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Buffalo Trace vs Booker’s
Buffalo Trace and Booker’s sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, classically built classic versus an uncut, rye-forward heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Buffalo Trace | Booker’s |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill 1 | 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | 7 years |
| Proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +35 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$28 – $35 ~$66 less | ~$85 – $110 |
- Buffalo Trace and Booker’s do not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Buffalo Trace
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Buffalo Trace Booker’s
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 4/10 heat: Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10, Booker’s 10 out of 10
nuttiness 4/8 nuttiness: Buffalo Trace 4 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
spice 5/7 spice: Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
oak 6/8 oak: Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10, Booker’s 8 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Buffalo Trace 6 out of 10, Booker’s 7 out of 10
fruit 5/4 fruit: Buffalo Trace 5 out of 10, Booker’s 4 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- Buffalo Trace: The reference-point Kentucky bourbon: balanced brown sugar and vanilla sweetness, a whisper of mint, and just enough oak and spice to keep it interesting. Nothing is loud, which is exactly the point at 90 proof.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Buffalo Trace if you want the balanced, everyday Kentucky benchmark that does nothing wrong at a fair price.
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table with significantly more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned, cocktails (Buffalo Trace); neat (Booker’s).