Allocated Bourbon Has Changed Dramatically at Buffalo Trace
Not long ago, visitors hoped Buffalo Trace would have a single allocated bottle waiting in the gift shop. Today, it’s increasingly common to find multiple allocated brands available during the same visit. By analyzing every daily release from January 2025 through June 2026, clear trends have emerged showing how often Blanton’s, E.H. Taylor Jr., Small Batch, Eagle Rare and Weller Antique 107 have appeared in the Gift Shop.
The biggest change isn’t just more release days, it’s more choices per visit. In 2026, visitors have not only seen allocated bourbons offered more often, but they’re also far more likely to find multiple allocated bottles available at the same time. Below, you’ll see how availability has changed month by month, which bottles have increased the most and why 2026 has become the best period Buffalo Trace Daily has tracked for buying allocated bourbon.
E.H. Taylor Jr., Small Batch
E.H. Taylor Small Batch is one of the clearest examples of how dramatically Buffalo Trace’s gift shop availability has changed over the past 18 months.
During the first half of 2025, the distillery released E.H. Taylor Small Batch 74 times, averaging 12.3 release days per month. That total was affected by the 17-day flood closure in April 2025, when the gift shop was closed and the bottle appeared just four times.
Once operations returned to normal, availability surged. From July through December 2025, E.H. Taylor Small Batch was released 133 times, averaging 22.2 release days per month. That’s an 80% increase over the first half of the year and marked the start of a much more frequent release schedule.
E.H. Taylor Jr., Small Batch Release Volume by Six-Month Period
Each line tracks E.H. Taylor Jr., Small Batch release volume by month within a six-month period. Month 1 is the first month of that period and Month 6 is the last.
Total: 74 releases
Total: 133 releases
Total: 168 releases
Source: Buffalo Trace Daily release tracking
The trend continued into the first half of 2026, when E.H. Taylor Small Batch was released 168 times, averaging 28 release days per month. That’s a 26% increase over the second half of 2025 and a 127% jump from the first half of 2025. Available on about 93% of gift shop days, it has evolved from an occasional find into one of the distillery’s most consistently available allocated bourbons.
E.H. Taylor Jr., Small Batch Percent of Days Available by Month
Each box shows the percentage of days E.H. Taylor Jr., Small Batch was available during that month.
YTD
Source: Buffalo Trace Daily release tracking
Blanton’s Single Barrel
Blanton’s availability has steadily increased over the past 18 months, reflecting the broader trend of improving supply at the Buffalo Trace Distillery gift shop.
During the first half of 2025, Blanton’s was released 57 times, averaging 9.5 release days per month. Those numbers were affected by the 17-day flood closure in April 2025, when the gift shop closed and release opportunities were reduced.
In the second half of 2025, releases climbed to 88 days, averaging 14.7 release days per month. That’s a 54% increase over the first half of the year and marked the beginning of a more consistent release schedule.
The trend continued into the first half of 2026, when Blanton’s appeared 123 times, averaging 20.5 release days per month. That’s another 40% increase over the second half of 2025 and a 116% jump from the first half of 2025, making Blanton’s significantly easier to find than it was just 18 months earlier.
Blanton’s Release Volume by Six-Month Period
Each line tracks Blanton’s release volume by month within a six-month period. Month 1 is the first month of that period and Month 6 is the last.
Total: 57 releases
Total: 88 releases
Total: 123 releases
Source: Buffalo Trace Daily release tracking
Unlike the days when visitors could go weeks without seeing Blanton’s on the shelves, the bottle has become a much more common sight at the gift shop. While demand remains incredibly strong, Buffalo Trace has been able to keep pace by offering Blanton’s on far more days than it did just one year earlier.
Percent of Days Available by Month
Each box shows the percentage of days bottles were available during that month.
YTD
Source: Buffalo Trace Daily release tracking
Eagle Rare
Unlike Blanton’s and E.H. Taylor Small Batch, Eagle Rare has not experienced the same dramatic increase in gift shop availability over the past 18 months.
During the first half of 2025, Eagle Rare was released 42 times, averaging seven release days per month. Although the 17-day flood closure in April 2025 reduced release opportunities, availability increased only modestly once the gift shop reopened.
From July through December 2025, Eagle Rare appeared 56 times, averaging 9.3 release days per month. That was a 33% increase over the first half of the year, but well below the gains seen with Blanton’s and E.H. Taylor Small Batch.
The first half of 2026 produced 48 release days, averaging eight per month. While that’s still 14% higher than the first half of 2025, it also marks a 14% decline from the second half of 2025, making Eagle Rare the only core allocated bourbon that has not maintained an upward trend.
Eagle Rare Release Volume by Six-Month Period
Each line tracks Eagle Rare release volume by month within a six-month period. Month 1 is the first month of that period and Month 6 is the last.
