On Monday, Buffalo Trace Distillery launched a higher-proof addition to the Sazerac Rye Whiskey portfolio. The new bottling clocks in at a lofty 100 proof, a marked increase from the line’s flagship 90 proof expression.
The Frankfort, Ky.-based distillery specifically developed this spirit in response to a surge in demand from bartenders and whiskey enthusiasts for a higher-proof rye offering.
“Bartenders have increasingly embraced 100 proof ryes for the balance, strength and versatility they provide,” Andrew Duncan, global brand director at Buffalo Trace Distillery, said in a release. “Sazerac Rye 100 Proof offers greater control over flavor and balance, empowering creativity behind the bar. It’s built to be the perfect cocktail whiskey.”
Similar to the 90-proof bottling, Sazerac Rye Whiskey 100 Proof is said to showcase prominent savory notes of clove, anise, and pepper balanced by flavors of vanilla, candied spices, and citrus. But according to the brand, the robust new spirit further builds upon the flagship whiskey’s flavor profile and structure, making for a bolder rye expression tailor-made for use in classic cocktails like the Sazerac or Manhattan.
“Sazerac Rye 100 Proof was crafted specifically with bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts in mind,” Harlen Wheatley, master distiller at Buffalo Trace Distillery, stated in the release. “With the renewed interest in classic cocktails that rely on a rye whiskey base, we focused on ensuring this higher-proof spirit delivers complexity and structure without losing its signature profile.”
Sazerac Rye Whiskey 100 Proof is now available in select markets at a suggested retail price of $29.99 per 1-liter bottle — a great value in terms of booze-for-your-buck at the elevated ABV. The new whiskey will also join the Sazerac Barrel Select program as its newest single barrel offering, giving the opportunity for select accounts to hand-pick their own barrel of Sazerac Rye 100 Proof.
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