Buffalo Trace Bourbon Hit A Major Milestone After $1 Billion Expansion

Not too long ago, getting your hands on a bottle of Buffalo Trace Bourbon was akin to striking oil. It was a rare and rich occurrence, rewarding the discoverer with a smooth whiskey with a distinguished Kentucky pedigree. Liquor Head chalked up this shortage to a significant rise in demand. Named one of the top whiskeys in the world by both Whiskey Advocate and Whiskey Magazine, Buffalo Trace Bourbon is a particularly coveted top-shelf bottle and reasonably priced at under $50. 

Keeping up with demand has been hard going, as good bourbon takes a significant amount of time and money to make. Buffalo Trace Distillery has steadily expanded production since 1992, producing almost 3 million cases annually. More recently, the esteemed distiller has doubled down with a $1.2 billion investment (via The  Bourbon Review). Whiskey lovers have plenty to celebrate with this expansion. Buffalo Trace Bourbon production is expected to double, hopefully making their signature bourbon a less scarce commodity. 

During this exciting time of growth, Buffalo Trace Bourbon has hit another historic milestone. According to its website, Buffalo Trace Distillery is one of the few distilleries that was continuously operational before, during, and after Prohibition. The distillery got by with making "medicinal whiskey" during Prohibition, but things didn't really pick up until after the repeal of the Volstead Act in 1933. Buffalo Trace Bourbon has been diligently keeping track of each barrel of bourbon produced since that fateful year and a new barrel benchmark has been reached. 

Ninety years on, Buffalo Trace Bourbon has produced its 8-millionth barrel. Let's break that number down a bit. Mark Brown, the president of Sazerac, Buffalo Trace's parent company, claimed 8 million barrels equals about 2.4 billion bottles and — even more staggering — 60 billion drinks (via The State Journal). 

"That is 674 million drinks a year, every year since prohibition," Brown said. So how did the distillery decide to commemorate this momentous occasion? 

By throwing a little generosity back to their loyal fanbase, of course. Fox Business reports that Buffalo Trace Distillery is launching a "Bourbon Experience of a Lifetime" contest. Offering a two-day trip to the Frankfurt, Kentucky-based distillery worth over $10,000, the grand prize includes first-class airfare and a night's stay at the distillery's exclusive Stagg Lodge. How exclusive of a lodge? The invite-only Stagg Lodge has never been open to the public; not even employees are allowed to stay there. After receiving a private tour of the distillery, the lucky winners will be able to use an $800 gift card to grow their burgeoning whiskey collection. 

To enter to win, bourbon enthusiasts need only to run (or walk) one mile and record it on the contest website willrunforbuffalotracebourbon.com. That's right. Just one mile separates you from a chance to toast Buffalo Trace Bourbon in wondrous style. In the meantime, you can celebrate Buffalo Trace Bourbon's 8 million barrels the old-fashioned way — pun intended.