. Astute and innovative, Taylor brought advancements to the facility as well as to the entire whisky industry. Taylor teamed up with George T. Stagg, a whisky salesman in St. Louis and together they built the most dominant American distillery of the 19th century.

By 1886, the distillery had introduced the nation's first climate-controlled warehousing for aging whisky and had earned a worldwide reputation for producing America's finest bourbons.

During the prohibition era, the distillery's existence was spared by the allowance of a permit–one of only four issued in the country–to continue distillation for medicinal purposes. After Repeal, Albert Blanton took over the operation of the distillery and added many quality control enhancements. An innovator in his own right, Blanton enjoyed producing single-barrel bourbon for himself and his friends. This tradition was honored in 1984 when the distillery became the first to commercially market a single-barrel bourbon.

Today the Buffalo Trace Distillery site encompasses 119 acres and 114 buildings. The George T. Stagg distillery was renamed Buffalo Trace in June of 1999 and introduced its flagship bourbon, Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky, in August of 1999. In addition to Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky, the distillery has a history of other finely crafted, award-winning spirits, including Blanton's, W.L Weller, Old Charter and Eagle Rare. The distillery has won more international awards since 1990 than any other North American distillery, earning more than 140 distinctions in national and international competitions including the 2005 "Distiller of the Year" award presented by Whisky Magazine.

Courtesy of Buffalo Trace

Buffalo Trace Distillery

THE BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY

Buffalo Trace Distillery provides for the complete production of bourbon whiskeys. All bourbon produced by the distillery is aged in century-old warehouses. Constructed of massive wood beams and covered by a brick shell, these structures allow the alternating cooling and warming of Kentucky's four distinct seasons to mature the bourbon by nature's timetable.

Steam pumped throughout the warehouses during the extreme cold of winter compensates for the dramatic drops in temperature and gives the whisky additional cycles in and out of the wood. This makes for a more balanced bourbon, as the liquid is able to take additional advantage of the natural sugars occurring in the charred barrels. The distillery was the first to use this method of aging in 1859 and has been doing so ever since.

Buffalo Trace's warehouses were built in the 1900s (some as early as 1903) and represent a variety of architectural styles. The differing styles of warehouses, and their location on the property, contribute to the significant differences in the whisky coming from each. Within each warehouse, certain floors produce better whisky than others do. For example, the fourth and fifth floors of Warehouse C and the fourth through sixth floors of Warehouses I and K produce our absolute best whisky. Consequently, these locations have been reserved exclusively for making Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky.

DISTILLERY TOUR INFORMATION

The Gift Shop offers signature brand-ware and a limited variety of our bourbon products for sale.

Tours are complimentary and include a tasting of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and delicious chocolate bourbon balls. Families of all ages welcome. ADA accessible. All visitors are welcome to walk in and there is no need to make a reservation unless you have a group of 25 or more.

The Trace Tour is a little over one hour long. The tour begins with an engaging video of the history of Buffalo Trace Distillery. You will then walk amidst the path of rolling bourbon barrels. You will be captivated by the alluring smell and atmosphere of our bourbon sleeping inside the aging warehouses. Then you will go inside the renowned Blanton’s Bottling Hall where you will see our signature bourbons being filled, sealed, labeled, and packaged—all by hand. Finally, the Trace Tour ends with a tasting of fine Kentucky Bourbon and more delicious treats!

Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. year-round
Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. year-round
Tours start on the hour.

Other times may be arranged by appointment.

Gift Shop Hours
Monday through Friday: 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Holidays
The distillery is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Parking / Reception
Turn right onto McCracken Pike to the Labrot & Graham Visitors Center. Ample Parking.

Group Bookings
Reservations are required for groups of 25 or more.

Photography in Distillery
Yes

Disabled Access
The distillery is handicapped accessible, with a special tour provided for our physically challenged visitors upon request.

Contact Us
Buffalo Trace Distillery
1001 Wilkinson Boulevard
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 USA
Tel: 1-502-696-5926 or
1-800-654-8471

Directions
From Louisville: On I64 Eastbound, take Exit 53B, US 127 North, go about 5 miles. You will cross the KY River and see the Holiday Inn, turn left (still 127 North, also Wilkinson Blvd.). The distillery will be on the left in one mile.

From Lexington: On I64 Westbound, take exit 58, go North on US 60 until it becomes 127/421. Go straight, follow signs to Civic Center/Downtown and do not make any turns until you see the distillery on your right, about 5.5 miles.

THE MAKING OF BUFFALO TRACE KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON whisky

The Grain Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky is expertly crafted in the time-honored tradition unique to bourbon. Buffalo Trace begins with the finest Kentucky and Indiana corn, selected rye, and superior malted barley. Together, these grains represent our unique mash bill – a trade secret known only by those craftsmen responsible for producing this highest-quality whisky.

Upon delivery the grains undergo a general visual inspection for any obvious abnormalities. Bushel weight is then checked to ensure the grain demonstrates the proper baseline characteristics. Finally, a sample of the grain is tested in the distillery laboratory to determine if it meets Buffalo Trace's rigid standards for moisture levels and chemical balance.

The Milling To prepare the newly received grains for the mashing process, they must first be carefully milled to exactly the right specifications. Grains at Buffalo Trace are milled with a hammer mill using a screen that only allows particles of milled grain as large as 10/64 of an inch in diameter through. In our experience, we have found that this size screen, called a #10, lets more of the true grain through to be part of the mash without compromising the integrity of the mash itself. The next larger screen would allow whole kernels of rye and barley through, and the next smaller screen would create too fine a grain, causing the mash to become too thick.

