Buffalo Trace is known for its top-notch portfolio of American whiskeys, including Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare, Sazerac Rye, W.L. Weller, and Pappy Van Winkle. Its brands are coveted stateside, where the whiskey market has exploded over the past decade-plus, and also overseas, as Europe, Asia, and other markets develop a taste for bourbon. Now, Buffalo Trace is trading on its good reputation and expanding its footprint to the U.K. with the just-announced Buffalo Trace Distillery London, a unique American whiskey experience that will open in London’s Covent Garden area in late 2023.
London is a long way from Frankfort, Kentucky, but the company hopes to create new fans, whether they’re familiar with American whiskey and Buffalo Trace or entirely new to the category.
“For over 200 years, our distillery has been defined by a dedication to one craft: making the finest American whiskey,” said Andrew Duncan, Global Brand Director of Buffalo Trace Distillery. He says they’ve built a generation of enthusiasts, one at a time, by showcasing the traditional craft of whiskey while also embracing experimentation and innovation. The London location will bring that same genuine, authentic experience to a new generation of customers.
Guests visiting Buffalo Trace Distillery London can select from one of two tasting experiences. The first offering, dubbed “Taste of the Trace,” will feature a guided tasting of three expressions from the distillery’s core product lineup: Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Sazerac Rye, and Bourbon Cream, plus the option of a bourbon and ginger ale cocktail. The second tasting experience — Tradition & Change — will feature a selection of premium expressions, including White Dog Mash #1, Eagle Rare 10-Year-Old, E.H. Taylor Small Batch, and a small pour of a Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned.
Reservations for the tasting experiences are required and, starting in a few week, can be secured via buffalotracedistillery.com/london. Until then, there’s a waitlist to stay apprised of all the action.
Once inside, guests can tour the 2,000-square-foot space, which pays homage to Buffalo Trace’s history and Kentucky roots. A retail store will sell whiskey bottles and unique merchandise, including select items that can only be found at Buffalo Trace Distillery London.
Whiskey is a global spirit, and Buffalo Trace Distillery CEO and President Jake Wenz said that many spirits consumers are more familiar with bourbon’s global whiskey counterparts — think Scotch, Irish and Japanese whisky. This new facility is the Kentucky brand’s brick-and-mortar salvo into the global market.
“Buffalo Trace Distillery London aims to offer a space to learn more about — and hopefully, fall in love with — our bourbon whiskey,” said Wenz.