Total: 42 releases
Total: 56 releases
Total: 48 releases
Source: Buffalo Trace Daily release tracking
That doesn’t necessarily mean Eagle Rare has become scarcer. Instead, Buffalo Trace appears to have maintained a steady release cadence while significantly expanding availability of other highly sought-after bottles. One possible explanation is that some inventory has shifted to the new Eagle Rare 12 Year, though the distillery has not confirmed that. Visitors still have better odds of finding Eagle Rare than before the flood-affected first half of 2025, but it hasn’t seen the same growth as Blanton’s or E.H. Taylor Small Batch.
Eagle Rare Percent of Days Available by Month
Each box shows the percentage of days Eagle Rare was available during that month.
YTD
Source: Buffalo Trace Daily release tracking
As Buffalo Trace continues balancing production across its portfolio, Eagle Rare appears to be holding steady rather than leading the charge in increased gift shop availability.
Weller Antique 107
No bottle better illustrates Buffalo Trace’s expanding gift shop selection than Weller Antique 107.
During the first 11 months of 2025, Weller Antique 107 wasn’t offered at all. It debuted in December with four release days, signaling a major shift in the distillery’s allocated bourbon lineup.
That expansion accelerated in 2026. During the first six months of the year, Weller Antique 107 was released 93 times, averaging 15.5 release days per month. Availability climbed from nine release days in January to 29 in June, with every month after January posting double-digit release days.
Unlike the other bottles in this analysis, there isn’t a meaningful first-half-versus-second-half comparison for 2025 because Weller Antique 107 wasn’t part of the regular gift shop rotation. Instead, Buffalo Trace didn’t just increase releases of existing allocated bourbons—it added a highly sought-after bottle that quickly became one of the gift shop’s most frequently available offerings.
Weller Antique 107 Release Volume by Six-Month Period
Each line tracks Weller Antique 107 release volume by month within a six-month period. Month 1 is the first month of that period and Month 6 is the last.
Total: 0 releases
Total: 4 releases
Total: 93 releases
Source: Buffalo Trace Daily release tracking
For visitors, that’s a significant change. Every day Weller Antique 107 appears is an additional opportunity that didn’t exist just months earlier. Combined with the increased availability of Blanton’s and E.H. Taylor Small Batch, the addition of Weller Antique 107 strengthens the case that today’s bourbon market is offering enthusiasts more chances than ever to purchase sought-after bottles directly from the distillery.
Weller Antique 107 Percent of Days Available by Month
Each box shows the percentage of days Weller Antique 107 was available during that month.
YTD
Source: Buffalo Trace Daily release tracking
Rather than competing for the same limited selection that existed a year ago, visitors now have another premium bourbon appearing regularly in the gift shop. It’s another sign that availability is improving even as demand for Buffalo Trace products remains strong.
2026 Has Given Bourbon Buyers More Options Per Visit
The biggest change at the Buffalo Trace Distillery gift shop is not just that allocated bottles are showing up more often. It is that visitors are increasingly seeing multiple allocated products available on the same day.
During the first half of 2025, most open days still featured only one allocated bottle option. By the first half of 2026, that flipped dramatically. Nearly every open day included two or more allocated products, and days with three or four options became far more common.
For visitors planning a trip, the odds have shifted dramatically. You’re no longer hoping Buffalo Trace has an allocated bourbon, you have a realistic chance of choosing between several.
| Period | Open Days | Total Allocated Bottle Appearances | Avg. Options Per Open Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan–Jun 2025 | 162 | 224 | 1.38 |
| Jul–Dec 2025 | 179 | 363 | 2.03 |
| Jan–Jun 2026 | 178 | 432 | 2.43 |
“Total allocated bottle appearances” counts how many allocated products were offered across all open days. It does not represent total bottle inventory.
| Period | 1 Option Days | 2 Option Days | 3 Option Days | 4 Option Days | 2+ Option Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan–Jun 2025 | 104 | 54 | 4 | 0 | 58 |
| Jul–Dec 2025 | 14 | 147 | 17 | 1 | 165 |
| Jan–Jun 2026 | 7 | 97 | 63 | 11 | 171 |
That shift matters for buyers. In early 2025, the typical gift shop visit often meant one allocated bottle choice. In 2026, shoppers were much more likely to have several options on the same day, whether that meant Blanton’s, E.H. Taylor, Eagle Rare, Weller Antique 107 or another allocated release appearing alongside it.
The number of days with three or four allocated options also exploded. The first half of 2025 had only 4 days with three or more allocated products. The second half of 2025 had 18 days. The first half of 2026 jumped to 74 days.
The bottom line: 2026 has not just been a better year because allocated bourbon appeared more often. It has been better because visitors had more choices when they walked into the gift shop. For buyers hoping to find something allocated, 2026 has been the strongest year Buffalo Trace Daily has tracked for having more options to buy.
