Limited edition: Buffalo Trace 90 Proof French Connections
On the banks of the Kentucky River in the United States, the Buffalo Trace distillery - the world's most award-winning distillery - produces Bourbons. The distillery takes its name from the bison migrations that left their tracks along the river, creating new avenues of exploration. Its Bourbon is a tribute to the free and independent spirits who were brave enough to follow these paths. Produced to a recipe created in 1999, Buffalo Trace 90 Proof Bourbon is aged in new American oak barrels before being bottled at 45°, or 90 Proof.
Its silky, gourmet profile will appeal to neophytes and connoisseurs alike.
Nico's tasting notes
On the nose, a certain fruity freshness emerges first, with ripe banana and white grapes swollen with sugar, as in a sweet white wine. Cereal coats the whole and then spreads aromas of scorched spices, nuts and a touch of putty.
Aeration details the woodiness, showing its raw, bleached side, but without overflowing with tannins. Instead, fruit and toasted cereals continue to take center stage, in an almost pastry-like greediness.
The palate is just as gourmand, melting like a milk chocolate topped with nuts and vanilla. The toasted wood is almost sweet, its toasted side reminiscent of hazelnuts passed through the flame and fleur de sel.
On the finish, slightly more piercing spices like pepper make their appearance, blending like the rest into a tasty whole.
"A pretty treat, an efficient and tasty bourbon standard..."
In cocktails
Find Buffalo Trace 90 Proof French Connections in our Boulevardier recipe.
Stéphane Ti'verre
On the nose 👃🏻: it's quite intense here, with a predominance of brown sugar and vanilla at first, as well as a rather well-fruited oakiness I find. The oak is rather dry. It's accompanied by orange peel, a little banana and grape. More like dried fruit, in fact. Aeration then brings out more caramelized notes, and the woodiness comes through more clearly with a lovely hint of nuts, just peppery.
On the palate 👅: I'm immediately reminded of that slightly peppery woodiness and, above all, of our intense, gourmand nutty note. The caramelized side, sweet but not too sweet, counterbalances perfectly to bring greediness to the whole. It's really very nice. The palate is full-bodied, not too dry. The beautiful oak expresses itself wonderfully, without excess, with a hint of torrefaction on subsequent sips.
The finish is moderately long, perfectly in keeping with the palate. It keeps those very interesting nutty notes going, between peanut and walnut, with a hint of caramel and white grape in the background 👌
I've never had the opportunity to taste the 40% version, but this 45% "French Connections" edition is delicious! Everything is well proportioned for my taste, it's a little coup de coeur in this price range 🤑