Buffalo Trace offers higher-ABV Sazerac Rye
The new Sazerac Rye 100 Proof whiskey was crafted with bartenders and classic cocktails in mind.
While the standard Sazerac Rye is bottled at 45% ABV, this new expression clocks in at 50% ABV, intended to elevate classic cocktails such as the Manhattan and the brand’s namesake serve, the Sazerac.
The move comes in response to bartenders and whiskey enthusiasts who asked for a higher alcohol strength, with the whiskey designed to offer enhanced flavour and heightened versatility.
“As the whiskey of America’s first cocktail, Sazerac Rye has played a central role in rye whiskey’s resurgence,” Andrew Duncan, global brand director at Buffalo Trace, said.
“Bartenders have increasingly embraced 100 proof ryes for the balance, strength and versatility they provide. Sazerac Rye 100 Proof offers greater control over flavour and balance, empowering creativity behind the bar. It’s built to be the perfect cocktail whiskey.”
Sazerac 100 Proof joins other 50% ABV rye whiskeys like Old Overholt Bonded or Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond, expressions that offer high proof and flavour while remaining relatively affordable, making them go-to favourites for cost crunching bar teams. Sazerac 100 Proof is priced at US$30 for a one-litre bottle.
“Sazerac Rye 100 Proof was crafted specifically with bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts in mind,” Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley added.
“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.
“We’re proud of the result and look forward to seeing it elevate cocktails around the world.”
The bartending world is currently convened in New Orleans, the home of the Sazerac serve, for the annual Tales of the Cocktail conference.
In October 2019, Buffalo Trace opened The Sazerac House in New Orleans, an interactive cocktail museum housed in a 48,000 square-foot historic building.
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