Bourbon Brass and Beyond — Episode 100: A BTAC Lineup Tasting
Bourbon Brass and Beyond celebrates its 100th episode with a tasting of six sought-after Buffalo Trace Antique Collection whiskeys. Dan, Bob, Calvin, Michael, and Rich compare how age, proof, and whiskey style shape each pour—and share different rankings along the way.
#buffalotrace #ehtaylor #sazerac #stagg #weller #wlw #saz18 #thomashhandy #rye #bourbon #tasting #episode100 #bourbonbrassandbeyond #bourbonpod #podcast #BTAC
In this episode
* The hosts kick off the anniversary episode with the story behind Calvin’s raffle win and the lineup.
* Sazerac 18 brings notes of plum, licorice, and oak, with mellowed rye spice and a long finish.
* Colonel Taylor.
H. Taylor* * surprises the group with a mature character, a rich nose, and a smoother profile than they expect.
* Eagle Rare 17 delivers cherry, stone fruit, oak, and a lingering finish that stays true to the Eagle Rare profile.
* William Larue Weller stands out for its wheated sweetness, grape notes, and sustained finish.
* Thomas H. Handy sparks debate over its assertive rye spice, citrus, and heat.
* George T. Stagg closes the tasting with high proof, cherry, dark tobacco, and a powerful finish.
* The hosts discuss how proof, age, and personal preference affect their rankings—and how whiskey can change after a bottle is opened.
* The episode wraps with thanks to listeners and a look ahead to episode 101.
Timestamps
00:00 — Celebrating 100 episodes
02:18 — Starting the tasting with Sazerac 18
03:54 — The story behind the Sazerac
05:44 — Plum, licorice, oak, and softened rye spice
10:07 — Bottle design and whiskey presentation
13:23 — Moving on to E.H. Taylor
16:34 — E.H. Taylor’s history and mature character
19:54 — Bourbon community stories
23:23 — Introducing Eagle Rare 17
24:42 — Eagle Rare tasting notes and discussion
33:33 — William Larue Weller’s wheated bourbon legacy
37:02 — Weller’s grape notes and lingering finish
43:13 — The first round of rankings
47:43 — Thomas H. Handy and the history of rye in the Sazerac
50:09 — Comparing Handy with Sazerac 18
55:05 — Introducing George T. Stagg and discussing high proof
57:21 — The history behind Stagg
59:25 — Comparing recent Stagg releases
63:29 — Final rankings
68:24 — What makes a rye whiskey stand out
74:39 — How bottles can change after opening
77:02 — Closing thoughts and a preview of episode 101
Notable quotes
“Episode 100. It’s a hundred? Holy cow.”
“It drinks well under proof.”
“What happens when this grows up?”
Bourbon, Brass & Beyond - https://www.bourbonpod.com
https://www.bourbonbrassandbeyond.com
Buffalo Trace Distillery - https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com