The Mash Mashing water–fresh and rich with minerals from its natural filtration through Kentucky limestone – is heated in a steam-generated pressure cooker. Once the water reaches the proper temperature, the corn is cooked under pressure until it is ready for rye to be added. After the addition of the rye, a malted barley slurry is added to the mixture, which allows its activated enzymes to turn the starch from the cooked grains into a soluble sugar. The new mixture is, at this point, a sweet mash.

Fermentation This part of the process takes place in our 12 fermenters – with each fermenter holding 89,962 gallons; they are the largest in the industry. After the mash has cooled, yeast is added with a small amount of the previously fermented and distilled mash, also known as sour mash. The sugar present in the mash feeds the yeast to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide. The uniquely rich nutrients of the pure Kentucky limestone water used in this process also enrich the yeast. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky undergoes a natural fermentation lasting anywhere from three to five days.

The Distillation Process The fermented mixture, or beer, complete with solids, enters the top of the beer still and descends through plates, similar to those in a coffee percolator. Steam, pumped in from the bottom of the still, encounters the falling beer, creating an alcohol-rich vapor. The vapor is then recondensed and passed through a second still, known as a doubler, to create a crystal clear liquid that, by law, can be no more than 160 proof, or 80% alcohol by volume. For Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky, however, the final liquid is removed from the doubler at a significantly lower proof in order to preserve more of the flavor and characteristics of the grains. This liquid, which is commonly referred to as raw spirit or "white dog," is then entered into newly charred, virgin white oak barrels. Consistent with our desire to optimize flavor and characteristics of the grains, we enter the white dog into the barrels at 125 proof.

The Barrels Before Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky is placed into barrels, the barrels themselves undergo a rigid inspection. Barrels to be used for Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky must be made of naturally aged, "center ring" wood from trees typically 70 to 80 years old. This center ring falls between the outer ring, called sapwood, and the core of the tree. Our standards for wood selection are more expensive, but they make for a finer whisky. Also, the grain of the wood is inspected for coarseness. Very fine wood grain results in immature whisky that is weak and less flavorful. Grain that is too coarse leads to an excessive wood taste. Barrels also are reviewed for broken or cracked staves and open joints. As a result of these criteria, Buffalo Trace Distillery has the highest rejection rate of barrels in the industry.

The Aging While every step of the production process is important, Buffalo Trace Distillery believes the aging process is the greatest factor in producing truly outstanding whisky. The Distillery’s best whisky comes from aging in Warehouses C, I and K, and only on selected floors. For instance, the fourth and fifth floors of Warehouse C and the fourth through sixth floors of Warehouses I and K produce the distillery’s finest whisky. These floors represent the middle floors in each of the warehouses and have the greatest temperature changes in the course of a year–the key to reaching full maturity and producing a balanced whisky. Warehouses C, I and K also are rick warehouses constructed from large wood beams and surrounded by a brick shell. Each of the warehouses has an earthen floor, which best allows nature to do its part in the aging process and produce truly outstanding whisky. Additionally, steam pumped throughout the warehouses during the extreme cold of winter compensates for the dramatic drops in temperature and gives the whisky additional cycles in and out of the wood.

The Selection Only the best bourbon produced by the distillery is bottled as Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky. Approximately 30-35 barrels of aged whisky are selected from the middle floors of Warehouses C, I and K. Samples from these barrels are reviewed by the distillery’s tasting panel. If any one taster rejects a sample, the barrel it represents will not be used for Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky. Only the barrels of approved bourbon samples (usually no more than 25-30 barrels) will be married and bottled as Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon whisky.

The Filtration whisky from selected barrels is married and passed through a chill filtration process, lowering the temperature of the bourbon to below 30"F (-1ºC). This process ensures that more of the color and flavor naturally present in the bourbon is maintained than does filtering through activated charcoal. The bourbon is then reduced to 90 proof, its bottling proof (45% ABV), using water that has undergone reverse osmosis filtration. Buffalo Trace Distillery was the first distillery to use this process, which is regarded as a benchmark within the industry for producing the highest quality bourbon. Reverse osmosis water begins as pure Kentucky limestone water that is placed in a tank containing a double-sided filter. This filter is cycled through the water, removing all the minerals and producing the purest form of water obtainable.

No other colors or flavors are added to the final product, a claim only bourbon, among all whiskeys, can make. Buffalo Trace’s proprietary bottles are then carefully filled, corked and sealed by hand, and then packed for limited distribution.

UNIQUE FACTS ABOUT THE BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY

Buffalo Trace Distillery "Firsts"
To ship whisky down the Mississippi River
To use steam power for distilling
To heat the warehouses
To use the "bung-up" method
To use reverse osmosis water
To commercially market single barrel Bourbon
American distillery to be named "Distillery of the Year"

Buffalo Trace Distillery "Onlys"
Using 5 whisky recipes
Creating vodka entirely from scratch
With as diverse a range of aged whisky
With more than 50 medals and awards since 1990
Still leak hunting
Three centuries of architecture
No computers in the still house
With organically grown corn in one of its products
Three different stills in the still house
Only distillery to be named both "Distillery of the Year" by
Malt Advocate Magazine and "Distiller of the Year" by Whisky Magazine.

Courtesy of Buffalo Trace