Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection Oversized Barrel - 250L
Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection Oversized Barrel - 250L is a 90-proof (45% ABV) 375mL straight bourbon whiskey aged 8 years and 9 months — distilled November 19, 2012, barreled November 22, 2012, and bottled September 1, 2021 — as one of the distillery's famous experiments: what happens when bourbon sleeps in a 250-liter barrel instead of the standard 200-liter one? The answer, bottled in the Experimental Collection's signature 375mL format, is a distinctive pour with a flavor profile close to Buffalo Trace's control barrels, shaped by extra oak contact. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 45% (90 proof)
- Size: 375mL
- Age: 8 years 9 months (distilled 11/2012, bottled 9/2021)
- Origin: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky
- Experiment: 250L vs 200L barrel; rye-bourbon mash; #4 char, 60% evaporation
What Happens in a 250-Liter Barrel
The Experimental Collection is Buffalo Trace's laboratory, and this release is pure barrel science: the same rye-bourbon spirit aged on the same warehouse floor for the same time — except in an oversized 250-liter cask (a 500-liter sibling was tested alongside). More wood per gallon of whiskey means more oak conversation, and the 250-liter barrel delivered: a distinctive profile that stayed close to the distillery's control barrels while picking up its own character. Charred American oak from the Independent Stave Company, #4 char, six-month air-dried staves — and a staggering 60% lost to the angels over nearly nine years. Browse the Buffalo Trace collection and Del Mesa's bourbon shelf.
Tasting Notes
Nose of honey, toasted oak, soft vanilla, citrus, and spice; palate of caramel, graham cracker, and baking spice; a mellow, warming finish of lingering sweetness and delicate oak. Retailer tasting consensus (no official distillery notes published).
How to Enjoy
Neat, the way experimental releases deserve — this is a collector's pour first. A few drops of water open the oak; it is not a mixing bourbon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection?
A long-running series of limited releases where the distillery tests variables — barrel size, grain, warehouse position — and bottles the results in 375mL format.
How big was the barrel?
250 liters, versus the standard 200-liter bourbon barrel — tested against a 500-liter sibling on the same warehouse floor.
Is this a wheated bourbon?
No — despite some listings, the tag data and eight retailer listings confirm a rye-bourbon (sour mash) recipe.
Barrel science you can drink — buy the Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection Oversized Barrel 250L online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.